The human brain is a very efficient device. Nobody knows exactly how it works but there is evidence to suggest that it works on the principle of conservation of energy. This means that we do not generally want to spend our mental energy on learning foreign languages. Some of us do enjoy learning them nevertheless but such people are very rare. They enjoy language-learning as others enjoy a good game. Thus, they learn foreign languages to increase their pleasure.
Others learn them to increase their power. If the foreign
language has prestige in society then this power consists in being able to
interact with the elite. It serves as a badge of elitist identity. It gives
intangible goods such as influence, prestige and a positive self-image. If,
however, the foreign language is used in good jobs---which I call the domains
of power---then it empowers one by making it possible to obtain those jobs. All
these things---prestige, influence, positive self-image, good jobs---give us
pleasure in the long run. Thus, we can conclude that people learn foreign
languages either because the process itself gives pleasure or, which is more
often the case, the process itself is not immediately pleasurable but its
long-term consequences are. Briefly, then, foreign languages are learnt by
individuals to obtain immediate or deferred pleasure.
But why do nations teach foreign languages? Why do
institutions, such as religious missionaries, teach them? Why do armies and
business corporates teach them? They teach them to obtain various institutional
interests.
If one looks at the language-teaching policies of
powerful nation-states, one finds the teaching of foreign languages as an
important imperative. The case of the English-speaking countries is well known.
The British Council has been spreading the English language in much of the
world and has been supported by the British Foreign Office because it is in
Britain’s national interest that English should be understood by the world.
This helps people in understanding British policies and preferences.
Businesses, students, consumers can then buy goods and services from Britain.
Indeed, histories of the British Council point out that English has been more
beneficial for the British economy and diplomacy than sending troops across the
seas.
Similarly, the American Cultural Centers have been
investing in English too. Those who are exposed to English and the American way
of life were expected to be friendly towards the United States. This is largely
true though there are cases of people being at home both in English and the
American way of life and still hating America---or, as is more often the case,
American foreign policy. Anyway, the general rule still remains that English
opens a window to America and dilutes extremist opinions. Thus, it is in
American national interest to invest in the spread of English throughout the
world.
Besides the English-speaking countries, others also have
language-spread policies. France is, of course, well known for a strong policy
of teaching French. But Germany, Japan, Russia and Brazil (Portuguese) have
also made it part of their foreign policy to spread their languages. Even
Pakistan has chairs for the teaching of Urdu in foreign countries. The idea,
besides promoting trade and tourism is to promote understanding for one’s
country’; to spread one’s ideas and world view and to influence other nations
in one’s favour. As all these things are in the national interest, nations
include the teaching of one’s own languages to foreigners as part of their
educational policy.
Apart from
spreading out one’s own language, it is also in the national interest to learn
other peoples’ languages. Indeed, the foreign service and the military are
always very keen on learning foreign languages. The foreign service has to
train diplomats and diplomats can only understand what is really going on in a
foreign country if they understand the language. Sahibzada Yaqub Khan and
Tanvir Ahmed Khan, well known ambassadors of Pakistan, told me in an interview
that if one speaks the language cordiality and warmth come immediately.
Moreover, one understands the nuance of words and the mood of the host if one
knows the language.
For the military foreign languages are necessary to read
instructions or arms manuals; get military training in foreign countries;
intercept conversation among enemy units during war; read maps or documents
written in foreign languages and interact with both allies and enemies in
different situations. Military officers are also posted in embassies where they
assess the military situation, help in procuring armaments, arrange military
visits and obtain military information. They can do these things more
efficiently if they understand foreign languages. That is why the United States
Army initiated a huge programme for teaching foreign languages in World War II.
Recently, they hired experts in Pashto and Darri (Afghan Persian) to write
pamphlets in these languages so as to combat the al-Qaeda and the Taliban in
Afghanistan.
Broadcasting in foreign languages is part of national
interest since it too influences the other nations. Thus, at the height of the
Cold War the Soviets and the Americans competed with each other to spread their
literature, translated in Urdu, in Pakistan. The BBC and the Voice of America
broadcast in most major languages of the world. Indeed, so influential is the
BBC that in all crises Pakistanis turn to it for news and views. During the
Iranian struggle against the Shah, most Iranians heard the BBC. It was, indeed,
the most powerful foreign voice in Iran.
In short, nations---and especially the diplomatic
services and the military--- teach foreign languages to their personnel in
order to make them effective in situations where they interact with foreigners,
influence other countries or the course of events or obtain information for
their own country. There are in the national interest, of course, and thus it
is no wonder that countries invest significant amounts on teaching foreign languages.
The missionaries are keen to learn foreign languages in
order to spread their religion to foreigners. Being convinced that salvation
lies only in their beliefs they think it is their duty to spread them. Thus the
missionaries were the first to print works in Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Balochi,
Brahvi and Pashto in our part of the world. These languages had been used for
writing earlier but they were used in print for the first time by the
missionaries. In their quest to acquire foreign languages correctly the
missionaries also wrote grammars and dictionaries of them. This has not come to
an end with the end of the colonial era. Even now the summer Institute of
Linguistics, one of the greatest research organizations on languages in the
world, is basically inspired by the idea of making the Bible available in every
language of the world and in every script used by humanity. In Pakistan the
present author interviewed many Islamists who agree that they should learn
foreign languages for converting foreigners (‘tableegh’). Professor Tahir ul Qadri’s institution in Lahore even
showed interest in teaching Japanese for this purpose though the present author
could not find out whether any missions are sent to foreign countries or not.
The corporate sector learns foreign languages to protect
its business interests. When the Arabs got a lot of money, Western companies
began to print labels on their products in Arabic. Their goods were also sold
in South Asia but here the elite, which consumed foreign products, knew English
and was contemptuous of its indigenous languages. Hence there was need to hire
Arabic-knowing personnel but none for hiring those who knew South Asian
languages. The computer industry in the U.S.A is thinking of ‘localizing’ their
software i.e. making it available in the local language. Which language is
chosen will depend on the power of the language i.e. how rich the people who
use it are and in which domains they use it. Those who remain tied to
ex-colonial languages will get left out but rich people intent on using their
own languages, like the Japanese, will find products in their own languages.
In short, the nation-state, the missionaries and the
corporate sector all learn foreign languages in their interest---national
interest, ideological interest and business interests respectively. Interest
and not the intrinsic love for languages is the main motivation in learning
foreign languages.
Is this too cynical an analysis of why people learn
foreign languages? I hope not. The realities of life leave one with no
illusions. But let us cheer ourselves up by the fact that there are people,
however few they may be, who learn foreign languages for sheer pleasure. A
cynic might call that self-indulgence but---so what?