Taking Away Language Takes Away Culture
Eat Play Say is so happy to have a bilingual speech-language pathologist on staff to help provide resources and education on bilingualism to families all over. Raising a bilingual baby has to do with culture, just as much as it has to do with language. Check out what our bilingual SLP has to say about this!
Spending six months living in Seville, Spain was the first time I was fully immersed in not only another language, but a different culture. I “danced” Flamenco, celebrated La Feria, and attended Semana Santa parades all while locals explained to me, in their native language, the importance of these traditions. Aside from these grand gestures of culture, I also watched culture transpire every time my Señora (the woman I was living with) said a prayer before dinner or sang a bedtime song to her granddaughter. Although not native to the area, I truly felt connected to those who lived there because I could participate in the culture.
Would I have felt that way if I did not speak the shared language? Definitely not.
Culture represents a way of life. It includes the arts (e.g. music, literature, dance), beliefs (e.g. religion), values, food and drink, and so much more. Culture allows us to develop an understanding of the lives and motivations of those around us, and connect to their interests, priorities, and world views. The cool thing about culture is, just like language, it is learned over time and not inherited genetically. Because of this, there has to be a means of sharing culture. That’s where language comes in. It’s how we show culture when we greet others, participate in prayers, sing songs, and tell nursery rhymes. It dictates who can talk to who. It’s also how we pass down special traditions and values across generations. Language allows us to connect to a culture. So, what happens if you take away that language?
Put simply, taking away language takes away culture.
Many parents who speak two or more languages question whether they should raise their child(ren) to be bilingual. They may even be pressured by community members to stick to one language. However, the effects of taking away a shared language can be detrimental to the child’s place within the family and the community.
Imagine a child growing up in an immigrant family. Maybe the older generation (their grandparents) only speak Spanish, the language of the country in which they immigrated from and learned their culture. But, naturally, the child is exposed to English via the media, school, and friends. What happens when you don’t nourish this child’s bilingualism and continue to expose them to Spanish? All of the sudden, this child no longer shares a culture with that older generation and the community around them. The child can’t read a traditional recipe or participate in a special Christmas prayer. They cannot communicate with their grandparents to share nursery rhymes or understand the lyrics of a native song. It will be difficult for them to understand the values their family holds (e.g. respecting elders, gender roles, expression of feelings, etc.), and therefore not know what is expected of them. Likely, because we draw social importance and understand our own history from using the same language as others in our cultural group, the child begins to lose pride in their heritage (1). With that pride, they may also lose a sense of their identity.
Culture and language are inseparable
Clearly, language and culture are inseparable. Because of that, when exposing a child to a second (or third, or fourth!) language, culture must be incorporated as a key component. If children are immersed in a culturally rich environment in addition to the language, they may learn the language more easily and proficiently (2). So, if raising a bilingual child, use all of the cultural materials available to you! If screen time works for your family, consider a television show from the native country. Read authentic language books. Those funny sayings your parents used to tell you as a child? Pass them on! Share anecdotes and fables that explain your cultural values. After all, understanding the culture of a society is an important piece of becoming proficient in the language.
When learning two or more languages, a child begins to sense and understand similarities and differences between the two.
In that way, preserving language, and therefore culture, allows a child to become more empathetic as they learn to navigate two different cultural worlds (3). So, maintaining a child’s language is not only important for preserving their own culture, but it also benefits their ability to understand the feelings of those around them. In this way, bilingual children tend to be more open and accepting of cultures different from their own (3). This may help them in the long run when solving a problem with their classmates or working in a field where respecting cultural differences is crucial (e.g. a pediatrician!).
Culture is reflected every day in how we live our lives, and communicate to those around us via language. Language and culture are inseparable, so stripping a child of their language is to strip them of their culture. This includes their ability to have pride in their heritage, directly communicate with loved ones, and develop a sense of identity. On the flip side, by preserving language and therefore culture, a child may learn languages more easily and proficiently all while developing empathy for other cultures around the world. So, if you have to explain your choice of raising a bilingual baby (and I hope you don’t!), make sure to detail how important culture is to your family. Because, taking away language takes away culture.
