We, the communities from the mountainous areas, have the privilege of being multilingual, which is a compulsion for us, considering our needs. We don't have the privilege of having basic education in our own languages, as we are in a developing stage, so maybe someday in the future, our coming generations will have this opportunity to get basic education in our native languages. But we are multiple language people anyway.
For example, I speak Burushaski language, a unique language still not categorized under any language family. But because people around me also speak Khuwar, I learn it for sure.
When we move to Gilgit city, we feel the need to learn and understand Shina, and also other languages like Burushaski of Hunza dialect and Wakhi. Then, we have to move to Islamabad compulsorily, because we need advanced education and employment opportunities, so we learn Punjabi as well.
During this journey, we keep learning Urdu and English. Now, you can imagine how much language warfare is going on in our minds! So, you can't expect perfection from us in either language, but actually, we, the mountainous communities, love learning languages.
Just to mention, we also keep learning some basic Arabic and Persian alongside. At least, we know how to read these languages if not speak.
Multilingualism enriches our world by deepening our connections and preserving diverse identities, cultures, and knowledge systems. Yet, 40% of the global population still lacks access to education in a language they understand. 8 September is #LiteracyDay, join our call for multilingual education as a path to greater understanding and a better world for all. https://lnkd.in/gXCapfDB
