TEDxMumbai - Ganesh Devy - 04/03/10

Summary

The speaker highlights the vital role of language in human existence, emphasizing its unique ability to externalize thoughts and create complex ideas, unlike other species. Language is portrayed as essential to human evolution, shaping consciousness and worldviews. The speaker also discusses the impact of colonization on language, the historical suppression of local languages, and the social injustices arising from linguistic dominance. Finally, the importance of preserving linguistic diversity in a democratic society is stressed, warning against the erasure of languages and the knowledge they carry.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ Language is central to human existence, distinguishing us from other species with its complexity and ability to externalize thoughts.
• 🐝 While animals like bees and dogs have basic communication systems, human language is unique in its capacity to express past, present, and future, creating entire worlds through words.
• 🧠 Language allows humans to conceptualize and describe things that aren't physically present, forming a continuous image of existence through words.
• 🌍 Every language represents a unique worldview, even if it consists of only a few hundred words, as language is a symbolic system that can express vast ideas.
• 🏛️ The idea of one original language, like the Tower of Babel story, is not scientifically valid. Languages develop in different landscapes and cultures.
• 📜 Languages do not naturally die; they are killed by domination, suppression, or when speakers are forced to adopt other languages, as seen in the history of Latin and colonial languages.
• 📚 Oral traditions and languages are often marginalized in favor of written ones, leading to the loss of cultural knowledge and identity.
• 📉 The reduction of languages officially recognized in India—from 1,652 in 1961 to 108 today—has caused the erasure of many linguistic communities and their cultural heritages.
• 🗣️ Imposing a dominant language on speakers of smaller languages causes 'linguistic aphasia,' cutting off people from their native tongue and cultural identity.
• 🌐 The suppression of linguistic diversity weakens democracy by erasing the diverse voices and worldviews that language represents, which is essential for true democratic representation.

Q & A

What is considered the most crucial difference between humans and other animal species, according to the speaker?

The speaker considers language as the most crucial difference between humans and other animal species, as it allows humans to externalize thoughts and communicate in ways that no other species can.

How do human languages differ from the communication systems of other species?

While some animals, such as bees, dogs, and certain fish, have forms of communication, human languages can convey much larger and more complex meanings, allowing humans to discuss the past, future, and create new worlds through words.

Why does the speaker say that language was a necessity for human evolution?

The speaker argues that language was essential for human evolution because it allowed humans to communicate not only about the present but also about the past and future, enabling the creation of complex societies and cultural developments.

What does the speaker mean by saying that language is a 'complete worldview'?

The speaker means that every language, even those with a small vocabulary, is capable of describing and covering the entire world, offering a unique way to experience and interpret reality.

What is the speaker's critique of the historical view that languages originate from a single source?

The speaker critiques the idea of a single original language, as propagated by the Tower of Babel myth, arguing that languages developed independently in different landscapes, influenced by factors like climate and environment.

Why does the speaker believe that languages do not 'die' naturally but are 'killed'?

The speaker believes that languages are killed when their speakers are dominated or suppressed, citing historical examples like Latin's decline after the fall of the Roman Empire. Languages are lost through social and political pressures rather than natural processes.

What significant change occurred in the 1971 census regarding the recognition of languages in India?

In the 1971 census, it was decided that only languages spoken by more than 10,000 people would be officially listed, reducing the number of recognized languages from 1652 to 108, and effectively making many languages 'invisible' in terms of official recognition and support.

How does the speaker describe the impact of not teaching children in their mother tongue?

The speaker warns that not teaching children in their mother tongue can lead to a condition akin to 'aphasia,' where children lose their ability to express themselves effectively, as their linguistic connection to their home language is severed.

What is the speaker's view on the dominance of a few languages in India?

The speaker is critical of the dominance of a few languages, noting that 96% of Indians now speak only 4% of the country's languages. This shift, according to the speaker, represents a great social injustice and loss of linguistic diversity.

What message does the speaker convey through the story of Madhu and the dying language?

The story of Madhu emphasizes the value of linguistic diversity and the tragic loss that occurs when a language dies. The speaker uses the story to highlight the importance of preserving languages, as each one represents a unique worldview and a part of human history.