Today (21st February) is International Mother Language Day – a day to highlight the importance of language to our heritage and to promote linguistic and cultural diversity worldwide.
While this might seem an unusual concept to base a day around, language is the most important mechanism for promoting and maintaining the cultural and social heritage of a group of people. Arguably it is language that binds a people more than any other factor.
Our nation has become increasingly diverse, including linguistically. It is estimated that at least 143 different languages are spoken amongst the school age population alone. In schools this diversity is invaluable as the children have the chance to interact and communicate with people their own age who the can share different experiences and beliefs. But of course for parents who have come to Scotland from overseas a further challenge will be ensuring that their own children get to learn their mother tongue as well as English.
For those from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds, making sure that their native language has a place alongside their adopted one can be hugely significant and can be their only link to their heritage.
What’s your mother language?
For International Mother Language Day, I asked Scottish Refugee Council staff and volunteers around our office about their mother language. The variety of languages spoken here is as fascinating as it is diverse and makes this a vibrant place to work.
After a bit of persuading, some of our staff and volunteers took part in making this short video speaking in their mother language.
