A trilingual nation - bridging the chasm

Role of English in both national and global perspective:

Dr Ruwantissa ABEYRATNE

It was both heartening and encouraging to hear that, in an interview with Swarnavahini TV on March 16, 2011 Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga had said that the government aims to build a trilingual nation by 2020 to remove mistrust among communities and ensure that terrorism will not surface again. The Secretary had added that the government encourages all - especially public servants and schoolchildren - to learn the two official languages Sinhala and Tamil and the link language English. There could be no doubt that the measures taken by the President, particularly in establishing a National Languages and Social Integration Ministry in pursuance of this objective reflects foresight, wisdom and leadership.

This article is intended to provide my views with regard to English as a link language from both a national and global perspective.

Conversant in English

I believe that such a sage policy should not only be for removing mistrust among communities and eradicating terrorism. It should also serve to infuse a sense of dignity in every Sri Lankan child who could dream of having a fair and equal opportunity of social acceptance and employment after his/her education. During my education in Sri Lanka, in a private school in Colombo for elementary and higher school education and in the English medium in the Law Faculty, Colombo University for tertiary education, it became increasingly apparent to me that those who were not conversant in English were at a distinct disadvantage, not only in securing employment but also in acquiring a sense of direction, purpose and dignity in a society where there was a psychological plus in being able to communicate fluently in English. In most of my colleagues, particularly those in the University studying in the Sinhala medium without a foundation in English, I found a distinct disparity in morale, ambition and perseverance when compared to us who spoke the Kaduwa, although none of them were found to be lacking in intelligence.

Fundamental right

I completely agree that Sinhala and Tamil should be the official languages in Sri Lanka. However, there is no doubt in my mind that English is the equalizer in Sri Lankan education. It is also the only door that would open opportunities for the younger generation - of exposure to the world, be it by working for governmental or multinational organizations or representing their country abroad. This is an opportunity that every child must have, wherever he/she might be in Sri Lanka.

To take this a step further, the equal opportunity to be educated in English should be as much a fundamental right of every child as the opportunity to learn the two official languages. By this I mean that English that is taught in the country throughout must be of the same quality and standard in order to ensure that each child has equal opportunity to compete in later life.

I did not study in the English medium at school. English was only a subject. However, the school infused a certain mindset in the children that made us value English, read English books from early childhood, listen to English songs and watch quality English movies.

This should be a joint effort between the State, the school and parents. Where parents are not fluent in English they could try to share the material and influence brought home by their children.

Educational techniques

Schools could even have special English programs for needy parents whenever possible. In other words, together with educational techniques, an English mindset should be taken to schools in which the sole emphasis is on Sinhala or Tamil. To learn English has always been a contemporary aspiration of people living anywhere in the world, as I experience with people of the 190 nations I work with whose first language is not English. We Sri Lankans are no different. There is one more compelling reason why English should be a strong link language and that is globalization. Globalization, which essentially means the removal of geographic boundaries for purposes of trade and certain other areas of human conduct, imposes certain requirements on citizens of the world to respond to challenges. For that one needs a common language, which has always been English. Through its current inspired leadership, Sri Lanka is opening doors to enhanced foreign trade with the opening of new harbours and airports and expanding business opportunities with the world.

Global problems

Very soon, global problems wrought by increasing development would be our problems as well. As the United Nations Secretary General said in his address to the United Nations Association of the United Kingdom on January 31, 2006 in Westminster, “We are all in the same boat.” More than ever before, the human race faces global problems firstly from poverty and inequality to nuclear proliferation, from climate change to bird flu, from terrorism to HIV/AIDS, from ethnic cleansing and genocide to trafficking in the lives and bodies of human beings. So it obviously makes sense to come together and work out global solutions.

The strength of the English language as a booster to a future of opportunity would be any persons dream anywhere in the world and that dream is the liberty and freedom that allows all citizens and residents to pursue their goals in life through hard work and free choice where equal competition will bring in just rewards.

It would bring about the opportunity to achieve greater material prosperity than was possible and also create the opportunity for children to grow up and receive an education that would lead to career opportunities. In the ultimate analysis, it remains an enduring realization that the thrust of the English language does not merely eradicate terrorism and take away mistrust among communities but would also bridge a psychological chasm. And this does not apply to Sri Lanka alone.