Language, being the principal method of communication, naturally embodies the values, assumptions, beliefs, behavioral conventions as well as attitudes of the culture it originated in. Hence, languages can be termed as
the greatest emblem of human diversity: each language can reveal how astonishingly similar and different two or more cultures can be, making it possible for humans to perceive and make sense of the part of the world they may not be familiar with. The collection of mythology, history, and knowledge that language can effectively propagate has the power to unite, as well as divide the masses of the world. More often than not, language or linguistic diversity over the centuries has met with forces that have acted to reduce the magnitude of such diversity. Some experts in recent history have gone as far as predicting the loss of 90% of the world’s languages. But the most concerning issue of them all is the loss of indigenous languages.
To question – why, at all, do we need to preserve indigenous languages? Why can’t we translate the ideas, narratives, as well as attitudes of the said cultures in dominant languages like English, Spanish, etc. instead? The argument simply lies with the fact that a lot is lost in translation. But here’s where we, as a global community, need to understand what shall be lost.
I begin by citing two examples that affirm the belief that indigenous languages are not just environmentally sensitive, but also extremely nuanced and evolved in their sensibilities. The Maori People of New Zealand are deeply connected to nature, treating it as their kin. Their reverence of the said interdependency is reflected in their environmentally sensitive language, having even coined the word Kaitiakitanga, which means guarding and protecting the environment in order to respect the ancestors and secure the future. Closer to home, ancient Dravidian languages have a vocabulary highlighting the sync of lifestyles with nature. For example, the Tamil word thappu translates to a place where migrant birds rest during long flights. In contrast, mainstream languages like English have words like reserves, sanctuaries, dams, etc. which generally find no translations in native languages. One wonders then, whether such words found their way into English because the language grew to be environmentally conscious, or if it did so because we realized the commercial value of nature.
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The importance of linguistic diversity in discussions of environment conservation further holds grounds with empirical evidence.
Several researches have highlighted a strong correlation between the two, with earth’s 36 biodiversity hotspots (threatened biologically rich locations, including the Horn of Africa, Mesoamerica, Indo-Burma) and five high-biodiversity wilderness areas (rich in biodiversity but not yet threatened, including the Amazon Basin) have a higher concentration of languages than would be expected by pure chance. The correlation however doesn’t have a direct causal relationship, so to speak. Interestingly, when either of the two (ecological niches and indigenous language) comes under threat, it negatively impacts the other.
When traditional habitats are endangered, it leads to massive loss of life for people living in them, and/or migration of the same to substitute a livelihood that was originally dependent on the biodiversity of the habitat. The migration usually is accompanied by adoption of a dominant language and nonnative, rather “modern” livehood/lifestyle, and over generations, the indigenous language (and its knowledge) is forgotten. Conversely, language loss has a negative impact on biodiversity conservation. Indigenous communities are widely recognised as possessing traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) – a body of knowledge, beliefs, and practices, reflecting a deep understanding of the local environment and sustainability of local resources. Such knowledge is passed on through generations, embedded in indigenous names, taxonomies, and oral traditions. The ancestral sayings of New Zealand’s Maori encompass information concerning plant growth, soils and nutrients, ecological niches and communities, and landscape processes. The Dimen Dong, one of China’s 55 acknowledged minorities, numbering some 2.6 million in Guizhou, pass on clan histories, societal rites and social duties through epic songs. Hong Kong’s boat-dwelling Tanka have a ceremonial song describing various local fish species’ behaviors, reflecting intimate knowledge of their traditional ecosystem. When a community chooses to shift from their traditional language to a dominant language, such as English or Putonghua, or Cantonese, such TEK can be lost.
The loss of languages occurs because people stop speaking them due to social pressures, demographic changes, or external forces like in the cases of colonization, globalized capitalism, etc. The burning concern is that unlike modern dominant languages like English, Spanish, or Mandarin; indigenous languages do not follow a simple predictable form of linguistics. Furthermore, about half of the world’s languages don’t have any written form while being rich in oral traditions, rituals, stories, and poetry that have consistently been passed down over the generations.
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Some languages, like the African Drum language, go beyond the spoken word with rhythmic birdsongs that do not intend to scare the prey while hunting.
In the International Expert Group Meeting on Indigenous Languages at the United Nations in 2016, it was revealed that spoken languages are disappearing around the world at the rate of one in every two weeks. We also have the example of the Harappan script that exists as archeological evidence but still hasn’t been deciphered and so hasn’t the many mysteries of the said civilization.
The rise of notions of environmental conservatism has been exponential alongside the rapid decline of indigenous cultures and languages. It is hence not surprising to wonder whether the answers to our ideal relationship with nature lay in understanding the wisdom of such cultures. The unprecedented rise of diseases, epidemics and pandemics also suggest the persistent environmental imbalance caused by humans or otherwise. And therefore, our incessant priority as a community is a call for affirmative action for the preservation of this world for our future generations. As it is clear from this article, languages that are inherently environmentally sensitive and conscious build communities where we’re united harmoniously with nature. Such deep-rooted conditioning of viewing nature and ourselves as two parts of a whole, imbibing a dynamic relationship that is symbiotic rather than exploitative, is the goal we need to constantly strive for.
