Globalization has brought forth many changes to the world and a
homogenized culture is one of the consequences of this process. It is seen as
an attempt to weaken or eradicate the cultural existence of many individuals
(Berry, 2008). An example of the repercussions is the trend of being apathetic
towards native languages or dialects mainly due to the rise of English.
English in some countries is a language used whenever people
converse with persons beyond their own linguistic community. The term
‘linguistic imperialism’ is utilized by Hjarvard (n.d.) to describe this
phenomenon. It reduces the authenticity of native languages as the trend of
including English words in daily conversations of people from different
countries becomes more prevalent. There are also many words and phrases which
have been borrowed from English (Jensen, 2013). An illustration of this
phenomenon: the younger generation in Singapore is less capable of conversing
in dialects such as Hokkien, Cantonese or Teochew due to the encouragement of
English usage required in a globalized community. As a result, the fear of
losing native languages escalates.
The issue is further aggravated by the acquisition of a single
language in some nations during the process of nation-state formation.
Additionally, some countries banned the use of dialects and languages of the
minorities (Hjarvard, n.d.). It is much anticipated that these dialects will
continue to lose their value and presence in the society gradually. Hence,
alteration of attitudes should be attained with the assistance of the media,
government bodies and the public, to preserve these valuable dialects.
Political parties play a prominent role in protecting countries'
native languages or dialects. The integration of dialects preservation into
Norway’s national language policy is an example of government's efforts
(Hjarvard, no date). Learning native languages such as dialects could be
introduced in schools and this approach may be feasible because governments are
influential. Nonetheless, there is a possibility that this approach may
backfire as the public, especially parents, in the context of Singapore, may
view learning dialects as worthless. Thus, earlier generations of Singaporeans
can adopt another approach to save their dialects from extinction, just like
First Peoples Worldwide: a global institution which advocates culture and
language conservation (First Peoples Worldwide, 2013). Such organizations could
be established in Singapore, with the aim of circulating information and
raising awareness of the various dialects or native languages through programs
and campaigns. With collaboration between the public and government bodies, the
likelihood of language extinction may be significantly diminished.
The media is another useful platform for dialects preservation.
In the past, indoctrination of societal values into the younger generation was
executed by religion and educational systems. However, this role has been
replaced by mass media which is now one of the most prominent and significant
forces used to educate the majority of the people (Firouzeh, 2004). People are
now voluntarily or involuntarily in touch with cultural information which does
not belong to them due to the expeditious development of mass media (Samovar
& Porter, 2005). An example to illustrate the power of media is the
influence America’s culture has on Singapore teenagers’ mindset towards teenage
love as they watch Disney channel movies such as High School Musical.
The media is seen as a double edged sword: it may discourage the
use of native languages just like the aforementioned example on Singapore young
generation’s capability of conversing in dialects, it also possesses a
considerable potential to disseminate knowledge about native cultures and languages
(Hjarvard, n.d.); thus, a conscious effort should be made by people from the
media industry to promote dialects usage which is achievable through music,
drama or variety programs. Nevertheless, regardless of how powerful media is,
it requires the support of political parties and the public to obtain success
in this matter.
In conclusion, though English competency is crucial to ensure
effective intercultural communication, the proficiency of native languages
should be equivalently prioritized. As stated by First Peoples Worldwide
(2013), “The loss of a language represents the loss of much of that community’s
cultural heritage, autonomy, power and connectivity”. Thus, the importance of
native languages should not be underestimated.
Word count: 683
References
Berry, J.W. (2008). Globalisation and
acculturation. International Journal of Intercultural relations, 32. 328-336.
Firouzeh, N. (2004). The Globalisation and
Homogenisation of Culture: The Role of Mass Medias in Developing Countries.
Human Ecology Special Issue No. 12: 235-239.
First Peoples Worldwide. (2013). Celebrating
and Preserving Indigenous Language. Retrieved from
http://firstpeoples.org/wp/celebrating-and-preserving-indigenous-language/
Hjarvard, S. (n.d.). The Globalization of
Language: How the Media Contribute to the Spread of English and the Emergence
of Medialects. 75-97.
Jensen, L.T. (2013). Coping with the dominance
of English: a view from Denmark. Retrieved from http://www.macmillandictionaryblog.com/coping-with-the-dominance-of-english-denmark
Johnson, A. (2009). The Rise of English: The
Language of Globalization in China and the European Union. Macalester
International Vol. 22. 131-168.
Samovor, L.A. & Porter, R.E. (2005).
Understanding culture: Alternative views of reality (5th ed.). Australia,
Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States: Thomson.
