Language barrier

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A language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to refer to linguistic barriers to communication, i.e. the difficulties in communication experienced by people or groups originally speaking different languages, or even dialects in some cases. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Language barrier impedes the formation of interpersonal relationships and can cause misunderstandings that lead to conflict, frustration, offense, violence, distress, and wasting time, effort, money, and human life. [4]

Communication

Typically, little communication between speakers of different languages occurs unless one or both parties learn a new language, which requires an investment of much time and effort. People travelling abroad often encounter a language barrier.

The people who come to a new country at an adult age or have a limited vocabulary, when language learning is a cumbersome process, can have particular difficulty "overcoming the language barrier" . Similar difficulties occur at multinational meetings, where interpreting services can be costly, hard to obtain, and prone to error.

In 1995, 24,000 of the freshmen entering the California State University system reported English was their second language; yet only 1,000 of these non-active speakers of English tested proficient in college-level English (Kahmi – Stein & Stein, 1999). Numbers such as these make it evident that it is crucial for instruction librarians to acknowledge the challenges that language can present. Clearly use of English is a key complicating factor in international students' use of an American university library. Language difficulties affect not only information-gathering skills but also help-seeking behaviors. Lack of proficiency in English can be a major concern for international students in their library use as it relates to asking for and receiving assistance. Lee (1991), herself a former international student, explains that international students tend to be acquiescent and believe that school is the one place in the English-speaking world where they should be able to compete on an equal basis. International students are receptive and strongly motivated. For international students, concerned with proper sentence structure and precise vocabulary, this alteration of words and positions can be much more baffling than it is to native English speakers. The use of synonyms, a necessity in keyword searching, is difficult to master, especially for students with limited English vocabulary (F. Jacobson, 1988). In 2012, The Rosetta Foundation declared April 19 the international "No Language Barrier Day". The idea behind the day is to raise international awareness about the fact that it is not languages that represent barriers: languages should not be removed, they are not a barrier – to the contrary, they should be celebrated. It is access to translation services that is the barrier preventing communities from accessing and sharing information across languages. The annual celebration of this day aims to raise awareness about and to grow global community translation efforts. Expressions can overcome language barrier. Art of expression is beyond the barriers of language. Language barriers can also be a concern for those seeking healthcare as the patient-physician communication can be compromised. Patients unable to understand or communicate their concerns with their doctors often experience decreased quality in healthcare. These differences can be overcome via methods such as translation services or language classes for physicians (Rand, 1998).

Migration

Language barriers also influence migration. Emigrants from a country are far more likely to move to a destination country which speaks the same language as the emigrant's country. Thus, most British emigration has been to Australia, Canada, the United States, or New Zealand, most Spanish emigration has been to Latin America, and Portuguese emigration to Brazil. Even if the destination country does not speak the emigrant's language, it is still more likely to receive immigration if it speaks a language related to that of the emigrant. The most obvious example is the great migration of Europeans to the Americas. The United States, with its dominant Germanic English language, attracted primarily immigrants from Northern Europe, where Germanic tongues were spoken or familiar. The most common backgrounds in the United States are German, Irish, and English, and the vast majority of Scandinavian emigrants also moved to the United States (or English-speaking Canada). Southern Europeans, such as Italians, were more likely to move to Latin American countries; today, people of Italian descent are the second-largest ethnic background in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, after Spanish and (in Brazil) Portuguese, but rank fourth in the United States among European groups. In the past decade, Romanians have primarily chosen Italy and Spain as emigration destinations, with Germany, the largest Western European country, ranking a distant third.

Auxiliary languages as a solution

Since the late 1800s, auxiliary languages have been available to help overcome the language barrier. They were traditionally written or constructed by a person or group. Originally, the idea was that two people who wanted to communicate could learn an auxiliary language with little difficulty and could use this language to speak or write to each other.

In the first half of the twentieth century, a second approach to auxiliary languages emerged: that there was no need to construct an auxiliary language, because the most widely spoken languages already had many words in common. These words could be developed into a simple language. People in many countries would understand this language when they read or heard it, because its words also occurred in their own languages. This approach addressed a perceived limitation of the available auxiliary languages: the need to convince others to learn them before communication could take place. The newer auxiliary languages could also be used to learn ethnic languages quickly and to better understand one's own language.

