Roger Bacon once said, “Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom”. Understanding languages is not just limited to anthropological context, as it is widely believed so, but goes beyond that, into the realm of deep understanding of the dynamics of our natural environment ensconcing the beauty and the wisdom of the world which was traditionally passed down orally. While the world is hunting for strategic policies and systems to avoid the catastrophes of climate changes rooted in a fragmented approach, Anvita Abbi, an Indian linguist and scholar of minority languages, known for her studies on tribal and other minority languages of South Asia, reminds us in one of the DEF dialogues the importance of indigenous languages in helping us to live in harmony. The Padma Shri awardee presents a much needed view on the role of local and indigenous languages in our society and learning, the reasons for them dying and the ways in which they could still be saved through her blindsiding anecdotes.
Language: A mere medium of expression?
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