Why Languages Matter
There is no avoiding the crisis in modern language education - 57% of GCSE pupils did not take a language qualification in 2010. Much of the debate on this issue, particularly that led by central government, has focused on the economic and diplomatic value of languages. Quite rightly, this perspective aspires to additional languages perfectly known; its objective is unequivocal comprehension. Yet this is not the full picture. Having more than one language, whether perfectly or imperfectly known, holds the key to cultural richness that would otherwise remain out of reach.
This conference will explore a broad range of the cultural aspects of language acquisition and language use. We start off with a mother tongue, a ‘first’ language; some of us start off with two. Does knowing a second (or third) language give the speaker something more than a practical bonus? How does knowing another language give us a different perspective on our first one, the one that is natural to us, by showing that it is not the only way of thinking and telling? How does bilingualism, native or acquired, affect cultural identity and cultural understanding? What does this mean for the role of translation in key services, and in popular culture? We live in a truly multilingual society, but how can we overcome the perceived difficulty of multilingualism? Is foreign language education impeded by an unrealistic ideal of fluency? Should the idea of ‘passable Chinese’ or ‘a smattering of Urdu’ be reevaluated?
In bringing together a broad range of interested parties, and focusing the multilingualism debate on cultural worth, we may find new ways of reversing the downward trend in modern language uptake in our schools and universities.
This conference is organised in partnership with the British Academy and in association with the British Comparative Literature Association.
Speakers confirmed to date:
Professor David Morley, Poet and Director of the Writing Programme, Warwick University
Professor Marina Warner, Author, Professor in Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies, Univesity of Essex, and President, British Comparative Literature Association
Sam Holmes, French Teacher and EAL coordinator, The Norwood School
Daniel Hahn, Chair, Translator's Association; National Programme Director, British Centre for Literary Translation
Diego Marani, Policy Officer, Directorate General for Interpretation, European Commission
David Chirico, Barrister in Immigration and Asylum Law, 1 Pump Court
Professor Anne Pauwels, SOAS
Professor Alison Wray, Cardiff University
Professor Geert Jan van Gelder, University of Oxford
Dr Martin Worthington, SOAS
Professor Sandra E Trehub, Univeristy of Toronto
Nick Mair, Head of Modern Languages, Dulwich College, Vice-Chair of ALL London and Chair of ISMLA
Dr Elin Jones, Independent advisor, Department for Education and Skills, Welsh Government
All enquiries should be directed to the Programme Team.
