"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." Nelson Mandelahttps://t.co/sZWJ7YCHyr
— Gus Leonard (@gusleonard) July 21, 2019
Our best guestimate is that there are around 7,000 languages spoken throughout the world (Anderson, 2019). 25 of the world’s languages have more than 50 million speakers each (Eberhard, Simmons, & Fenig, 2019). The U.S. Census Bureau (2015) believes we speak approximately 350 languages in the USA. But the Endangered Language Alliance boasts that there are more than 800 spoken in New York City (n.d.). And then there are the 23 strategic languages--the ones the US Department of Defense deems important to national defense and even adds a $100-500 monthly salary bonus to proficient speakers of those languages (Defense Language and National Security Education Office, 2019). Finally we can also acknowledge the paltry few that we teach in U.S. schools other than Spanish, French and German. The numbers, importance and relationship to policy varies depending on context (Rippner, 2016).
Language is the key component in many fields including international exchange, research, technology, translation, interpretation, localization, testing and more, yet it’s clear there is no uniform support for growing language capacity in this country. Cost cutting seems to override a more pragmatic future-proofing of our society. For example, in January this year, the Modern Language Association announced that a shocking 651 foreign language programs had been closed over the last 3 years at our nation's colleges and universities (Johnson, 2019). And a recent proposal from the isolationist White House would commoditize or limit interpreting services for immigrants, especially on the southern border, to pre-recorded video messages, rather than provide actual interpreting that could address the unique nature of each individual asylum and immigration applicant (Joint National Committee for Languages, 2019). Each of these examples makes choices to align policy and practice with lean budgets and decreases potential for diversity.
Is this our fate then? To promote a mono-linguistic, head-in-the-sand ideology and policy doctrine around language capacity in this country because it costs money? Research and experience would suggest no, that linguistic isolationism just doesn’t work. World-wide the translation and interpretation industry will be more than $49 billion in 2019 (CSA Research, n.d.). So how do we get policymakers on board with what’s going on in our institutions of education and research so that policy can head off these emerging dead ends and keep America viable in these strategic and economic fields? Rippner argues that better communication between policymakers and research is needed to connect the supply of quality research at the appropriate time to the demand of policy through expert groups, membership groups, and ideological think tanks, and the like (2016).
In the language field, a membership group that promotes the essential nature of language to policy in the United States is the Joint National Committee for Languages. JNCL is a nonprofit education policy association (501c3) that provides a connecting point for over 130 language organizations. Most state, regional, and language-specific organizations in the United States of America support JNCL to develop awareness and policy recommendations on the importance of language to economic growth, social justice and national security (Joint National Committee for Languages, n.d.).
JNCL also works with the National Council for Languages and International Studies (NCLIS) to lobby congress and the executive branch. Recent JNCL-NCLIS advocacy has lobbied policymakers on two parts of the $750-billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Smith, 2019) by working to promote equity for high school graduates who seek admission to the military through eliminating time-limits that have effectively hindered non-native English speakers from scoring well on aptitude tests (Joint National Committee for Languages, 2019b). Another NDAA amendment supported by JNCL is the World Language Advancement and Readiness Act which seeks to seeks to expand language learning at the elementary and secondary levels (Joint National Committee for Languages, 2019c).
So progress is happening, but if Americans want the next generation to be active participants in a multilingual world, dual-language and multicultural education is crucial and we will all need to lobby for language programs for a multilingual future. Let policy speak to the head so we can speak to the heart.
Language is the key component in many fields including international exchange, research, technology, translation, interpretation, localization, testing and more, yet it’s clear there is no uniform support for growing language capacity in this country. Cost cutting seems to override a more pragmatic future-proofing of our society. For example, in January this year, the Modern Language Association announced that a shocking 651 foreign language programs had been closed over the last 3 years at our nation's colleges and universities (Johnson, 2019). And a recent proposal from the isolationist White House would commoditize or limit interpreting services for immigrants, especially on the southern border, to pre-recorded video messages, rather than provide actual interpreting that could address the unique nature of each individual asylum and immigration applicant (Joint National Committee for Languages, 2019). Each of these examples makes choices to align policy and practice with lean budgets and decreases potential for diversity.
Is this our fate then? To promote a mono-linguistic, head-in-the-sand ideology and policy doctrine around language capacity in this country because it costs money? Research and experience would suggest no, that linguistic isolationism just doesn’t work. World-wide the translation and interpretation industry will be more than $49 billion in 2019 (CSA Research, n.d.). So how do we get policymakers on board with what’s going on in our institutions of education and research so that policy can head off these emerging dead ends and keep America viable in these strategic and economic fields? Rippner argues that better communication between policymakers and research is needed to connect the supply of quality research at the appropriate time to the demand of policy through expert groups, membership groups, and ideological think tanks, and the like (2016).
In the language field, a membership group that promotes the essential nature of language to policy in the United States is the Joint National Committee for Languages. JNCL is a nonprofit education policy association (501c3) that provides a connecting point for over 130 language organizations. Most state, regional, and language-specific organizations in the United States of America support JNCL to develop awareness and policy recommendations on the importance of language to economic growth, social justice and national security (Joint National Committee for Languages, n.d.).
