In the present globalised context, English is taken as the most important means of communication. It’s the most demanding language, enjoying immense popularity and having an edge over other languages throughout the globe. A minute observation of the present scenario clearly shows the pertinence of English that offers a wide range of scope and opportunities.
People having a fluent tongue in English are considered to be the erudite ones while a person possessing a tremendous subjective knowledge but incapable of airing his ideas in English is looked down upon by the so-called intellectuals. But so far as the case of gaining mastery over this foreign language is concerned, especially in places where English is used as a second language (ESl), the native tongue plays a crucial role. The researchers working in the area of English language Teaching (ElT) have greatly stressed the importance of mother tongue (MT) in learning a second language.
The students, for whom English is a second language, learn English more quickly and effectively if they maintain and develop proficiency in their mother tongue. Studies show that the connection between languages should be clearly found and not ignored or suppressed. There is a need to associate new with the old. To exclude mother tongue links would deprive the learners of the richest source for building cross-linguistic networks. With our mother tongue we learnt to speak, communicate and acquire an intuitive understanding of grammar. Therefore, mother tongue is the greatest asset that provides a language acquisition support system. There are many reasons to support the continued learning of the home language or mother tongue. A strong first language supports the development of a positive self-concept, helps strengthen the existing relationship within the family and provides the opportunity to continue cognitive development while learning other languages as a second language. Knowing one language can assist the child in comprehending how other languages work.
Children’s level of competence in a second language has relationship to the level of competence they have achieved in their first language. The mother tongue opens the door, including its own grammar, to all grammars, in which it awakens the potential for universal grammar that lies within all of us. For this reason, the mother tongue is the key to foreign languages, the tool which gives us the fastest, surest, most precise and most complete means of accessing a foreign language.
Being aware of the crucial role played by the mother tongue let’s devote our attention to Odia language in particular. Instead of attributing importance, we tend to underrate Odia as a means of communication; English has become the talk of the town. It’s quite painful to express that some of the people are ashamed of using English in certain contexts. But the pertinent question is Can we learn a second language like English in isolationIJ The above study ensures that without the help of mother tongue, achieving perfection in a second language is quite a herculean task. Our obsession with English for its international repute has widened the gap between us and our mother tongue. Since English stands for opportunities, the Odia community has been quite impervious to the magnanimity of their own language. It has been noticed that most of the students in English medium schools experience a lot troubles in grammar. Even though they develop commendable fluency in English, they fall far short of the standard expected of them in English.
Besides the academic field, Odia is being ignored in almost all the spheres of life. The intellectual mass has taken English as the only way to attain social status and supremacy. The English-speaking community is representative of the sophistication and polished behaviour and is held in high esteem. But this strong inclination towards English without a sound knowledge of Odia doesn’t lead us anywhere. We can have accuracy in English only with the help of Odia, the native tongue. Exclusion of Odia will add to our utter failure in acquiring English as a second language. So, the continued learning of Odia will better our English in different ways. While craving for English, we must assure the dignity of our mother tongue.
Being well-versed in our own tongue, we can excel in a foreign language more effectively because our thinking process is associated with our mother tongue. In this connection, we call for all the hands to the pump. The individual consciousness will lead us to the collaborative effect. Otherwise, the language which represents our cultural affluence will be on the verge of losing its originality and peculiarity.
Moreover, English is not the only parameter against which the talent or potential should be measured. So, without haggling over the matter, we should repose our faith in the fact that the transformation of our apathy into love and propensity will undoubtedly contribute to the enrichment of both first and second languages.
(The writer is a college lecturer in English)