admin
Nelson Masukume
LIKE our political history, our different languages must entrench unity among different tribal groups. Language is a vehicle for transmitting cultural values. A person without a language is without a culture, defined as a “design for living held by members of a particular society.”
Without a shared culture, members of a society would be unable to communicate to each other. The major attribute of culture is that it is both learned and shared. Without culture, human society is doomed. Language being a vehicle of transporting culture is learned and shared.
Apart from English, a colonial language of instruction in schools, our communities speak local languages such as Tonga, Sotho, Nambya, Karanga, Kalanga, Venda, Ndebele, Zezuru, Ndau, Chewa, Xhosa and many other languages commonly referred to as minority languages. Zimbabwe is 33 years old.
However, our learning institutions and language policy have emphasised on the teaching of English in schools. From primary to university level, students are taught English semantics, lexis, morphology, phonology, pragmatics and both socio and psycho-linguistics.
Generally, English language has been received so well in schools. It is a measure of academic proficiency and success. Most students are proud to speak fluent English and that language is a prerequisite at colleges.
Those who excel in English have received merits of various types. A good student is the one who speaks English with great skills and most parents derive pride in their children who excel in English.
Recently, there was a media report on some schools which were punishing students who were speaking in Ndebele during learning hours. The school authorities, it was alleged, compelled every child to speak in English during school hours.
I have observed with concern the scorn poured over our local languages by some people who have chosen to exalt English which they speak without coercion.
Some even hire private tutors to teach their children how to speak good English. But when a Ndebele faces a Tonga he sometimes says, “Angizwa isiTonga,” meaning, “I can’t understand Tonga.” There are Shona speaking people who have also vowed they will never speak any language except theirs and English.
“Handinzwi Ndebele,” (I can’t understand Ndebele) has become common. English came far much later through colonialism. Our local languages existed before then. But we discover that there are some people who shun speaking local languages but show enthusiasm to learn and speak in English.
Our social patterns have made it such that over the years, we have had numerous inter-marriages which have cut across tribes. Where we dwell also makes it possible that we co-exist as different tribes.
Different tribes live together in the western suburbs of Bulawayo and the land reform programme saw many non-Ndebele speaking people resettled in Matabeleland and Ndebele-speaking people being resettled elsewhere.
Many more non-Ndebele speakers work in parts of Matabeleland where Xhosa, Kalanga, Venda, Sotho and Nambya are spoken. Of surprise, sometimes language remains a permanent barrier as these groups shun each other’s language. Shonas remain “vasinganzwi” Tonga or Xhosa. As a result, relations sour as groups also shun each other’s language. A non-Shona speaking person comments, “I can’t speak Shona,” and makes little or no effort to learn it.
Zimbabweans have existed in one community for a long time and it is a surprise that there are tribal adherents who vow they will never learn a language other than theirs. Different tribes live together, work together, socialise and possibly attend college together. How then can we have a person who does not want to speak languages spoken where she/he lives? Is it genuine that we cannot understand each other’s languages? Will we take pride in English when our local languages are writhing in agony of near neglect and extinction?
When whites arrived in Zimbabwe, one of their colonisation strategies was to ensure that apart from land, blacks lost their language heritage by pushing English down their throats. This was meant to portray black culture as savage and uncivilised. Will we also want to regard each other’s language as savage and uncivilised?
Will we pride in our proficiency in English when we can’t do the same with our local languages spoken by our black brothers and sisters next door? We may be victims of white cultural imperialism incarnating in black voices. Tribalism is a cancerous practice that can divide and sow animosity among different tribes.
No language is superior to the other. No language is a minority language. No culture can be a minority culture. All languages are important. We must learn to speak them. Let us share our cultures and unite into one peaceful Zimbabwe.
It is encouraging though that the new constitution recognises 16 languages, as the official means of communication in Zimbabwe. This can go a long way in promoting so-called minority languages and remove negative attitudes some of us might have towards other languages.
The Lancaster House constitution recognised English, Shona and Ndebele as the official languages. However, the new one recognises Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoi-san, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, Sign Language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa as official languages in the country.
“An Act of Parliament may prescribe other languages as officially recognised languages and may prescribe languages of record. The State and all institutions and agencies of Government at every level must:
(a) Ensure that all officially recognised languages are treated equitably; and (b) Take into account the language preferences of people affected by governmental measures or communications.”
The new charter urges the State to promote and advance the use of all languages used in the country, and to create conditions for the development of those languages.
Online Reporter