By Carmen Chang,
In relation to natural and artificial languages, it is appropriate to refer to two concepts: monolingualism and multilingualism. According to the DICENLEN, Diccionario de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de Lenguas (2019), monolingualism is defined as:
“The condition of speakers or speech communities who use a single language, their L1, as their habitual means of expression. According to Ellis (1994), this term can also be understood as the failure to learn a second language due to a strong ethnic identity or the maintenance of very negative attitudes toward the culture and speakers of the target language” (DICENLEN, Diccionario de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de Lenguas, 2019).
According to the Dictionary of Key Terms in Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) from the Centro Virtual Cervantes (1997-2021), multilingualism is:
“The simultaneous presence of two or more languages in an individual’s communicative competence and the interrelationship established between them. An individual’s linguistic knowledge and experiences can be acquired either in their cultural environments or in school. These are organized in systems that relate to each other and interact, thereby contributing to the development of the individual’s communicative competence”. (Dictionary of Key Terms in Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE), Centro Virtual Cervantes, 1997-2021).
The first term can also be associated with artificial languages and the desire to create a single universal language. The second concept can be linked to natural languages in the sense that the value of having multiple vehicular languages is recognized. Historically, there have been, and still are, critics of both positions.
Regarding this, Hildebrando Fuentes (1881), in his thesis Project of a Universal Language, discusses the great benefits of using a common language in the intellectual realm, which he rules out for everyday use:
“He believes that the establishment of a universal language for all the peoples of the world is unfeasible because it would have considerable variations, citing the differences between the Spanish spoken in Spain and South American countries. Therefore, he argues that the universal language would be adulterated and corrupted. However, he maintains that within a learned and intellectual domain, the project of an eminently philosophical universal language would be feasible. He argues that eminent scholars such as Galen, Leibniz, and Krausse have raised this issue without considering it merely a utopia. He concludes that only when a common language is established among educated people will a single nation of all the scholars be formed, which will be the greatest triumph of science” (Hildebrando Fuentes, 1881: abstract).
This interest in a universal language project is supported by various intellectuals, as its creation could promote understanding and unity among nations, thus overcoming linguistic barriers that divide us. Opponents of linguistic diversity and multilingualism argue that learning other languages is not worthwhile because it is difficult to speak an unfamiliar language. They consider it absurd to attempt to assimilate a complicated language that is not part of a person’s cultural background. There have been several attempts at monolingualism in different languages that have become vehicular languages at various points in history: “Already, the Chinese language was general in Asia, Latin in the ancient world, and today in the nomenclature of algebra and chemistry, we see that the idea of a universal philosophical language has been partially realized“.
Even today, English serves this function, spoken by “hundreds of millions of people around the world” and considered the preferred lingua franca in this globalized world, often chosen by those who do not share a common language:
“[…] It is an indisputable fact that 80% of internet traffic is conducted in English, that two out of three scientists write in English, and that there is a group of almost a billion people who use it as a second or foreign language, of which only about 350 million are native speakers. From this perspective, we must agree with Widdowson (1997) that English as an international language is a reality” (Rafael Monroy Casas, 2006: 1).
After defining the necessary terms to understand this linguistic phenomenon, it is now important to present the viewpoint of those who defend this project. Many intellectuals and institutions support multilingualism, emphasizing the importance of preserving natural languages as a historical and linguistic heritage, as they are part of a people’s or a nation’s cultural identity. In this regard, UNESCO promotes cultural and linguistic diversity, as stated in its Constitution of 1945, and reaffirms the importance of adhering to the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity of 2001:
“UNESCO has promoted the “fruitful diversity of cultures” since the creation of its Constitution in 1945. Its mandate was reaffirmed in the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity of 2001. Cultural diversity is declared “as necessary for humankind as biological diversity for living organisms” (Article 1) (UNESCO, 2021).
Likewise, UNESCO fosters linguistic diversity and supports the importance of multilingualism in today’s societies from various perspectives: educational, cultural, scientific, communicative, human, informational, and social. This organization takes on an international commitment to defend multilingualism and linguistic variety, with a focus on protecting endangered languages:
“Languages, along with the complex implications they have for identity, communication, social integration, education, and development, represent a strategic importance for people and the planet. Recognition of the vital role languages play in the most diverse areas continues to grow, highlighting their important role in development: not only in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue but also in the fight for quality education for all, strengthening cooperation, building inclusive knowledge societies, conserving cultural heritage, and mobilizing political will to realize the benefits of science and technology for sustainable development” (UNESCO, 2021).
In this way, UNESCO establishes an international commitment in its mission to favor linguistic diversity and multilingualism, in order to prevent the loss of indigenous or native languages that are at risk of disappearing.
For his part, Hildebrando Fuentes (1881: 12-13) presents a positive view related to the preservation of native languages, considering their importance for the community of speakers as part of their culture and national identity:
“Humanity has already worked hard, and numerous achievements have been obtained through their efforts, to proudly pass them down to their recognized descendants. All people, united in different towns, classified into families, tribes, and finally nations, have naturally created different characters, customs, ideas, and impressions […] Each person, each people, has assimilated, merged, and emptied, so to speak, into their product; it has imprinted on their conquest a particular seal that others cannot have, and it is their personality […] Let the wise men who support such a famous project [of a universal language] understand once and for all that peoples do not easily renounce their literature that sings of their deeds and their history that judges them. Renouncing their language would be to strip themselves of their glory, and humanity is not so heroic, nor so strong to make such sacrifices” (Hildebrando Fuentes, 1881: 12-13).
References
- Palacios Martínez, Ignacio (dir.), Rosa Alonso Alonso, Mario Cal Varela, Yolanda Calvo Benzies, Francisco Xabier Fernández Polo, Lidia Gómez García, Paula López Rúa, Yonay Rodríguez Rodríguez & José Ramón Varela Pérez. Diccionario electrónico de enseñanza y aprendizaje de lenguas. Available here
- Diccionario de términos clave de ELE, Plurilingüismo. Madrid: Centro Virtual Cervantes. Available here
- Proyecto de una lengua universal, Tesis para optar el Grado de Bachiller, Facultad de Letras y Ciencias Humanas. Lima: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Available here
- El inglés como lengua internacional. ¿Nuevos modelos de pronunciación? Actas del XXVIII Internacional AEDEAN Conference. Huelva, Murcia: Universidad de Murcia. Available here
- Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura, Diversidad cultural y lingüística. UNESCO. Available here
