Prakash Khadka, Kathmandu
Nepal
The latest linguistic trend in Nepal seems to be that “if you speak English, you will conquer the world” — which spells bad news for our mother tongue.
I remember not so long ago being approached by the financially distressed mother of a young girl who sought my help in finding an affordable private college for her daughter.
I suggested she enroll the girl at a public campus, but my proposal was met with a look of ashen-faced horror from the young student.
“Oh no,” the daughter replied. “I can’t understand them when they teach classes in Nepali.”
Another recent episode also springs to mind. I was conducting a training session for community leaders on promoting local culture, values and languages one day while a large group of schoolchildren in the neighborhood were having their morning assembly.
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