Endangered languages with Abdulkarim Kamal.

https://clyp.it/ifirigne

Preservation of indigenous languages!

What did medieval linguist Antonio de Nebrija mean when he told Queen Isabella that: “language is the perfect instrument of empire?” How has language contributed to colonial power? Focus on a specific example. 

Throughout history, we find language to be a powerful tool, a tool that makes or breaks a nation, a tool that binds a culture together and builds resistance. Language is a means of not only communication, but a means of power and pride. The statement, “language is the perfect instrument of empire” immediately enables one to realise the sheer power of language, a bold statement such as the one above definitely has significance in terms of how powerful a language is perceived to be. In my personal opinion, the statement relates to a language perceived to be more dominant than another due to the fact that more people speak that particular language. Language enables nations to be more dominant, as they possess a tool that is significant to their culture and thus enables them to expand their culture on various fronts, a typical example would be Russia (russification), russification, is when children were taught at a very young age to neglect and not speak their native tongue, thus teaching them to conform to different customs and behaviour. However, I don't think an entire culture can be wiped out due to their language becoming extinct, the customs and beliefs of that particular culture may still continue, but the significance of some of the customs might be lost. We find that sometimes translation of idioms from one language to another does not make sense and thus the significance and message of that particular statement is lost. Moreover, the quote above may also suggest that language is the perfect tool required to resurge an empire, the perfect tool needed to bring an empire together and perhaps the perfect tool to cause mass destruction.

The only speaker of his tongue

For many, language is not just a means of communication,for others language has the ability to bind a nation. It is unique to a nation or an entire area. However, some languages are often on the brink of extinction and this is due to the fact that no one really speaks them. language can be a powerful tool which empires an individual or a group.

“When I think of my tongue being no longer alive in the mouths of men a chill goes over me deeper than my own death, since it is the gathered death of all my kind”. This quote really stood out to me, the author emphasises the importance of a mother tongue among tribes, saying “it is the gathered death of all my kind”, the author suggests that with language comes an entire set of beliefs customs and most importantly a unique culture, one that utilises their mother tongues as more than a means of communication, but rather an empowering tool. Moreover, I do understand the author’s bold statement, some idioms in a language when translated directly to another loses meaning and loses significance, it simply does not make sense. Furthermore, this quote highlights the emotional attachment between the author and his language, as if his language is a physical part of him, the author suggests that the chills of death aren't as deep as the chills of losing his language, this shows the meaning and significance of language to man, something that unites people and enables them to communicate. Furthermore, we understand the pain that losing his language brings to the author, an emotional pain something much deeper than physical pain. Thus, language has the ability to form an emotional attachment with someone, an attachment that one cannot describe and attachment that if lost, brings about pain and distress.