Examples of traditional auxiliary languages, sometimes called schematic languages, are Esperanto, Ido, and Volapük. Examples of the newer approach, sometimes called naturalistic languages, are Interlingua, Interlingue and Latino Sine Flexione. Only Esperanto and Interlingua are widely used today, although Ido is also in use.

The second approach is pushed even further by the so-called zonal languages, languages intended specifically for speakers of closely related languages. Since languages of the same family already have a certain degree of mutual intelligibility, the idea is that receptive bilingualism should allow a language based on their commonalities to be understandable without any prior learning. The most widely used example is Interslavic.

Language barrier for international students in the United States

Now, more and more students prefer to study abroad. Along other challenges of international travel, language barrier has become one of the greatest problems for international students, especially in the United States. Much research exists that shows the difficulties imposed by language barriers for these students, including helplessness and excess stress. Selvadurai mentioned the issue of language barriers, the dentification of classroom atmosphere, and faculty-student relationship difficulties for international students in his research, which was published in 1998. Of all the factors, he said that language is “the first barrier encountered by international students” (154). [5] According to Chen, counseling instructor at the University of British Columbia, not only will a language barrier cause anxiety for international students—second language anxiety, educational stressors, and sociocultural stressors were identified by Chen as the three biggest challenges for international students (51-56). In addition, students are also likely to experience social isolation, prejudice, and discrimination, "Foreign students rank negative attitudes and a lack of cultural sensitivity among US nationals as the greatest perceived barriers to successful intergroup relations." [6] These students often face prejudice, isolation and discrimination because of the lack of second language proficiency, which in turn causes psychological problems within these individuals. International students cite experiencing negative issues such as, "awkwardness, anxiousness, uneasiness, self-consciousness, defensiveness, suspicion, hostility, and superiority" as well as positive outcomes such as, "admiration, respectfulness, happiness, comfortableness, confidence, interest, curiosity and inspiration." [6] There is some advice that has been discussed by scholars, to help international students ease into socially different environments. To alleviate the stress that these students experience, some scholars have suggested dealing with the problems with a positive attitude, while also advising the students to reach out for problem-solving resources, especially during their orientation period (Olivas and Li 219-220). As professor S.G. Nelson said in 1991 in his book,"How Language is Life", "Language is much more than a vocabulary of words. Language is how people express their feelings and show their individuality, and when different age groups are together, people of all ages must learn how to act around other groups."

Language Barriers in Kenya’s Educational System

Foreign languages in Kenya universities existed for a long time. Languages such as German, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, e.t.c are learnt in college and university settings by kenyan students. University of Nairobi created the Sub-department of French, this indicate the significance of the French language in the university. Students who are offering French as a course in Kenyan Universities started learning the language while they were in secondary school. Due to insufficient numbers of lecturers teaching French in the Kenya Universities, students have to rely on part-time lecturers of French for the smooth running of their courses. Issues facing French as a course in the Kenya Universities also include insufficient learning materials, course contents, scholarships, as well as job opportunities for lecturers and graduates of french in Kenya. [7]

The majority of kenya students in primary schools are beginner-level English language users, which led to not having the required language skills needed to learn the subject content effectively in English. The teachers encountered challenges such as diverse student backgrounds, mother tongue interference, lack of usefulness of English language in the community, students' attitudes toward English, and insufficient learning resources. [8]

An education project in Kenya known as Tasfiri is being implemented in Kukuma refugees camp to improve learning outcomes for learners who do not understand English or Swahili. The project was developed to assist primary refugee learners in learning their native language. [9]

Language Barriers in Nigerian's Educational System

Challenges facing Nigerian teachers in improving english language learning outcomes include current trends in the teaching of a second language, lack of resources for english language teaching, inadequate knowledge of English language and attitude issues towards the language on the part of the students. [10] Most of the Nigerian textbooks used in the educational system are written in the English language. Mass failure is as a result of inadequate learning outcomes in English language from the Nigerian primary school. [11]

Language dominance after colonisation

Nigeria was a British colony and was forced to use English. Nigerians spoke English rather than their own languages, and the use of English has rapidly spread throughout Nigerian society. The role of English in education is important, and English dominates the printed media. Although informal education in Nigeria uses Nigerian languages, most Nigerians are more literate in English.

