Today is International Mother Tongue Day. It is an official UNESCO event which gives focus to minority languages. Some consider the multiplicity of languages to be a curse, or at least a hindrance. Even though that position is widely held, it is debatable that the multiplicity of languages is a curse. We could consider that question from many viewpoints. In this post we will look at it from the perspective of the Bible.
Everyone knows the story of the tower of Babel. As a reminder, here is the passage:
God said, “These people are working together because they all speak the same language. This is just the beginning. Soon they will be able to do anything they want. Come on! Let’s go down and confuse them by making them speak different languages—then they won’t be able to understand each other.” So the people had to stop building the city, because the Lord confused their language and scattered them all over the earth. That’s how the city of Babel got its name. (Gen 11: 6-9 CEV)
There are varied interpretations of the story of the Tower of Babel. According to a common interpretation, it is the story of a curse. But interpreting the Tower of Babel as a curse does not square with other parts of Scripture. Even if it is true that the multiplicity of languages is a negative thing, that does not make it a curse. God’s actions to correct us are not curses! They are loving attempts to get us back on the right track. So if speaking many languages helps us to follow God, that would be a good thing.
As a matter of fact, in Acts 17 the Apostle Paul shows that our languages and ethnic identities bring us a blessing:
From one person God made all peoples who live on earth, and he decided when and where each people would be. God did all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. (Acts 17:26-27)
So the Apostle is saying that
- God made all peoples, and
- He decided where they would live and when, and
- He did this so that they would search for Him and find Him.
These verses do not mention language, but language is an integral part of the identity of a people. The verses are clear. God divided the human race into ethnic groups (most with their own language), so that they would seek and find him. Making it easier to find God is not a curse! If God says that the multiplicity of ethnic identities leads to more seeking of God, then we should listen to that carefully and allow that to influence our view of language. Too often, we let our views on language diversity be determined by our politics, by our patriotic sentiments, or by our ethnic pride.
Some even have the idea that our mother tongues are contrary to progress. As Prof B Y Quarshie has said:
“It is sad to note that, in the name of progress, many churches do not engage with the Scriptures in the mother tongue.”
Because our linguistic and ethnic identities are designed by God to help us seek and find him, we dare not disdain, neglect or ignore them in any sphere but especially not in the ministry of the church.
Those who speak more prestigious languages often do not know what it is like to speak a language others consider unworthy or useless. But when their language is written and translated, people from minority languages often feel recognized and elevated. Gambian historian and Yale Professor Lamin Sanneh explorers this effect of Bible translation in a paper entitled “Bible Translation and Human Dignity”
The thing is, God never considers anyone’s mother tongue useless, unworthy or backward. As my colleague in translation, Eddie Arthur, wrote:
The God who was not ashamed to be born to a peasant woman and laid in a manger is not ashamed to speak Kouya, Jamaican patois or even modern-day English.
What will we say if God finds that we are embarrassed about something of which he is proud? Or if we neglect something he gave to us as a good gift? Of if we treat others with disdain because of something God himself gave them?
There are many good reasons to celebrate Mother Tongue Day. Among them, let’s not forget that God gave us our mother tongues and therefore they are valuable. Also, he gave them for a purpose – to seek Him and find Him and to help other seek and find him.