Native Tongues

English is a well-organized language. In fact, it is the most spoken language across the world. There are two versions which are the British English and the American English. The Queen's language which is the formal written and spoken language in Ghana is what I am conversant with. Hugh Masekela of blessed memory once said: "If I don't make heritage visible and the strength of mother tongue important for my grandchildren, it scares me that they might say in 20 years from now, 'Well, it is rumoured that we used to be Africans long ago.' And in many urban areas, it's already happening." Indeed, it is!

Many parents speak English more with their children than their local languages. May I ask what your reasons are if you do same? A lady told me her mother who is a teacher said, most of these parents speak very bad English with their kids which the teachers have a difficult time correcting in the classroom. Perhaps, we are trying to make it easier for them to learn the Queen's language, but it seems we actually may be depriving them of a proper childhood development.

According to Deane Alban, a teacher, author and health information researcher, learning a second language benefits the cognitive abilities like intelligence and memory, while lowering the risks of brain aging and dementia (https://bebrainfit.com/benefits-learning-second-language/). Which other language are you or your children and grandchildren learning if English is first?

When many of us make mistakes in speaking or writing this ever improving language, I'm pretty sure the white man will pardon us because it isn't our local language. On the other hand, I do not think it will look good if we are unable to speak our native tongue. At Konongo, a woman once lashed out at me in the presence of my 'obroni' colleague from the US because I couldn't say some words in Twi (which is an Akan dialect) to help translate his message to her. He laughed at me on our way home. He told others what has happened. After that experience, I began to learn Twi aggressively.


Let us better our mother tongues as much we do to the English language and any other languages we learn.