There are many advantages tied to language aside from promoting easy communication, which alone has several advantages attached; language is also a means of cultural identity.
From the language we speak, our identity, location, and ethnic group can be depicted.
For instance, in Nigeria, where there are about 550 spoken languages, one might think that it would be difficult to tell where people come from, but that's not true; unless one is without a language, you can easily trace anyone to their native lands.
This is not applicable to Nigeria alone; in other parts of the world where different languages are spoken, from the language a person speaks, one can tell where the person is from.
For me, that's beautiful. Imagine the population of the world, yet language can single out an individual and trace him/her back to where they came from; it's something amazing.
Many years ago, understanding language was a critical problem. In order to communicate with people we do not speak or understand their languages, one has to undergo the stress of looking for an interpreter.
And in the case where there is no one to interpret, no matter how critical the situation is, the matter is left sealed.
Cases that a few minutes' conversation would have resolved might be left to linger for long, and sometimes, because there is no communication and understanding, it may even result in trouble.
Thank God for technology; in our day, we have Artificial Intelligence (AI) on our phones that easily translates all languages.
One doesn't necessarily need to go and spend years studying another language in order to pass a message anymore.
With zero knowledge of a language, you can communicate with anyone, no matter how difficult their language is. All you need is to have your translator close by, either on your phone or PC, and you are good to go.
In every relationship, understanding is key, and to understand anyone, we first need to understand their language.
Thank God for translators; now people are becoming friends and partners from across the world without even knowing how to speak each other's languages. Translators do the job of interpreting.
Although this is a great achievement, it has also taken the place of creating the passion in people to learn new languages.
Back then, it was a necessity to know how to speak and understand a language before you could communicate with the person who speaks it, unless the person understood English or other languages that you understood too, or an interpreter is close by but it's no longer necessary in our day.
Back then, languages were well respected and treated like gold due to the effort it takes to understand them.
In fact, when someone speaks your language with you, there is this joy that erupts in you, especially if the person is from another place.
It shows how the person respects and loves your language. It makes you feel comfortable to interact with the person, but currently, it's no longer so; anyone can relate with anyone speaking any language without learning the language.
No need to hire a translator or learn it yourself. AI will do the work.
It somehow looks like languages are losing their honor. Nevertheless, I don't see it that way.
The advantages still outweigh what look like its disadvantages, though sometimes digital translators might translate wrongly, conveying a different thing from what we are saying. I still appreciate the effort of technology in bringing an easy alternative.
I don't see this growth as an insult to languages. Imagine we have to learn every language in the world to be able to communicate with people. How long will it take us, and how sure are we that we will master them? If we are hiring people to interpret, imagine the cost, and what if it's supposed to be a confidential conversation?
This is purely growth and a massive shift for good in the human race, and it ought to be praised; however, we should not abuse it by using it wrongly. And whenever we find the opportunity to learn new languages, we should seize it. There are days when AI won't be available.
N.B: All Images Were Generated By Gemini AI
