International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day is observed globally on 21st February. According to the Ethnologue published by SIL (Summer Institute of Language, International) in 2009 there are 6,909 distinct languages in this world. The day is celebrated to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism around the world.
The day was initiated by Bangladesh to set up International Mother Language Day which was approved by UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999.
International Mother Language Day brings two important subjects- Multilingualism and language dominance. The whole world is linguistically diversed. Mainly a multilingual society where more than two languages are spoken by the same community at different places (for example one language at home and another at the office) might bring threat to one of those two languages. One more thing that is language dominance. One language always tries to dominate the others. When in a multilingual society one language is educationally, politically chosen to be spoken officially that particular language has more possibility to be a threat for some other minor languages in the same society. In this way some times some communities are deprived from speaking their own mother language at schools, office, at markets or at many other places. Slowly it brings threat to their mother language.
Globally 40 per cent of the population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. Nevertheless, progress is being made in mother tongue-based multilingual education particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life. The recent steps in National Education Policy 2020 brings hope regarding this. The Assam Government has also taken the decision that “home languages” will be medium for the educational instructions and thus Mising, Rabha, Tiwa and Deori which to be implemented as medium of education up to 5th standard while Karbi language up to 8th standard and Boro and Garo languages to be implemented as medium up to class 12. On the other hand the Dimasa language will be included as a subject in the syllabus.
The International Mother Language Day is like a reminder for us that every community should respect and accept each and other’s languages as well. Multilingual and multicultural societies exist through their languages which transmit and preserve traditional knowledge and cultures in a sustainable way.