The Case For Bilingualism
Andrew,
CBS Canadian Bilingual School
CBS Canadian Bilingual School
The Tower of Babel narratives in Genesis 11:1-9 is an origin myth that attempts to explain why the world’s populations speak different languages. In the story, which transpires at some point after the Great Flood, humans moved east, en masse, arriving in the land of Shinar. It’s at this point, which for reasons that are never fully explained, a decision to construct a tower is made and work begun. Unfortunately, God appears not to be amused by the project and in what is surely one of the most memorable of fable moves, alters the languages of the workers, creating complete chaos on the site and the demise of civilization.
While I am not an advocate of unsubstantiated narrative, as a teacher of three languages and a student of others, I feel the story warrants a revisit. It is, after all, an attempt to explain why the world is divided into linguistic groups, a reality with which we are faced even today.
Additionally, the Babel story might be easily considered conjecture by scholars or a fairytale by the marginalized were it not for the fact that a parallel version of the theme appears in South America thanks to the writings of Dominican Friar, Diego Duran (1537-1588).
Even Montezuma, a God in the mythology of certain Amerindian tribes of South West United States gets into the Babel act....as did the Cherokee who legend would have it, built a tower to heaven which the Gods, wait for it, levelled. And as you’ve already guessed, as restoration efforts began, languages were altered leading to confusion and eventual death. And so humans, from the beginning of time, have taken notice and recorded the importance, of communicating through language.
Imagine, if you will, the alternative....a world without speech, without language, without a method of communicating ideas, feelings or desires. Without the ability to speak a language which others understand, what would our world look like today?
I've spent the past three years teaching English in Taipei which is notable for many things but the chief of which is The Taipei 101. This remarkable engineering achievement bears a strong resemblance to what legend would have us believe was the work of overly ambitious residents of a mythical Shinar. And yet there it stands, rising 1167 ft. above the city of Taipei. An architectural marvel!
As a teacher of three languages, who is familiar with the difficulties real or imagined in the building of other legendary towers, I study the Taipei 101 with an enormous sense of humility. For mankind to have conspired to create such a momentous task was obvious but to have achieved it was breathtaking! I find myself wondering how many languages contributed to the realization of the finished tower? Thousands of men, giving, or taking orders, all with a singular goal in mind. To create a thing of beauty, that would outlive them. But, to make that dream a reality, they needed to be able to speak the same language.
Visit: www.canadianbilingualschool.com
While I am not an advocate of unsubstantiated narrative, as a teacher of three languages and a student of others, I feel the story warrants a revisit. It is, after all, an attempt to explain why the world is divided into linguistic groups, a reality with which we are faced even today.
Additionally, the Babel story might be easily considered conjecture by scholars or a fairytale by the marginalized were it not for the fact that a parallel version of the theme appears in South America thanks to the writings of Dominican Friar, Diego Duran (1537-1588).
Even Montezuma, a God in the mythology of certain Amerindian tribes of South West United States gets into the Babel act....as did the Cherokee who legend would have it, built a tower to heaven which the Gods, wait for it, levelled. And as you’ve already guessed, as restoration efforts began, languages were altered leading to confusion and eventual death. And so humans, from the beginning of time, have taken notice and recorded the importance, of communicating through language.
Imagine, if you will, the alternative....a world without speech, without language, without a method of communicating ideas, feelings or desires. Without the ability to speak a language which others understand, what would our world look like today?
I've spent the past three years teaching English in Taipei which is notable for many things but the chief of which is The Taipei 101. This remarkable engineering achievement bears a strong resemblance to what legend would have us believe was the work of overly ambitious residents of a mythical Shinar. And yet there it stands, rising 1167 ft. above the city of Taipei. An architectural marvel!
As a teacher of three languages, who is familiar with the difficulties real or imagined in the building of other legendary towers, I study the Taipei 101 with an enormous sense of humility. For mankind to have conspired to create such a momentous task was obvious but to have achieved it was breathtaking! I find myself wondering how many languages contributed to the realization of the finished tower? Thousands of men, giving, or taking orders, all with a singular goal in mind. To create a thing of beauty, that would outlive them. But, to make that dream a reality, they needed to be able to speak the same language.
Visit: www.canadianbilingualschool.com