Why Language Matters?

Language is arguably one of the most important factors that defines the identity of an individual or a group. The freedom to express oneself through one’s native language is central to human existence, so much so that wars have been fought to defend the right to use and preserve one’s native tongue. Why language matters so much to us is not just because it acts as a primary medium of communication but because it is the most alive and potent carrier of culture, history and lineage. It is through our language that we are aware of our roots, of who we are and where we belong.

If a language dies, along with it is lost a culture that is unique to itself, as well as copious amounts of history which would then lose a way to reveal itself to the world. Therefore, in the quest to break free from the mental shackles of colonialism and to revisit our roots, language plays an indispensable role in upholding cultural identity. Preserving our languages carries the potential to be the single most important factor in determining how successful we can be in staying true to our cultural past and present.

Why language matters is not a question that we might have to answer only once in a while but one that demands our attention on a daily basis. While adopting English and several other tongues to better connect with the world is a welcome and necessary change. However, it comes with its own set of very real shortcomings. It is easy to build bridges with the world by adopting global languages; however when it comes to building a connection with ourselves, the role that native languages play cannot be delegated to another one. Translating culture into a language that does not find its roots in the same land is a near-impossible, Herculean task.

As a simple example, the word ‘Dharma’ has a complex, multilayered meaning and relates itself to varied aspects of human existence right from worship and devotion to conduct and culture. Hence, it is lingual injustice to translate it as ‘religion’ which is a word that has a fairly different meaning and fails to fully capture the essence of the original idea that one wants to convey.

The word ‘jhootha’ in Hindi broadly implies that a portion of food that you are consuming or has been touched by you should ideally not be consumed by another individual. There are diverse norms that dictate when and in what kinds of relationships is it acceptable to consume food from another individual’s plate or food they have already tasted. These conventions are so well integrated in our lives that we practice them without even being aware of them. However, the real question arises when a multilayered concept like such needs to be conveyed and understood in another language as absolute translation becomes a practical impossibility. It is unfair to translate jhootha as contaminated or adulterated as it changes the meaning fully and fails to capture the cultural intricacy behind the idea.

On the other hand, many foreign concepts such as ‘salvation’ or ‘emancipation’ have found expression in native tongues creating a certain sense of understanding about their essential meaning. This fact turns our attention to another issue of how seamlessly western traditions and conventions have incorporated themselves into the Bharatiya culture largely owing to centuries of foreign rule. However, we still struggle to convey Indic ideas in foreign tongues in the absence of adequate vocabulary which speaks volumes about the mindset of a society that shies away from owning what is its own.

This makes it evident that passing on heritage to the next generation is a tough task and consciously carrying it beyond our geographical boundaries with the intention of introducing it to the world is a tougher one. In the absence of a language that carries within itself the vocabulary to convey intricate concepts, it is very unlikely that a culture will flourish and grow beyond the sphere of its original influence. Languages and culture are too dependent on each other for us to be able to pull them apart and define them separately. If a language gradually fades away from society, the culture that has its back would soon be the next to follow.