English as a Killer Language
When Hull claims that English is a killer language, he means that English as a language is responsible for the disappearance of a number of languages and dialects. In this sense, therefore, proponents of this point of view, argue that English is actually responsible for the death of a number of other languages; thus the reference to it as a “killer language”. Due to what some may refer to as linguistic imperialism, a number of local languages have actually become extinct; majorly because of the expansive reach of English. According to Foran, a number of individuals now use English as the derivative for their local languages, proceeding to claim that by the end of the century, about 90% of the 6000 languages that exist are at a risk of vanishing completely. The author sets the stage for such a declaration by claiming that in total there are about 1.9 billion competent English speakers, a statistic that is unrivalled by any other language, signifying cultural, economic, political and military power. English has essentially become the accepted neutral terrain for making friends or doing deals, with hybrid street dialects as well as loan words serving to make it even more powerful. Considering the rate at which English is being adopted, as well as the rate at which other languages are disappearing, it is plausible to claim that English is indeed a killer language (Foran 135).
English according to the article is quickly being cut up and inserted into other languages to develop completely new languages commonly referred to as slang. Foran gives examples such as “Sarong Party Girl”, “wah” and so on, as demonstrations of how enterprising countries are increasingly adopting English as the language of choice, with most users actually being considered of a higher class. This passive incorporation of English into other languages is what is resulting in the slow but progressive death of a number of languages, with English increasingly becoming widely accepted as the universal language, a situation some believe is inevitable and would actually be of greater benefit.
Personally, I do agree with the assertion that English is a killer language and it sets a dangerous precedent that cannot be allowed to continue. While advocates for the adoption of a universal language see it as the next natural step in the evolution of the human race, I believe the downside to the disappearance of the numerous unique languages far outweighs the potential benefits of such a scenario. The first major disadvantage, is the potential loss of identity, and considering the manner in which local identities are deeply ingrained in local languages, adoption of English as a universal language would most likely result in a loss of identity, which in turn would translate to a loss of culture. In most cases, identity and culture are actually synonymous with language, with the numerous unique cultures essentially existing and thriving due to the different languages that currently exist. This is not only important due to the different world views that arise as a result of the different cultures, but also because of the variety of ideologies that come about due to these differences. The death of the different languages on account of English can therefore not only be equated to the death of cultures, but also of ideas. There is no denying that language is the main tool used for interaction and expression of ideas, values, memories and knowledge, which means that the disappearance of languages also results in the disappearance of knowledge, unique to each individual language.
Harrison (3), argues that the extent of what humans stand to lose with the death of various languages is as of yet unknown to many, although he posits that it is significant. He proceeds to claim that the death of each language actually signifies the loss of human knowledge collected painstakingly by countless minds over millennia (3). The author proceeds to give examples of the loss of ideas about species through the loss of languages such as Tofa, numerous ideas on plant and animal species of value could be lost (22). This could in turn lead to important pointers as to how people should interact with their environment, as well as ancient scientific approaches such as folk genetic engineering being lost, which is undoubtedly significant, more so if one imagines the amount of knowledge and ideas that could be lost, if indeed 90% of the over 6000 languages become extinct.
Overall, it is worth noting that the potential benefits of a universal language are huge, but these should not blind individuals from noting the basic importance of the various languages that already exist. Especially if one considers that the subjective nature of knowledge, makes context in terms of cultural values and beliefs, very important; and seeing as all these cultural aspects are hinged on language, loss of language due to killer languages must not be permitted. Although a number of scholars argue that over time the influence of English will wane, proactive measures must be taken to ensure that the “killer language” that is English, does not claim any more languages.
Works Cited
Foran, Charles. “Ligua Franchise”. The Walrus. 2003. Web
Harrison, David. When Languages Die: The Extinction of the World’s Languages and the
Erosion of Human Knowledge. Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.
