Language death, language shift, code switching, code mixing, endangered language, vulnerable language are topics of interest in the arena of linguistics now-a-days as many languages of the world have become alarmingly vulnerable along with the spread of globalization, technological advancement and dominance of national and international languages. Thus, the languages of speakers less influential or having no influence in the state system are becoming vulnerable to language shift or language death. Consequently, along with the losses of valuable human knowledge, skills and insight into this planet are losing away. According to the Ethnologue catalog (17th edition, 2014), there are 7,106 living languages in the world, but many of the languages are vulnerable to extinction. The rate of language death is becoming very high in the 21st century. In the 2000 years BC only 7 languages died, but in the 2000 years AD the number of language death is 107. In the 21st century that means in last 14 years (2001 to 2014), 12 languages have been reported as dead by the Day Translations, Inc. (US). In the same line, another 473 languages are listed as endangered which if not taken care may be extinct from the Earth.
In Bangladesh, there are 48 languages other than Bengali- the national language- are spoken by different ethnic groups (according to Wikipedia) many of which are listed as endangered language. Kok Borok is also rated as a vulnerable language in Wiki. As Bangla is the only medium of instruction in the mainstream education system, other languages have been marginalized having no rights of usage in the formal and official domain. As a result, five of the ethnic minority languages- Lushai (959 speakers), Khumi (3369 speakers), Khiyang (3899 speakers), Rengmatia (40 speakers), and Patra (203 speakers)- have been identified as endangered languages by the International Mother Language Institute based in Dhaka. Another seven languages including the Kok Borok has been rated as vulnerable by the institute.
In this essay, I will highlight the background and current status of Kok Borok in Bangladesh; will explore the socio-economic reasons of the vulnerability of Kok Borok and will subsequently recommend for some measures to be undertaken for revival, preservation and development of Kok Borok in Bangladesh.
The language of the Tripura people is called Kok Borok. Linguistically it belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of Sino-Tibetan language family. Approximately, one lakh fifty thousand people speak Kok Borok in Bangladesh. Tripura people live in various parts of Bangladesh both in the hills and plain land including Khagrachhari, Rangmati, Banderban, Chattagram, Kumilla, Chandpur, Feni, Sylhet, Srimongal, Hobigonj and Faridpur. Among them, unfortunately, majority of Tripura people living in Rangamati Hill District have forgotten Kok Borok and they have shifted to Chakma Koda.
Kok Borok in Bangladesh is marginalized for many socio-economic and political reasons. The following points are some brief highlights of the current status of Kok Borok in Bangladesh:
3.1 In home and social domain:
Kok Borok in Bangladesh is mainly used in home and social domain for interpersonal, social and cultural functions. It is almost absent in the formal and official domain though a prospect of changing the scenario is noticed as in 2017 Kok Borok has been introduced in the pre-primary level at schools as a subject in the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts. It is absent in the plain districts. A news bulletin is broadcasted in Kok Borok from the Chattagram and Rangamati Betar on weekly basis for a tiny slot.
3.2 In performing arts domain
Next to the home and social use, Kok Borok is most used in the performing arts domain. This domain is the most popular both within the Kok Borok speakers and the government in terms of the usage of this language. This domain has better privileges than any other usages in securing government patronage. There are three government funded cultural institutions set up in the three hill districts which undertake training and productions of songs, composing, producing and staging of Kok Borok and other ethnic minority language-based events. Chattagram and Rangmati Betar also patronize the usage of the ethnic minority languages through the news bulleting broadcasting and songs. However, in the mainstream media (print and electronic), this patronage is almost absent except the random and anecdotal broadcasting of songs and dances on occasional basis. There is to fixed or programmatic scheduled slots or effort noticeable for the usage of ethnic minority languages in mainstream media. As performing arts domain is very popular among the Tripura people, they use own language both with social and individual efforts. In contrast, recording, digital production and broadcasting is widely rare and scare.
Another form of performing arts is the home-based entertainment in a family party or social events. People usually tend to sing for entertainment ranging from short songs to lyrical ballads, but there is never any event of reading from book of poetry or recitation, or singing rhymes noticed.
3.3 In educational domain
The medium of instruction in the mainstream schooling in Bangladesh is Bengali from primary to higher secondary level. A mixed language instruction is followed in the tertiary level. As mentioned above Kok Borok has been introduced in the pre-primary level in the schools located in some areas of the three hill districts.
