The Importance of any language cannot be underscored. It is representative of culture, customs and traditions, besides being a medium of communication.' Languages are the pedigree of nations '(Samuel Johnson).
The Importance of any language cannot be underscored. It is representative of culture, customs and traditions, besides being a medium of communication.' Languages are the pedigree of nations '(Samuel Johnson).
In the undivided India, and before the arrival of the British, the language of the court was Persian. All poets and writers seeking recognition in the elite literary circles wrote mostly in Persian. Even, Mirza Ghalib started with compositions in Persian. Also in later decades, Allama Iqbal, too, wrote in Persian. Both moved to writing in Urdu, once they had acquired some insignia of recognition and status, the objective in moving to Urdu, was to make a mass appeal through their works. Urdu was the language of the common man and common man's language did not have recognition, at the Royal Court or later at the viceroy’s office. Hence the focus was to speak and write in Persian; for it was a passport to growth, because it was the language of the elite.
The last Mughal Emperor, Sirajuddin Bahadur Shah Zafar, did give some support to Urdu poetry and literature but not sufficient to make it acceptable at the administration level. Those well versed in Urdu couldn't find decent jobs and in comparison those who wielded influence over the job market were persons who possessed fluency in Persian.
After the Mughal Empire was deposed, more Muslims than Hindus stood marginalized. Towards 1870 onwards, led by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, there was a serious drive for Muslims to acquire modern education, inclusive of skills in English language. English, had replaced Persian and Urdu, as the official language. The British viceroy spoke English, so the Awam (people) had no choice but to learn English. Subjugation over language and culture had begun. The commissioned officers of the civil services, both Muslims and Hindus, spoke impeccably English. They stood out. English as the medium of communication at the governmental and administrative level became popular. Those who spoke in English were considered elites. Hence to join the club, there was widespread urgency to acquire skills in English language. The slavery mind set had begun to take deep roots in society. Knowledge and skills in English language were passports to a successful careers.
Regrettably (but rightfully too, for different reasons) the slavery of the mind set continues despite acquisition in 1947 of political independence. As a nation, we extend unqualified respect to those who speak in English. It therefore is not a surprise that to progress, within the ambit of the government, public or private sector knowledge of English, comes in as a great impetus for growth and success. The reference to slave mind set is not to undermine learning of any new language, but it is to highlight that the currency and usage of English has been at the cost of compromising the national and regional languages. The realities have changed too, hence use of English today is not necessarily representative of slavery mind set. It is an absolute need.
From 1947 till the late seventies, there were many corporate (MNC and local, both included) who operated in Pakistan as extensions of the East India company. The corporate structure and values they espoused were strictly British. Everybody would converse “only” in English; only the jobs at the lowest rung of the corporate ladder were meant for those who could not speak or read English but were conversant only with Urdu. Not being able to converse with the supervisor in English became a major handicap, in the pursuit of career growth, and this malaise is still prevalent.
The slavery continues. And let's accept it. Today, all interviews are conducted in English or at best, it is bilingual, where the tilt is in favour of English. So, English must be learnt. It is important to do so given its international acceptability and usage.
Despite the imperative need for having good skills in spoken and written English, the quality has over the past three to four decades taken a nosedive. To my chagrin and sadness, I have seen candidates, who possessed masters in English literature, stare at me, as if they had seen a ghost, when asked “whose works do you like more, Shakespeare or Geoffery Chaucer?” My banker brother narrated to me a similar experience, albeit more painful, the candidate, he was interviewing, had a bachelor’s degree in English. He couldn't answer a single question relating to his course work, ranging from drama to poetry. My brother said to him, you have a bachelors in English and yet cannot answer a single question?
The candidate responded, “is it mentioned that I have a bachelors in English on my CV?” It turned out he never had appeared in any exam. Ghosts had answered his exam work! This story is a stark reality of how much our mind are subjected to slavery - the poor lad, could have done bachelors in his mother tongue, but to remain impressive, he chose to cheat about his degree being in English language. Sad but true that employability enhances only if the candidates can demonstrate good knowledge of English.
Government functionaries and politicians continue to make speeches in their broken Urdu; regardless of the obvious discomfort they have in doing so. Politicians promoting Urdu are mostly UK educated and they have never experienced the pain, candidates have to go through during interviews that are primarily conducted in English. Cannot say with certitude, but the likelihood is that examinations and interviews for the superior civil services are also done in English. As much, our politicians may dislike, the truth, English is the lingua franca today of the entire world. It is standard language for all disciplines.
Should learning of English language be encouraged? The answer is a vociferous "yes". English is today not the language of the imperialist or colonial powers, rather it is the international mode of communication of business, government and people.
Hence, therefore all youngsters must not only learn English, but polish it to perfection. Our Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah spoke mostly in English, and even at public meetings. We have to learn English not as British subjects but because it is the most popular language, spoken and understood from Alaska to Auckland. We live in an interdependent global village, and for us to engage for business, English skills are an absolute necessity. The combined population of South Asia with the inclusion of China works out to over 6.1 billion people (constitutes 79.5 percent of the world population) and all of those countries are pushing themselves into learning English language. Two billion people are currently English speaking.
To the young readers, my advice would be to read books, newspapers (editorials in particular), journals; and back these efforts by listening to BBC English news consistently at least for half an hour daily, it will improve vocabulary, pronunciation and also provide for knowledge of global current affairs. In this era of internet and digitisation, it is inconceivable to succeed without sound knowledge of English - most research material on the web is in English language. It is after all declared official language of over fifty countries, including India.
English must be taught from kindergarten to university level; failing which, this generation will be soon the past, and surely dead for the future. I am guilty for interviewing in English. I am a victim of our education system. I read all subjects, barring Urdu, in English.
It is an indisputable fact that good knowledge of English increases the chances of finding good career jobs; multinational companies, emphasise upon communication in English.
Practice makes for perfection. Reading aloud, helps improve pronunciation. “He who stops being better stops being good” (Oliver Cromwell). Every book read, will be an additional building blocks in career pursuits.
University’s which have proliferated without quality control check would do a yeoman's work, if they would schedule “mock interviews” in English, for the graduating students. It will help in their employability.
Our national language, Urdu is rich- it is not weak or helpless; it is well fortified and entrenched in our culture; hence it faces no risk, from the need to promote learning the global language. Urdu has adopted so many English words into vocabulary - find me one person on the street, who would say ‘shifakhana’- it is either, hospital and clinic, which has become part of spoken Urdu.
Learning English is critically important for Pakistani youth, it will enable them to seek out and rent for themselves better opportunities, both locally and globally.
Confucius had said: “If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.” We must rid ourselves of this myopic thought that speaking and writing in English represents slavery, it may have been in the past, no more. No, it is not. In Fact it places us better in the competitive global market. The Silicon Valley has most people from South India, why? Because they are good skills of English language, too. Our inadequacies of being low in competitive spirit, in the global market place, will be best removed by acquiring proficiency in English language.
– The writer is a senior banker and a freelance writer
