Let's Talk About: The Power of Language

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

My experience with languages

During my discussion about education with a friend, I recalled another benefit of studying in a government school in Malaysia.

That is, learning the national language, Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Malaysia (aka BM). 

Even as I type this, I realise that those 2 words doesn't bring about much joy or exuberance to anyone reading this, as far as I know.

I didn't find much excitement in learning that language personally as well, when I was in school.

It sure brought about much groans amongst my students when I was teaching this subject for a couple of years too. 

Most of us didn't have a choice, as it was a mandatory subject - some of us even had to study Mathematics and Science in BM! 

We struggled and complained.

But we definitely left school knowing an additional language, in addition to it being the national language of Malaysia.

***

During my very short stint with a NGO that dealt with refugees, the power of languages was further highlighted to me.

Any communication relied solely and heavily on languages. 

When someone spoke the same language as you, whether in English, BM, Tamil or Chinese (and its many dialects), conversation flows easily, and it was easy to understand what someone was talking about. 

However, when someone doesn't speak the same language as you, something very simple like asking a question or even asking their name (!) became a monumental task. The question needed to be asked again and again, sometimes together with much hand gestures or even pointing towards an item, which could help in interpreting what we were saying.

Everything took twice as long, and everything took twice as much energy.

It was rather arduous. 

***

Thoughts

So it got me thinking.

About how important languages are. 

How we are able to communicate with various ones because we able to dabble in different languages. 

Also, how much we are able to communicate depends on our fluency in a language as well. 

Language being the bridge between friends, communities and nations. 

Language being the thing that immediately sparks a sense of familiarity in a foreign land.

Language being something that citizens of a country that speaks that language are proud of.

Language opening doors to opportunities that are otherwise closed.

***

Now I look back at my experience of learning another language, BM.

I now use that language to speak to others whose first language is BM, in order to communicate, in order to ask questions, in order to get information, in order to get something done. 

It being a necessity in work, as well as for social conversations too.

Despite the groanings, the complaints, and the mumblings. 

I am able to do what I do, because of me being able to speak in this language, BM.

I am now thankful of having learnt that language. 

I hope that students learning this language now look at it with a renewed perspective as well.

And be thankful.

Truly we may not understand why we might need to do certain things at a certain time in our lives or even why we might need to go through an experience, but it all somehow it all works out and adds to the wealth of our experience and our lives as a person.