When the British government took over the administration of the schools in Nigeria, they came up with a policy that made English language a core subject in schools. English language serves as the basic instruction language in the Nigeria education system. It is a measure of the evaluation of student's school performance, hence the need for it being a compulsory subject in Nigerian's schools.

After independence, the Nigerian educational system remained the same as the colonial era. In Nigeria, English language is the language of instruction from primary education through secondary to tertiary education. It is the language through which all other subjects in the educational curriculum are taught. A credit pass in English is a compulsory condition for securing admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

It is also exemplified throughout other British Commonwealth or past colonised countries. Other examples besides English include Portuguese in Angola and French in Mauritius.

Other uses of term

Misconceptions

It is sometimes assumed that when multiple languages exist in a setting, there must therefore be multiple language barriers. Multilingual societies generally have lingua francas and traditions of its members learning more than one language, an adaptation; while not entirely removing barriers of understanding, it belies the notion of impassable language barriers. [13]

For example, there are an estimated 250 different languages spoken in London alone, but members of every ethnic group on average manage to assimilate into British society and be productive members of it. [14]

Consequences

Language barriers can affect access to healthcare. For example, a study showed that British-Pakistani women who faced cultural and language barriers were less likely to attend breast screening because they were not aware that it takes place in a female-only environment. [15] [16] [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

International English is the concept of using the English language as a global means of communication similar to an international auxiliary language, and often refers to the movement towards an international standard for the language. Related and sometimes synonymous terms include: Global English, World English, Common English, Continental English, General English, and Engas. Sometimes, these terms refer to the actuality of the situation, where English is spoken and used in numerous dialects around the world. These terms may acknowledge the diversity and varieties of English spoken throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interlingua</span> Constructed language

Interlingua is an international auxiliary language (IAL) developed between 1937 and 1951 by the American International Auxiliary Language Association (IALA). It is a constructed language of the "naturalistic" variety, whose vocabulary, grammar, and other characteristics are derived from natural languages. Interlingua literature maintains that (written) Interlingua is comprehensible to the billions of people who speak Romance languages, though it is actively spoken by only a few hundred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural language</span> Language as naturally spoken by humans

In neuropsychology, linguistics, and philosophy of language, a natural language or ordinary language is any language that occurs naturally in a human community by a process of use, repetition, and change without conscious planning or premeditation. It can take different forms, typically either a spoken language or a sign language. Natural languages are distinguished from constructed and formal languages such as those used to program computers or to study logic.

An international auxiliary language is a language meant for communication between people from all different nations, who do not share a common first language. An auxiliary language is primarily a foreign language and often a constructed language. The concept is related to but separate from the idea of a lingua franca that people must use to communicate. The study of international auxiliary languages is interlinguistics.

In bilingual education, students are taught in two languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The time spent in each language depends on the model. For example, some models focus on providing education in both languages throughout a student's entire education while others gradually transition to education in only one language. The ultimate goal of bilingual education is fluency and literacy in both languages through a variety of strategies such as translanguaging and recasting.

Language education – the process and practice of teaching a second or foreign language – is primarily a branch of applied linguistics, but can be an interdisciplinary field. There are four main learning categories for language education: communicative competencies, proficiencies, cross-cultural experiences, and multiple literacies.

Cross-cultural communication is a field of study investigating how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavor to communicate across cultures. Intercultural communication is a related field of study.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English as a second or foreign language</span> Use of English by speakers with different native languages

English as a second or foreign language refers to the use of English by individuals whose native language is different, commonly among students learning to speak and write English. Variably known as English as a foreign language (EFL), English as a second language (ESL), English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), English as an additional language (EAL), or English as a new language (ENL), these terms denote the study of English in environments where it is not the dominant language. Programs such as ESL are designed as academic courses to instruct non-native speakers in English proficiency, encompassing both learning in English-speaking nations and abroad.

A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a specific country. Native speakers from that country usually need to acquire it through conscious learning, such as through language lessons at school, self-teaching, or attending language courses. A foreign language might be learned as a second language; however, there is a distinction between the two terms. A second language refers to a language that plays a significant role in the region where the speaker lives, whether for communication, education, business, or governance. Consequently, a second language is not necessarily a foreign language.

