Pushing for English does not lead to a colonial mindset

 

From Moaz Nair

In the Malaysian context there is a place for both the Malay and English languages. Besides these two languages, Malaysians are also able to freely communicate in many other foreign languages.

Languages today play an important role both in the social and commercial sectors. As for the Malay language it’s the lingua franca that is used widely in social interactions among Malaysians as an “integrative” tool.

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But for English or other foreign languages, in general they are acquired and used as an “instrumental” tool for commercial reasons and to seek knowledge. This dichotomy has not reduced the importance of the Malay language, as both the languages have their functional roles in the society.

Some politicians have the false notion that pushing for English means pushing for the language of the colonialists to demean the Malay language. For instance, it was recently reported that a PAS leader had remarked that “those pushing for English at the expense of the Malay language are still trapped in the colonial mindset.”

Being a politician, the PAS leader should instead encourage the use of as many foreign languages for the purpose of international relations and for commercial purposes as well as for seeking knowledge. For instance, it would always be an asset for a special envoy to the Middle East if he could speak fluent Arabic. This is not going to make the person less Malaysian or that he is going to be trapped in the colonial mindset.

There is no doubt that acquiring a language is always related to one’s identity. When learning a new language, the person might unconsciously develop a new identity that could be apparent when using the language. Yet, many politicians in both the political divides in the past and present could speak fluent English and this has not made them less Malaysian or patriotic, what more inherit the colonial mentality.

Colonisation is a matter of the past

The PAS leader may not understand why people around the world are pushing for English to be used as an instrumental tool to seek knowledge and survive commercially in the present globalised world without negating their mother tongue.

There was a time when some Malaysians were going through a phase of rejection towards Western ideas and practices. Unfortunately, they did not see the significance of English and had a false notion that it was a non-Islamic language.

This was hugely due to the fact that the English-speaking British Empire had once colonised the country, leaving a very negative impression upon the local culture and values, with no exception to its language.

However, colonisation is a matter of the past. Today the English language does not solely belong to the British empire anymore. It has become a global language. English is the most widely spoken language worldwide, with 1.5 billion speakers. English has “crossed over the boundary of nationalism and patriotism”, as only about 345 million are native speakers of the language.

It comes as no surprise that English still reigns supreme as a spoken language worldwide. From the education perspective, English language mastery has received very strong attention in the post-colonial era in many countries. Most countries are teaching their students to master the English language as best as they can because of its global relevance. English language proficiency is often an indication of education, employment, economic development and even social standing. Over the years, the mastery of English has become a major requirement for advancement in both education and the working sector.

English is one of the most widely used languages around the world. In many non-native speaking countries, English is spoken as a second language or used as a foreign language. It is widely used in all disciplines of knowledge because of its resourcefulness in the fields of science, technology and humanities.

Islam does not restrict the sources of knowledge

The PAS leader should be aware that Islam does not restrict the sources of knowledge, Muslims can seek meaningful, and useful knowledge from wherever they wish. Since English is one important tool for learning, approaching it to increase one’s knowledge is both permissible and recommended.

In the field of humanities, there are more literary and non-literary opus on Islam written in English than the Arabic language. The translated versions of the Islamic holy book, the Quran, in English is among the most read and understood versions of the Quran in the world today. English has made it possible for non-Arab speakers to comprehend the contents of the Quran.

Thus, giving emphasis to the English language in the context of Malaysia does not mean that the people are colonial-minded. In Malaysia, English has been heavily emphasised in education with the main goal of proficiency in the language without neglecting the Malay language. The learning and use of English is definitely compulsory for every student in Malaysia.

Exposure to the English language is becoming clearer with the advent of education and technology, especially social media. In some countries, English language proficiency is a requirement for job applications and in order to improve the economies through trade and other commercial endeavours. Some value English as a medium of instruction in schools and colleges, as this is due to concerns over the inadequacies of available resources in their mother tongues.

Hence, it’s vital for politicians to have a positive attitude towards the language because it correlates significantly with achievement. Politicians are encouraged to master the language for their own personal reputation.

Not a negative influence

No doubt English, like any other language, is associated with the culture, beliefs, religion and actions of its native speakers. Being the most commonly spoken language by native and non-native speakers across the world, English brings with it a set of perceived social sentiments that goes beyond the function of communication and its role as a lingua franca. English was the medium through which Western cultures penetrated the country. This perception comes as no surprise as second language educationists mostly emphasise on the necessity of including social, cultural, political, and institutional aspects of the language itself.

But politicians need to be edified that exposing Malaysians to the English language usage does not have to mean internalising the values of native speakers in total. What more, Western culture does not necessarily equal negative culture and exposure to the language does not mean imbibing its culture.

Many would agree that using the English language for social and official purposes would not negatively influence the identity and values as Malaysians. Neither would it debase the Malay language. - FMT

Moaz Nair is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.