The idea of fighting over language might seem strange, but it's all
too common. Why do people sometimes feel so strongly about
their language that they take up arms against speakers of another?
What is it about language that can generate tensions that last
for generations? Th e answers to these questions lie in the close
relationship between language and identity, particularly ethnic
identity.
Many of us who speak only English tend to think of monolin-
gualism as the normal state of aff airs. We may also tend to think that
there is a one-to-one correspondence between language and nation:
in France they speak French, in Japan they speak Japanese, and so
on.

But worldwide there are close to seven thousand languages—and
only about two hundred nations. Th at means a lot of multilingual
nations! And because languages tend to coincide with ethnic groups,
that means a lot of multi-ethnic nations as well. Of course, some are
more multilingual and multi-ethnic than others. At one extreme are
countries like Japan, where the vast majority of people are ethnically
Japanese and speak Japanese. At the other extreme are countries like
India and Nigeria, each of which has about four hundred languages
and ethnicities within its borders.
In many areas of the world, people of diff erent language back-
grounds interact every day. For the most part things go smoothly
enough; but sometimes tensions arise, and sometimes these tensions
erupt into outright confl icts. Th is is especially likely when speakers
of one language feel threatened or oppressed by speakers of another.
When that's the case, language diff erences become powerful markers
of social, cultural, and political diff erence. And wherever you fi nd
language confl ict, you're sure to fi nd struggles over other issues as
well, such as territory, religion, and political power.

How does this chapter change the way you think about language or culture?

What new questions do you have on these topics after reading these chapters?

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