Menangyala Aier
What is the status of the English language in Naga society today? Although a certain amount of importance is placed on the value of the English language, a question arises whether the correct pronunciation and grammar are being taught.
When we Nagas decide to compete nationally and internationally in various fields, the knowledge of English will help us immensely, as English, being an international language will put us at par with other English-speaking people to a certain level. Of course, success depends upon brain power and innovation, but having an awareness of the English language on our fingertips will be an additional benefit. How we use the language to present ourselves becomes a valuable asset.
English, as we know, has unique characteristics, relatively, in each country or region. The English spoken and written in the United States and Britain differ in certain aspects of pronunciation, spelling, and syntax (sentence structure). Similarly, there are subtle differences in the language, either in pronunciation or syntax, in different parts of the world. However, generally speaking, these two forms of English (i.e., the British and the American) normally set the standard of how to go about learning the language. We often say to ourselves that we do not need a comprehensive understanding of how the English language functions, that we are not a native of the English language, and hence susceptible to errors which are justifiable. This is the trap which we set for ourselves, and which we fall into.
There is a certain limit to how many errors a non-native (of English) is allowed to make. True, one cannot be as fluent or as confident as the native speaker, but seeing that the majority of the Nagas start learning English from pre-school, a certain amount of confidence is expected. This can be cultivated through conversing regularly in the English speech, at least inside the school grounds, for through practice comes fluency in any language. This brings me to my experiences at school. Although I studied in an English medium school where it was mandatory to communicate in English, my friends and I hardly communicated in that language, using only the ever popular Nagamese. Of course, in front of the teachers we would converse in English, however, once they were out of audible range, we would lapse back to Nagamese. We eventually understood the importance of communicating in English in our later- years of high school. However, as they say, old habits die hard. This is an instance of why we need to have practice in speaking the language early on.
Another misconception which people believe in is the idea that having a native British or American accent (a way of pronouncing/devising a language) shows how proper you are in English. ‘Faking’ the accent won’t get you anywhere. When you have a fundamental knowledge of English language, you can have a trace of a native accent too, but having a native accent doesn’t ensure that you have a proper knowledge of the language itself. It doesn’t work both ways.
The Central Institute of English and Foreign Language (CIEFL) in India has customized English to suit better the needs of the English-speaking Indian people and to discuss some of the problems and situations which arise when they use or experience English in different settings. The CIEFL also acknowledge regional differences in English, and it is with this realization in mind that we acknowledge that there is nothing wrong with a Naga variation of English. However, it is also important that we understand how the native speakers use English in their environment. It was with this objective in mind that I studied British English phonetics and grammar in my first year of college just last year.
Understanding the importance of English in the present modern Naga society is something a person has to instill upon himself. Personally, the task was a journey of discovery, both of the language and of the self. I am still a student learning the dynamics of English, and you’re welcome to count any errors I’ve made. In a more serious vein, I hope every Naga student makes it imperative to imbibe the habit of conversing in English and not commit the same mistake I made in school. At the root of it, an American or a British accent is not expected of us, but only the need to understand and learn proper English. From there on any individual can experiment and experience growth in language.