Interlinguistics, also known as cosmoglottics, is the science of planned languages as it has existed for more than a century. Formalised by Otto Jespersen in 1931 as the science of interlanguages, in more recent times, the field has been more focused with language planning, the collection of strategies to deliberately influence the structure and function of a living language. In this framework, interlanguages become a subset of planned languages, i.e. extreme cases of language planning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multilingualism</span> Use of multiple languages

Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all Europeans claim to speak at least one language other than their mother tongue; but many read and write in one language. Being multilingual is advantageous for people wanting to participate in trade, globalization and cultural openness. Owing to the ease of access to information facilitated by the Internet, individuals' exposure to multiple languages has become increasingly possible. People who speak several languages are also called polyglots.

Plurilingualism is the ability of a person who has competence in more than one language to switch between multiple languages depending on the situation for ease of communication. Plurilingualism is different from code-switching in that plurilingualism refers to the ability of an individual to use multiple languages, while code-switching is the act of using multiple languages together. Plurilinguals practice multiple languages and are able to switch between them when necessary without much difficulty. Although plurilingualism is derived from multilingualism, there is a difference between the two. Multilingualism is connected to situations wherein multiple languages exist side-by-side in a society but are utilized separately. In essence, multilingualism is the coexisting knowledge of separate languages while plurilingualism is the interconnected knowledge of multiple languages. In general, plurilinguals have had contact with languages not native to them through educational institutions, however the education system plays only a small role in the linguistic competence of these individuals. Learning a second language is thought to stimulate someone's plurilingualism.

Esperanto and Interlingua are two planned languages with different approaches to the problem of providing an International auxiliary language (IAL). Esperanto has many more speakers; the number of speakers is c. 100,000-2,000,000. On the other hand, the number of speakers is c. 1,500 for Interlingua, but speakers of the language claim to be able to communicate easily with the c. 1 billion speakers of Romance languages, whereas Esperanto speakers can only communicate among each other.

Multilingual education (MLE) typically refers to "first-language-first" education, that is, schooling which begins in the mother tongue, or first language, and transitions to additional languages. Typically, MLE programs are situated in developing countries where speakers of minority languages, i.e. non-dominant languages, tend to be disadvantaged in the mainstream education system. There are increasing calls to provide first-language-first education to immigrant children from immigrant parents who have moved to the developed world. Offering first-language-first education to immigrant children in developed countries has gained attention due to the unique challenges these students face. When students move to a new country, language and cultural barriers can affect their academic progress and well-being. Some suggest that providing instruction in their first language initially, as part of multilingual education (MLE) programs, could help ease their transition. By recognizing and respecting their linguistic and cultural backgrounds, these programs aim to create a supportive learning environment where students feel more comfortable and confident. While this approach may contribute to the preservation of heritage languages, implementing MLE programs present other potential benefits and challenges.

Linguistic discrimination is unfair treatment of people based on their use of language and the characteristics of their speech, including their first language, their accent, the perceived size of their vocabulary, their modality, and their syntax. For example, an Occitan speaker in France will probably be treated differently from a French speaker. Based on a difference in use of language, a person may automatically form judgments about another person's wealth, education, social status, character or other traits, which may lead to discrimination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constructed language</span> Consciously devised language

A constructed language is a language whose phonology, grammar, orthography, and vocabulary, instead of having developed naturally, are consciously devised for some purpose, which may include being devised for a work of fiction. A constructed language may also be referred to as an artificial, planned or invented language, or a fictional language. Planned languages are languages that have been purposefully designed; they are the result of deliberate, controlling intervention and are thus of a form of language planning.

Translanguaging is a term that can refer to different aspects of multilingualism. It can describe the way bilinguals and multilinguals use their linguistic resources to make sense of and interact with the world around them. It can also refer to a pedagogical approach that utilizes more than one language within a classroom lesson. The term "translanguaging" was coined in the 1980s by Cen Williams in his unpublished thesis titled “An Evaluation of Teaching and Learning Methods in the Context of Bilingual Secondary Education.” Williams used the term to describe the practice of using two languages in the same lesson, which differed from many previous methods of bilingual education that tried to separate languages by class, time, or day. In addition, Vogel and Garcia argued that translanguaging theory posits that rather than possessing two or more autonomous language systems, as previously thought when scholars described bilingual or multilingual speakers, bilinguals and multilingual speakers select and deploy their languages from a unitary linguistic repertoire. However, the dissemination of the term, and of the related concept, gained traction decades later due in part to published research by Ofelia García, among others. In this context, translanguaging is an extension of the concept of languaging, the discursive practices of language speakers, but with the additional feature of using multiple languages, often simultaneously. It is a dynamic process in which multilingual speakers navigate complex social and cognitive demands through strategic employment of multiple languages.