JNCL also works with the National Council for Languages and International Studies (NCLIS) to lobby congress and the executive branch. Recent JNCL-NCLIS advocacy has lobbied policymakers on two parts of the $750-billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Smith, 2019) by working to promote equity for high school graduates who seek admission to the military through eliminating time-limits that have effectively hindered non-native English speakers from scoring well on aptitude tests (Joint National Committee for Languages, 2019b). Another NDAA amendment supported by JNCL is the World Language Advancement and Readiness Act which seeks to seeks to expand language learning at the elementary and secondary levels (Joint National Committee for Languages, 2019c).
So progress is happening, but if Americans want the next generation to be active participants in a multilingual world, dual-language and multicultural education is crucial and we will all need to lobby for language programs for a multilingual future. Let policy speak to the head so we can speak to the heart.
References
Anderson, S. (n.d.). How many languages are there in the world? Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/how-many-languages-are-there-world
CSA Research. (n.d.). The Largest Language Service Providers: 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://csa-research.com/More/Global-Market-Study/Top-100-LSPs
Defense Language and National Security Education Office. (n.d.). Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus website: https://dlnseo.org/content/flpb
Eberhard, D., Simons, G., and Fennig, C. (eds.). (2019). Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Twenty-second edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com
How many languages are there in the world? (2016, May 3). Retrieved July 20, 2019, from Ethnologue website: https://www.ethnologue.com/guides/how-many-languages
Endangered Language Alliance | An urban initiative for endangered language research and conservation. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2019, from http://elalliance.org/
Johnson, S. (2019, January 22). Colleges Lose a ‘Stunning’ 651 Foreign-Language Programs in 3 Years. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Lose-a-Stunning-/245526
Joint National Committee for Languages. (n.d.). Our Story. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from JNCL website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/about
Joint National Committee for Languages. (2019). Trump Administration Replacing In-Person Interpreters at Immigrants’ First Hearings With Videos. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from JNCL website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/post/trump-administration-replacing-in-person-interpreters-at-immigrants-first-hearings-with-videos
Joint National Committee for Languages. (2019b). Senate Report: “Non-Native English Recruits Being Left Behind.” Retrieved July 20, 2019, from Joint National Committee for Languages website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/post/senate-report-non-native-english-recruits-being-left-behind
Joint National Committee for Languages. (2019c). World Language Advancement and Readiness Act (WLARA) Included in House Defense Reauthorization Bill. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from JNCL website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/post/world-languages-amendment-included-in-house-defense-reauthorization-bill
Rippner, J. A. (2016). The American education policy landscape. Routledge.
Smith, A. (2019). H.R.2500 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 [Webpage]. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2500
United States Census Bureau. (2015). Census Bureau Reports at Least 350 Languages Spoken in U.S. Homes. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from The United States Census Bureau website: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-185.html
Anderson, S. (n.d.). How many languages are there in the world? Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/how-many-languages-are-there-world
CSA Research. (n.d.). The Largest Language Service Providers: 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://csa-research.com/More/Global-Market-Study/Top-100-LSPs
Defense Language and National Security Education Office. (n.d.). Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus website: https://dlnseo.org/content/flpb
Eberhard, D., Simons, G., and Fennig, C. (eds.). (2019). Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Twenty-second edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com
How many languages are there in the world? (2016, May 3). Retrieved July 20, 2019, from Ethnologue website: https://www.ethnologue.com/guides/how-many-languages
Endangered Language Alliance | An urban initiative for endangered language research and conservation. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2019, from http://elalliance.org/
Johnson, S. (2019, January 22). Colleges Lose a ‘Stunning’ 651 Foreign-Language Programs in 3 Years. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Lose-a-Stunning-/245526
Joint National Committee for Languages. (n.d.). Our Story. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from JNCL website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/about
Joint National Committee for Languages. (2019). Trump Administration Replacing In-Person Interpreters at Immigrants’ First Hearings With Videos. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from JNCL website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/post/trump-administration-replacing-in-person-interpreters-at-immigrants-first-hearings-with-videos
Joint National Committee for Languages. (2019b). Senate Report: “Non-Native English Recruits Being Left Behind.” Retrieved July 20, 2019, from Joint National Committee for Languages website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/post/senate-report-non-native-english-recruits-being-left-behind
Joint National Committee for Languages. (2019c). World Language Advancement and Readiness Act (WLARA) Included in House Defense Reauthorization Bill. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from JNCL website: https://www.languagepolicy.org/post/world-languages-amendment-included-in-house-defense-reauthorization-bill
Rippner, J. A. (2016). The American education policy landscape. Routledge.
Smith, A. (2019). H.R.2500 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 [Webpage]. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2500
United States Census Bureau. (2015). Census Bureau Reports at Least 350 Languages Spoken in U.S. Homes. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from The United States Census Bureau website: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-185.html
RSS Feed