Author: Rani Rubdy, Mario Saraceni
Genre: Linguistics/Journalism (Books)
Bilingual Nation 2030 promulgate in 2017. In order to
enhance the nation’s competitive, this policy promoted to treat English as an
official language in 2030. There are many objections and views on this policy, I
will mainly explore in the English we learn under our education system along
with this book I picked for log 5 – English in the world, to figure out whether
turning this country to officially bilingual is needed.
First of all, English Languages. English undoubtedly is the
most common language in the world, yet this is a language primitive applied
only in a country. Thanks to the UK’s expansion and history of immigration, this
language become a national and official language to countries in different
continents. Book authors are applied linguists. They separate English
into two types: English as a Native Language (ENL) and English as an
International Language (EIL).
Bilingual
What type of ‘bilinguals’ do the policy wants? There are
different types of bilinguals could be referring to. From those who have two
mother tongues, considered native-like in two languages to considered as
near-native speakers or those who are clearly not native speakers of English
but use the language successfully in their own terms.
If one wants to be a ‘near-native speaker’, the next
question will be how ‘near’ near-native is: in what way the near-native differ
from the native speaker, and the standard of ‘good’ to be called ‘near’. There
category suggested by the authors are: correct grammar; correct grammar with a
large vocabulary; fluency on the level of idiomaticity same as natives as so
on.
Choosing a model
Author brought out several models of English that could be
used in language teaching in Outer and Expanding Circle countries as a lingua
franca to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. I would only
introduce two of them, a native-speaker model and a nativized model. We might
consider what suit us better for nation-wide and the purpose.
A native-speaker model This model has been codified. There are grammars and dictionaries can refer, the norms can be evaluated and tested. This, as I quote, ‘reassures politicians and bureaucrats who fear that they will not be intelligible in the international community’. The advantageous I agreed with is that the adoption of a native-speaker standard for learners is to understand the mindset of native speakers of the language. However, from a wider view, learning cultures of particular native-speaking group isn’t the original attention our government hope for a bilingual nation. Able to communicate with fellow non-native speakers and potential commercial corporation who is a native speaker.
A nativized model Malaysia and Indonesia are two countries adopted regional nativized variety of English. They showed the vital of needs and purpose to learn English – to communicate within ASEAN and the region where both countries own a significant number of people from different ethnic backgrounds, religions and cultures. Multilingual and multicultural prowess is more than the accuracy of the language.
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This book helps me to clarify as a lingua franca, what
English tries to play the role in education industry and nation needs. Showing me learning this particular foreign language isn't comparable to others. It is more than the considerations on language of one country/culture.
I think "bilingual country" is an interesting point to discuss, and after reading your log, I learned a lot from it. In my opinion, it is essential to encourage people to both learn English and our native language, like Hakka. However, we still cannot avoid letting the culture of prestige language like English affect us. How to learn a different language while keeping our own culture at the same time is worth thinking about.
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