1. en-ashram-N/G
2. 20-02-2025
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We learn language to communicate. As we grow up and become part of a larger society, language becomes an integral part of our identity. We acquire this identity effortlessly. In fact, it is instilled in us and stays with us forever.

However, asserting our identity is not always a matter of personal choice. Political power often dictates how we can or should express ourselves. Even a small but influential group can exert control over the majority, determining which language is acceptable as the standard for social and economic inclusion. Minority communities, in particular, are vulnerable to this kind of cultural domination.

We have seen this phenomenon repeated throughout history. In 1952, the ruling Pakistani elite, emulating colonial powers, attempted to suppress Bangla, the language of the majority of the newly created state. Long before that, British colonial powers in India had dismantled the vernacular education system and replaced it with an English-based one. Before that, the Mughal rulers had promoted Persian as the official language. Even Bangladesh, which takes pride in its history of language movement, has done very little to protect its indigenous languages, which are slowly disappearing.

So, Language serves as more than just a means of communication. It is also a tool used by those in power to dominate and assimilate marginalized groups, often under the pretext of promoting social cohesion and cultural unity. To effectively resist marginalization, subordinate groups require a robust combination of demographic, economic, and political influence. Bangladesh or the then East Pakistan boldly resisted it in 1952 and forced the Pakistan government to recognize Bangla as a state language. 

Another notable example of resistance can be seen in South India, particularly in the state of Tamil Nadu. With a history of resistance dating back to the pre-independence period, tensions culminated in 1965 with a statewide anti-Hindi riot that resulted in the loss of 70 lives. CN Annadurai, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1967 to 1969, strongly defended Tamil against Hindi. He famously quipped: “Why should we then claim the tiger as our national animal instead of the rat which is so much more numerous?” This statement delivered a scathing critique of the flawed logic that prioritizes the language preferences of the majority over the rights of minority groups. In response to the widespread unrest, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri was compelled to concede to the demand that English be retained as a secondary official language, alongside Hindi, to facilitate communication between Hindi-speaking and non-Hindi-speaking states.

In Canada, the Official Languages Act was introduced in 1969 to guarantee the equality of the French language with English within the federal government. This Act aimed to address the longstanding dispute between English and French Canada. A key principle of the Act is that Canadians have the right to communicate with and receive services from federal institutions in either official language. Despite this provision, francophones, who make up around 22% of Canada's population, mostly living in Quebec (84%), remain concerned. While additional provincial Acts and policies have been introduced, the use of French is still declining, especially among young Quebecers.

Meanwhile, Indigenous languages in Canada have faced the threat of extinction. The residential school system, designed to assimilate Indigenous children into European-Canadian culture, forcibly suppressed Indigenous languages. Indigenous children were forced to learn English, and those who spoke their mother tongues were brutally punished, leading to the suppression of their languages.

Solomon Mamakwa, a former Ontario New Democratic Party MPP, was forced to attend a residential school where he was punished for speaking his native language, Anishinaabemowin (Oji-Cree). Decades later, in 2024, he stood in the Ontario legislature to speak in his language. In an interview to the CBC, he said: “Language is nationhood, language is identity, language is where history comes from and language is me and my people.”

For immigrants in Canada, speaking English or French is not an imposition but necessary for obtaining their immigration status. As a result, Bangladeshi Canadians, like other immigrant groups, adopt a bilingual approach, using English in professional contexts and Bangla in personal and social settings. However, passing on Bangla to the next generation poses a significant challenge. For their children, Bangla is often not their preferred language, and despite efforts to please their parents, few become fluent. The main reason is that Bangla is not used in their daily lives, including school, social interactions and media consumption. The books they read, the music they listen to, the movies they watch, and other influences outside the home they are exposed to are entirely in English. Learning the immigrant parents' language can be challenging for children growing up in a non-native country. This task is even more daunting for children of Bangladeshi parents, most of whom, regardless of their level education, do not speak standard Bangla and use a daily language, which is heavily influenced by regional accents and non-standard verb conjugations.

While immigrants view their mother tongue quite rightly as central to their identity, their children do not. The parents struggle to come to terms with this divide, which threatens to create emotional distance from their children. They fail to recognize that their children belong to a different community, distinct from their parents’. When they accept this reality, they can better help their children become aware of their parents’ cultural roots and take pride in identifying with them. At the same time, they also eliminate the risk of their children developing negative attitudes towards integrating into Canadian society.

The passion of non-anglophone and non-francophone immigrants in Canada to preserve their mother tongues is profound. Canadian multiculturalism acknowledges and values this passion, encouraging immigrants to cherish their language heritage. However, it's well-known that even in their countries of origin, their mother tongues are often overshadowed by English. Globalization and technological advancements have further intensified English dominance worldwide. Recognizing English as an economic imperative, many countries have adapted to this reality. Similarly, Bangladeshi immigrants must reevaluate their views on preserving their mother tongues, balancing the desire to maintain a distinct identity with the practical realities of raising children in a multicultural society.

Rashed Nabi
Ottawa

1. en-ashram-N/G
2. 20-02-2025
4. Tweet