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English language affecting mother tongue
By Mithun Dey
In this modern age, we live on the stage of English language. Here, we find the number of English-medium schools are gradually growing all around. That, English is the language of business, technology, and empowerment is known to almost all. But, we do not think about our own mother tongue at all.
Now, a child who is required to pick up the English language as a precondition of advancement in learning is subjected to such an obnoxious pressure. To an average child, such a process of education in English medium cannot but appear as an immensely stiff and uninteresting job and looks almost like a bugbear. But, pressurely or without having any pressure, a child is picking up the English language delicately. And, as a result, it?s producing a tremendous pressure on children to learn his mother tongue.
The system of education so long in vogue in India hinged on having the English language as the medium of instruction and examination. Presently, the English language is being propagated in every part of the country in such a manner as if English is our mother tongue. Most of the people here in India speak in English in their daily familiar intercourse. It seems that they have already forgotten their mother tongue. Moreover, most of those who are from the English-medium schools, don?t know how to write their mother tongue. Today we really feel shame at reducing the importance of our own language.
In the advanced countries like Germany, France, Italy, Japan, China, Russia and so on, after finishing the high school course, one may pick up a working knowledge of the English language through a short course. Therefore, no fuss should be made about learning fine English as a necessary and indispensable accomplishment, even from one?s childhood or adolescence.
Here in India, let the pupils have sufficient time either at home or at school to master their own language and literature and, through these, to acquire a fair general knowledge of all the subjects that they are interested in. In that case, whatever the medium they are in, it doesn?t matter at all.
The purpose of putting across thought through mother tongue, which Rabindranath Tagore talked about, is more comfortable than through foreign tongue, but where is the thought? The system has reduced importance of mother tongue learning.
(The writer can be contacted at Rly. Qtr. No. N-423-A Central Colony Post:- New Bongaigaon Dist:- Bongaigaon Pin:- 783381(ASSAM)E-mail:- mithun_jhum@rediffmail.com)
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