Language power (LP) is a measure of the ability to communicate effectively in a given language, specifically one that is not native to the speaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan-Romance language</span> Constructed language representing Romance languages

A pan-Romance language or Romance interlanguage is a codified linguistic variety which synthesizes the variation of the Romance languages and is representative of these as a whole. It can be seen as a standard language proposal for the whole language family but is generally considered a zonal constructed language because it's the result of intense codification. Zonal languages are, according to interlinguist Detlev Blanke, constructed languages which "arise by choosing or mixing linguistic elements in a language group".

References

  1. ↑ "language barrier" in the Collins English Dictionary.
  2. ↑ "language barrier" . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. ↑ "Examples of Language Barriers" in The Seven Barriers of Communication. [Accessed 5 March 2017].
  4. ↑ Buarqoub, I.A.S (2013-05-28). "Language barriers to effective communication". Utopía y Praxis Latinoamericana. 24 (Esp.6): 64–77. Retrieved 2021-08-13. language barriers are semantic problems that arise during the process of encoding and/ordecoding the message into words and ideas, respectively. They are one of the main barriers that limit effective communication. They are the most common communication barriers which cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations between people.
  5. ↑ Selvadurai, Ranjani (1992). "Problems faced by international students in American colleges and universities" (PDF). Community Review. 12 (1–2): 27–32.
  6. 1 2 Spencer-Rodgers, Julie; McGovern, Timothy (November 2002). "Attitudes toward the culturally different: the role of intercultural communication barriers, affective responses, consensual stereotypes, and perceived threat". International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 26 (6): 609–631. doi:10.1016/s0147-1767(02)00038-x.
  7. ↑ "The Learning of Foreign Languages in Kenya Universities" . Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  8. ↑ Hsieh, Ching-Ni; Ionescu, Marcel; Ho, Tsung-Han (2017-09-22). "Out of many, one: challenges in teaching multilingual Kenyan primary students in English". Language, Culture and Curriculum. 31 (2). Informa UK Limited: 199–213. doi:10.1080/07908318.2017.1378670. ISSN   0790-8318.
  9. ↑ "Overcoming language barriers in Kenya's Kakuma refugee". Porticus. 2023-02-16. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  10. ↑ "English Language, the Nigerian Education System" . Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  11. ↑ "THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM". cenresinjournals. 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  12. ↑ "Mother Tongues: Breaking the language barrier". Sil.org. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  13. ↑ Nwaolikpe, Nancy Onyinyechi (October 2013). "Culture and Nigerian Identity in the Print Media". Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (Oman Chapter). 2 (3): 63–71. ProQuest   1476893534.
  14. ↑ "Multilingual London". Phon.ucl.ac.uk. 1999-03-29. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  15. ↑ "Cultural and language barriers need to be addressed for British-Pakistani women to benefit fully from breast screening". NIHR Evidence (Plain English summary). 2020-09-15. doi:10.3310/alert_41135. S2CID   241324844.
  16. ↑ Woof, Victoria G; Ruane, Helen; Ulph, Fiona; French, David P; Qureshi, Nadeem; Khan, Nasaim; Evans, D Gareth; Donnelly, Louise S (2019-12-02). "Engagement barriers and service inequities in the NHS Breast Screening Programme: Views from British-Pakistani women". Journal of Medical Screening. 27 (3): 130–137. doi:10.1177/0969141319887405. ISSN   0969-1413. PMC   7645618 . PMID   31791172.
  17. ↑ Woof, Victoria G.; Ruane, Helen; French, David P.; Ulph, Fiona; Qureshi, Nadeem; Khan, Nasaim; Evans, D. Gareth; Donnelly, Louise S. (2020-05-20). "The introduction of risk stratified screening into the NHS breast screening Programme: views from British-Pakistani women". BMC Cancer. 20 (1): 452. doi: 10.1186/s12885-020-06959-2 . ISSN   1471-2407. PMC   7240981 . PMID   32434564.
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