Essay 236 – Governments should invest in preserving minority languages

GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 236

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some feel that governments should invest in preserving minority languages, while others feel this is not a good use of resources.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

Language is the reflection of thoughts, and it represents many unique features of culture no matter how many people belong to it. So, many put pressure on the government to invest in protecting minority languages, yet others believe that state investment to conserve these languages, which is used by only a handful of people, is a waste of taxpayers’ money. I believe that the government should take measures to preserve such languages.

Vociferous opponents of this demand claim that this would be a vain attempt to preserve minority languages from dying out. They argue that the features of dominant cultures and the modern market system have pervaded most indigenous societies to such an extent that the conventional subsistence way of life is considered socially inferior. Besides, the depletion of natural resources in some regions, many aboriginal communities leave hunting, fur trapping, and fishing to look for employment and the materialistic way of life in urban areas. The younger generations of Maya communities, for example, are adopting Spanish due to the hegemonic influence of Spanish. Therefore, the investment in preserving minority languages is not a judicious use of the resource.

On the contrary, there are several reasons why governments should invest to save minority languages. To commence with, languages contain an accumulated wealth of wisdom, which includes meteorology, botany, pharmacology, astronomy, mathematics, geography, and so forth. A case in point is Cherokee, an Iroquoian language. In the language, the names of berries convey whether they are poisonous, edible, or have some medical value. If we lose the language, then lose the ancient knowledge. Likewise, each language uniquely interprets the world and is insufficient in itself to utter certain ideas. As such, it offers unique insight into psychology, neurology, and the linguistic capacities of the human being. Different languages provide us with a distinct paradigm of thought for thinking and solving problems as well. When such languages become extinct, they will never be revived and it would be irreparable harm to the world. This is why governments should invest in preserving minority languages.

In conclusion, aboriginal and minority languages are worth saving even if it requires state funds. Therefore, governments ought to allocate a budget for preserving these languages.