Urbanization threatens mother tongues

By MUBATSI HABATI AND ROBERT OWINY
Published September 20, 2009

Many children, especially in urban areas do not know their mother tongue. They prefer to speak to their parents, guardians, friends or other people in English and other languages other than their vernacular.

At the age of 10, Gilbert Okello should be able to fluently and confidently speak Acholi, his parents’ language, but he can hardly do so. Okello was born and raised in Kampala city, and he doesn’t even know how Kitgum, his home district looks like.

“The first language I was taught at home was English, and then I found myself speaking Luganda because of my association with other kids in the neighbourhood,” he says. “At school we are restricted to speaking English; anyone found speaking vernacular was punished severely, so I feel English is my first language, and I speak only basic Acholi which I picked from a maid.”
Okello’s story is a typical case of urban-raised children. In Kampala, English dominates homes as a medium of communication at the expense of vernacular languages. Language experts say this phenomenon spells dire consequences on cultural values, and soon there will be a generation of Ugandans, who cannot speak local languages.

Researchers warn that many indigenous languages may soon disappear since people consider them inferior to foreign languages, especially English. Language is vital in identifying a group of people and its culture, and only lives in people when they speak it.

Ugandan Government through the Ministry of Education and Sports, recognises the significance of mother tongue. By the new curriculum, primary school pupils are taught local languages up to primary four. Education stakeholders believe that children learn, and understand a second language quickly if they know their mother tongue first. Thus, it is thought that the quality of English spoken by children is bound to improve.

However, in addition to mother tongue, knowledge of an international language such as English, French, German, Latin or Chinese provides opportunities for career and life choices.

“Parents should encourage children to learn their native language. There is no better way to self-identify with your own people (kinsmen) than speaking the language,” says Gilbert Wesonga, a parent who has lived in Kampala for the last 30 years. Wesonga wonders how children would communicate with the grandparents and relatives in villages if they are not taught these languages.

“It is embarrassing and annoying when children speak English to their grandparents, who may not understand it,” says Jackline Katusabe, a mother of three. “Teach them their mother tongue and culture – they might thank you for it later! If they want to learn other languages, that’s fine too. Children cope easily, and can speak many languages if they are taught early enough.”

“Our languages are dying because some parents think it is modern to learn the English language, and not the local one with children at home,” laments Rita Nanyonga, another parent who lives in Kampala. “English is gradually becoming the first language in the homes of most working families in Uganda. It shameful when one cannot speak at least a local language.”

Nanyonga suggests development of programs, which will teach children especially those born in urban settings to understand their culture by learning their native languages.

Parents are not entirely to blame for children’s failure to speak mother tongue. Some children look down upon and don’t want to be associated with their vernacular. Many understand their mother tongue, but avoid speaking it intentionally. Instead they opt for foreign languages to respond to their parents, who try to speak in mother tongue.

Some parents say that many children brought up in urban areas, suffer from the “modernity syndrome”, which is attributed to western influence. Much as parents try to teach mother tongue, their children will not speak it publicly. Some parents are even frustrated that their children speak the language of their house helps, instead of their own.

Some children on the other hand say that they hate to speak their mother tongue because they think the language is not prestigious. So, there is the element of cultural inferiority. However, children who love to speak their mother tongue claim they do not have enough time with the parents to learn enough.

As such, some parents have resorted to language institutes and books written in local languages to educate their children since home practice has failed.

According to Michael Masakala, deputy director of the Institute of Languages at Makerere University, the poor local language proficiency among the urban-raised children is caused by failure of their parents to associate with family relatives.

“We express certain things like grief better in local languages. And failure to speak in mother-language will lead to language death and culture. By not allowing children to speak their local language, parents are indirectly telling them [children], that there is something wrong with their culture. This makes children grow up belittling their language and eventually hating it.”

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