February 21 marks International Mother Language Day, designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, to support linguistic and cultural diversity. On the occasion of the day, several citizens of Afghanistan have expressed concern over the lack of attention to their mother tongues, saying that limited educational resources and the preference for one language in government offices have placed many of the country’s languages at risk of being forgotten. They add that this situation not only makes the process of learning and education more difficult but also poses a serious threat to the cultural identity and linguistic diversity of Afghanistan. Experts emphasize that mother tongues can be kept alive in the country through the implementation of targeted educational programs and the production of extensive cultural content.
Samiullah Faramarz, a resident of Kabul who asked for anonymity in the report, says that the diversity of languages in the country is not observed in some government offices under Taliban control, and that the Pashto language is given preference in these institutions.
The Kabul resident adds, “I went to a government office to complete some paperwork. Most of the conversations were conducted in Pashto, and if someone spoke another language, their work was processed more slowly, even though not all visitors could speak that language. I believe that if equal use of all languages in the country is not observed in official offices and institutions, it could,d in the long term,m lead to a decline in linguistic diversity in Afghanistan.”
Sibghatullah Radfar, a resident of Faryab, says his mother tongue is Uzbeki and that they always speak this language at home. He adds, “My children, who are in the second and third grades of school, are not fully proficient in Dari. They are taught in Dari at school and do not receive instruction in their mother tongue. This has made it difficult for them to properly learn their lessons and has reduced their motivation and enthusiasm for attending school.” He calls for attention to commonly spoken languages and speakers of other languages in the country and stresses that children should be educated in their mother tongue.
Farhad Kakar, a resident of Kandahar, says his primary language is Pashto, but he expresses concern about other languages in the country. He adds: “Afghanistan is a country with many languages, but unfortunately, today the educational curricula of schools and universities, as well as the country’s media programs, include only Dari and Pashto, and there is no program for other languages.”
The Kandahar resident considers the absence of a fair language policy in the country to be the reason for the lack of attention to other languages, a situation which, he says, leads to the gradual disappearance of indigenous languages. He adds, “In education, media, and government offices, all languages are not used equally, and this has caused many languages to be marginalized. To preserve indigenous and mother languages, it is necessary for all languages to be developed fairly and for the education system, media, and official institutions to pay attention to different languages.”
Fereshta Hamidi, a Kabul resident and presenter at an audio media outlet, speaks about her experience using her mother tongue: “My mother tongue is Persian Dari, and at home and university we always spoke and studied in this language. In addition, I have learned Pashto and English, but I feel that to further strengthen and sustain languages, people should speak their mother tongue more. The less a mother tongue is used, the more it fades and the fewer its speakers become.”
She adds, “When a language is spoken more widely, it not only becomes common among ethnic groups and tribes, but our cultural identity is also preserved. If young people see that their mother tongue is used in media, programs, and education, they will take pride in it and preserve it.”
Zarifa Akhundzada, a cultural activist and resident of Takhar, speaks about the importance of mother tongues and the role of literacy in preserving them: “A mother tongue is the first language a person learns and begins to speak. In academic and professional environments, I always speak my mother tongue and believe that the most important step for the continuity of languages is literacy in society. The more literate people are, the more mother tongues are strengthened, and our culture endures.”
The cultural activist adds, “Unfortunately, a large number of people in the country are deprived of literacy. This causes many languages, especially small and local languages, to gradually weaken and their number of speakers to decline. Plans should not be limited to the growth of a single language; efforts must also be made to strengthen and develop other languages. Media, education, and the production of media programs in local languages play a vital role in this regard.”
Jawid Hasanyar, a student of Persian language and literature, speaks about the importance of studying in one’s mother tongue: “When lessons are taught in the mother tongue, learning becomes much easier and more effective.” He explains that at university, he has sometimes been required to use other languages as well, but Persian remains his primary language at home and at university.
Mr. Hasanyar says that among friends, most conversations are conducted in their mother tongue, but some young people use foreign words and languages and consider this a sign of progress and superiority. According to him, the lack of sufficient resources in local languages and restrictions on the use of the mother tongue in some fields reduce students’ motivation.
Meanwhile, researchers in the field of linguistics believe that the survival of mother tongues can only be guaranteed if regular and sustainable programs are developed for their education, promotion, and practical use.
Zakaria Farahmand, a language researcher, says: “A mother tongue is not only a means of communication, but also the identity and cultural heritage of a community. When the language of a society is ignored or restricted, an important part of that society’s history and culture is also consigned to oblivion.”
Mr. Farahmand emphasizes that to preserve mother tongues, families, schools, and universities must act in coordination. He adds: “Families should speak to their children in their mother tongue from early childhood; schools and universities should provide subjects and educational resources in local languages; and faculties and research centers should be established to conduct research and produce content on local languages. In addition, television programs, social media content, and publications in local languages encourage the younger generation to take an interest in their mother tongue and preserve it.”
The majority of Persian speakers and speakers of other commonly used languages in the country have expressed concern over what they describe as unfair and exclusionary language policies of past ruling authorities, as well as the language policies of the Taliban. They have emphasized the need to strengthen other languages and to prevent the forced institutionalization and systematic elimination of languages.
Over the past more than four years, the Taliban have removed Persian terms such as “Danishjo” for “student,” “Danishkada for “faculty,” and Danishgah for “university” from universities and educational institutions and have issued orders banning their use. These Taliban policies have also faced widespread reactions from citizens of Afghanistan.
Previously, UNESCO had warned that linguistic diversity is increasingly under threat and that more languages are disappearing each year. According to the organization, 40 percent of the world’s population does not have access to education in a language they understand, which makes learning and reaching students’ full potential more difficult.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
روز جهانی زبان مادری؛ نگرانیها از سیاستهای حذفگرایانه و ناعادلانه زبانها در افغانستان
