I have been a studious English student since my junior year. I remember when I was in grade 6; I was at Dilchibo Junior Elementary School in Bahir Dar. Our English teacher’s name was Wolika Kitila. Gash Wolika was the smartest teacher I had ever known. Since he understood the problem of each student, which was speaking, he was very creative with the students for speaking. Since I was short and mostly late arriver, I usually took a front seat. I had some housework chores to tackle. He was so happy to see me smiling when he introduced a new way of a game that pushed us to speak out on the stage. I and my best friend Shega Yusuf Kindie were mostly picked up for an ice break. It was that precious time which paved the way for my further study in English Language and Literature.
One day Gash Wolika gave us a dialogue to be orally studied and presented without any reference. This assignment was given for the next day. I remember, I was so fast to take the words in my mind and asked him to allow me to present it within the same day. He was surprised. He gave me the stage with an adoring smile. The class was quieted to see the happening. Without any faultlrng, I coherently presented the dialogue even by varying my voice to represent the two speakers in the script. I did it. Gash Wolika pulled me up and took my hand up and appreciated me, predicted all best for my future. The class joined him with admiring noises and claps.
From that moment Gash Wolika, my friend Shega, and I were walking together to home. We were talking in English. But other students were watching us surprised. They took us for the most modern, civilized, and even pompous individuals in the town. I realized that seriously. My friends started neglecting me and my friend Shaga. ‘You tassel girls get away from us.’ They never allowed us to join their group. Then we started backpedaling. We agreed to speak with Gash Wolika only. We asked for excuses and started to behave in the way they do.
This experience was also repeated while I was in preparatory school. While I was in grade 11 my friends were planning to study together with subjects that any of us liked. Thus, I took English subject to mention some basics to the group. Others also took their favorite. But my female friends were not happy. They warned me to stop talking in English. Then from that incident onwards, I started realizing the attitudes given to the language.
After my study in the university, I became an instructor there. My students even my colleagues’ preferred not to speak English. Mistakes that happened in this language are believed to be signs of foolishness and lack of knowledgeableness. But when a person, tries to acquire another language and make a mistake, that time the mistake is detected as the person’s beauty and recalls the sympathy of the speaker of that language. Thus, the question is what is the problem in the English language?
Experts in language studies argue that if a given language is able to communicate a given society and is proficient in its vocabulary in signifying a give aspect, it is equally a language. But the over pride-ness of English language, I believe, did affect the learners to acquire it in a way it should be as another language.
It is obvious that the world’s champions in technology and economy are those who speak English language as their mother tongue. It is also logical that new inventories, scientific investigations, and technologies are primarily found in their signifying term from this language. This had a greater impact on recalling these speakers as the top and creators of that new thing and advancement as their identity. Thus, this could be very challenging for other languages to get translated as it is. That is why in Amharic language English jargons are sometimes used as they are. This, I think, had an impact on the psychological makeup of the language learner.
The second factor that affected learners is the speakers of the language are economically leaders of the globe. This did mean a lot. Primarily this status enabled the people to influence the way they wear, the way they speak, the way they act, and the way they live. Again this way of living is primarily exhibited using language. And trying to learn this language for someone from another background did recall many interpretations. The comparison and the critics are something beyond the matter of language. It is about the overall societal issue.
For instance, this person who is trying to speak the language could be perceived as the one who no more loved his own identity and culture. He is trying to know; that this developed people over his own are the judgment of the masses.
Thirdly, English speakers are sources of modernization and a new way of life. Thus, their language which is their instrument did remark on this aspect. Therefore, when the one attempted to acquire the language, the interpretation is he preferred that modernization and life to his own. This is sourced from the over-magnification of the language.
The other factor is the speakers themselves. Let me take you back to the history of colonialism in Africa. The dominant countries of the region were taken up by British colonizers. Thus, the colonies were forced to acquire English language than their own language, but these colonies were not expected to learn the style, pronunciation and cohesive flow of the language. The colonizers designed a separate language-learning policy. As the policy dictated English language was carefully designed in a way that didn’t miss the intellectual intelligence of the language. This means that the colonies pronounce English in a different way but the content or the meaning is still understood by the colonizers. The way colonies pronounce the language is purposely changed by the white master which is the result of the indirect policy of the British.
This strategy, I believe, did play a greater role in abusing the psychological minds of the colonies. The reason is the intention behind this is to tell them that they are not equally humans as they are. To be white requires pronouncing English as the deed. But in order to remind the colonies that they are inferior, the colonizers forced them to learn the language in a different style. That is why the former colonies of British are still pronouncing the language differently. I feel this shows a rooted hatred of the colonizers. Since the style is dominating the people, it prevails these days. Children are acquiring the language with this deficiency. This draws the line between the natives and the Africans, as they primarily planned it so. They stay at the top in their fluent pronunciation.
Here it is clear that there could be a dialectic difference across the geographical locations of the people. But I mentioned the deliberate move of the colonizers on the English language. Though the style is quite different, these colonies are free of using the language dominantly. Although I strongly hated colonialism, the experience is highly assisting the colonies to come together, speak together, reclaim their identities together, and plan their future together. They are shining over the globe on various issues these days.
Second language learning is effective if there is the goodwill of the learner and the sympathy of the native speaker. English language natives, I feel, prefer to make fun than appreciate the learner for further trials. They mostly exhibit show-ups and overact. This is very irritating for the learner.
English language is a language as any other language. Thus, the way to learn it is also the same with other local languages in the country. As experts in the field advised, language could be developed when it is practiced regularly. Mistakes are detected when the learner speaks it out. But otherwise, s/he might take it as the right way before making it out. Thus, as any language, English should be practiced and corrected from the errors.
The teaching medium of Ethiopia especially in high schools and higher institutions is English. But even those who completed their degrees are not willing to speak in English. This is I believe lack of confidence that emanated from the fear of making mistakes. In Ethiopia people are smart in writing than speaking which is stereotyped as being pompons or the one that needed show up. But the logic requires the revers. Language is developed through showing up.
The conclusion is primarily the mentioned stereotypes should be considered and enacted by the concerned bodies that function in language acquisition. There is British Council which is the most organized and acclaimed one on working on culture and language. Thus, experts should be active in addressing the issue as per the cultural background of the people. Active and practical modules, seminars, public training, consecutive follow-ups, and recognitions should be addressed. Since teachers are the most influential elements in the learning and teaching process, a greater concern should be given to enriching them.
In the country, there are various NGOs and institutions. These institutions are mostly run by whites’ usually English speakers. Therefore, they can work on alerting the community around them on various occasions. They can create English training sessions, and competitions, and serve them with resources.
Teachers in schools had better focus on the speaking section of English teaching courses than the greater attention on grammar. I am not saying grammar is not necessary. But language is better learned through practice. When students speak, they can see their mistakes in style, word, form and grammar. Thus, appreciating learners to speak did mean a lot for acquiring the language.
The native speakers themselves need to be empathetic. They should adore the learner since he is going to learn not only the language but also the culture, style, and content of that society. The other point that I needed to use as a closing remark is English is a language as any language as Guragegna, Tigregna or any other ones. Thus, go use it and make mistakes in the process to learn the correct one.
BY MEKDES TAYE (PHD)
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2024
