KARACHI:
In the modern world, the prevailing ideology of using a standard or universal language has taken precedence. This standard language is none other than English. Being a non-native speaker of English, I never felt the urge to assimilate into English culture. I studied English and I have been teaching the language for almost four years. I understand the importance of learning a foreign language, but only to the extent that it won’t affect my cultural values and beliefs.
However, the prestige that has been attached to English in Pakistan is absurdly high. As a result, our local languages have slowly diminished overtime. Furthermore, if you don’t have an intermediate level proficiency in English then your whole personality will be heavily stigmatized in society.
According to Lippi-Green’s point of view, the standard language ideology is a “bias toward an abstracted, idealized, non-varying spoken language that is imposed and maintained by dominant institutions”. Our inclination towards the standard language reflects deep rooted Western ideology.
Even though we blindly adhere to the teachings of our colonisers, we need to make a conscious and collective effort to maintain our local languages and cultural heritage.
Faiza Khadim Arain
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2021.
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