The overemphasis and over-reliance on English is doing the process of community development and nation building in South Africa more harm than good, because of the following reasons:
It traps a vast majority of South Africa citizens in a state of inferiority, disempowerment and mediocrity. English is the mother tongue of only ten percent of South Africans and the ‘chosen’ few from previously disadvantaged communities who are fortunate enough to attend private English schools. Ninety percent of our population speaks a variety of indigenous languages (Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, etc). These are the languages they no best and which enables them to live a meaningful live.
Neville Alexander, the renowned linguist has this to say about the empowering role of our indigenous languages: “Suffice it to say, that being able to use the language(s) one has the best command of in any situation is an empowering factor and, conversely, not being able to do so is necessarily disempowering. The self-esteem, self-confidence, potential creativity and spontaneity that come with being able to use the language(s) that have shaped one from early childhood (one’s “mother tongue”) is the foundation of all democratic polities and institutions. To be denied the use of this language is the very meaning of oppression” (Alexander, 2006: 3-4).
It is a barrier to academic excellence and limits contributions to the global knowledge pool. Parents demand instruction in English, often with disastrous results. Research by our own national education department regarding the correlation between repeating a grade and home language indicates that mother tongue English speaking children who are taught in English are at a distinct advantage. They excel academically and are less at risk to repeat a grade. Only nine percent have repeated once, whilst two percent have failed twice.
The majority of South African children are however not so privileged. They are less likely to excel academically and run a much higher risk to repeat a grade once or twice. Current research indicates that approximately twenty two percent have failed once, whilst 15 percent have failed once. In addition, our annual academic results at all levels of the educational system and the annual systemic testing of literacy and numeracy skills show up huge differences between the privileged few who receive quality mother tongue instruction and the majority who receive inferior instruction in poor English. The former will therefore drive the process of scientific and technological advancement and become the direct benefactors of wealth created by this, whilst the role of latter in all of this is reduced to a mere labourer or consumer.
The esteemed academic Zaline Makini Roy-Campbell argues that the disuse of African languages in education and the devaluation of knowledge embodied in these languages have resulted in the positioning of Africa as a receiver rather than a contributor. According to him: “African countries receive knowledge, know-how, technology, books, etc. from other countries, particularly in the West, but are not seen to contribute anything of “recognized value” to the global knowledge pool. (Roy-Campbell.2006:3).
It fuels the notion that our indigenous languages have no economic value. English is at the heart of South Africa’s creative industry and therefore dominates our traditional and electronic print media, the television and film industry, our advertisement and graphic design industry, the music and theatre business environment, as well as our entertainment, festival, heritage tourism and related industries. Visit any bookshop and one will find that the majority of readers, text books, music and film products are imported from Britain and the USA, whilst products in our indigenous languages are limited and in many instances non-existent.
An in-depth understanding of the economic potential of our indigenous languages and renewed appreciation by speakers of our indigenous languages could however result in growth in demand for products in our indigenous languages. President Zuma mentioned in his State of the Nation address earlier this year that the cultural industries sector contributes about R2 billion to the Gross Domestic Product. This contribution can grow significantly if we place our indigenous languages at the heart of the creative sector as well as the developing knowledge economy.
It presupposes that the promotion of indigenous languages furthers ethnic division and undermines social cohesion. The lack of social cohesion and growing divide between rich and poor in South Africa are the result of promoting English at the expense of our indigenous languages. Whilst it suited the elite and their children, it limited access to economic, educational and cultural opportunities for the majority of South Africans because of their limited verbal and written English skills.
The solution for this dilemma lies with the repositioning of our indigenous languages as a catalyst for creativity, for growth, employment, innovation and competitiveness.