3.4 In formal and official domain
In Bangladesh, there is no scope of using any other language than Bengali in formal and official domain. It is defined and directed by the constitution and state policy. Usage of English is exceptionally necessity-driven for the communication and correspondence with the foreign and international communities. Kok Borok may be used among the same language speakers for interpersonal communication only within the official context, but not for formal and official communication.
3.5 In literary domain
Oral literature among the mainstream Kok Borok speaking masses is very significant and strong, but it is very weak among the educated and urban people. May be this is because of the influence of education and national language and literature as well as for the absence of written literature. Oral literature of Kok Borok includes storytelling, singing, lyrical ballads, kok-phomenay, kok tengnay, kok bakhan Sanai (jokes telling), kok Tanlainay (literary fight), palda rorainay, kok khuchuinay etc.
As the Kok Borok literature is mainly oral based, we see- as a consequence- that the illiterate persons are more fluent in Kok Borok speaking with no or minimal code mixing than the literate ones. In contrast, the literate persons have formed a habit of reading and writing in Bengali or English which is very natural and expected outcomes of the education system and policy. Moreover, due to the limited practice of literature, development of the language, especially the development of contemporary vocabulary is greatly limited. Literary practice is very scarce for children; books of rhymes are very rare; audio-videos are non-existent. Children are growing with this emptiness and non-exposure of Kok Borok literature and digital materials. Therefore, it is predictable what would be their fluency in Kok Borok in their adulthood.
3.6 In mass media an publication domain
There is no mass media publication in Kok Borok in Bnagladesh. There is no regular publication of any type. Publication is limited only to some periodicals which are usually publicized during the Bwisu festival or anniversaries of some social organisations. Publication of books in Kok Borok is also rare and random. The appearance of Kok Borok in the mainstream televisions is similar to a comet appearance and that happens in the form of songs. Some flash of Kok Borok is noted in the Chattagram and Rangamati betar (radio) on weekly basis for broadcasting of news bulleting.
As a consequence of this scarcity, Kok Borok speakers in Bangladesh did not form a habit of reading in mother tongue. Thus, great constraint in Kok Borok reading is very prevalent among the Tripuras of Bangladesh. In parallel, they also generally lack word stock and feel hindered in fluent expression without code mixing. Therefore, it is very common that they mix huge volume of Bengali codes in their speeches. The extent is so high that Bengali speakers on some occasions said that they feel like they understand almost 80% of the speeches.
3.7 In religious domain
The Tripuras are followers of bi religions- indigenous religion and one of the transcultural religions (Hinduism or Christianity). The indigenous religion is conducted in Kok Borok as the ochai/priest is an indigenous person whereas the transcultural religion is performed in national language as the priest is trained one usually in Bengali. Some insignificant translation of the religious verses and devotional songs are found in Kok Borok.
It is clearly evident from the above discussion that Kok Borok is in a vulnerable condition in Bangladesh and the scope of revitalization and nourishment are also scarce. Much of the causes and effects of the vulnerability and partial death of the Kok Borok were implied above while discussing the status of this language. However, more discussion is attempted below with explicit identification of the causes and effects.
4.1 Causes and effects of the partial death
As mentioned earlier, the Tripura people living in Rangamati Hill District and some villages of Panchari sub-district of Khagrachari Hill District have shifted their language from Kok Borok to Chakma Koda. In parallel to the above reasons, the direct and most appalling reasons for the partial death of Kok Borok are the ethnic dominance and power dynamics of the region. If we carefully note, we will see that the Tripura people of Rangamati have been living with close proximity or in mixture of the Chakma people who are numerically and socio-economically dominant. Usually, it is found that in the presence of the dominant language speaker(s) other interlocutors switch to that dominant language while making formal or informal conversation and communication. As the Tripura people have been living within the Chakma people, they always encounter the situation to have switched their conversation into Chakma language. As this phenomenon has been happening cross generations, it has become a psycholinguistic factor. Thus, they have unconsciously switched to Chakma language and as a regretful consequence; Kok Borok has died out there. Other powerful factors that have driven this language to death were the absence of written literature of Kok Borok, audio-video materials and non-existence of this language in education system.
4.2 Causes and effects of the vulnerability
Some of the reasons that have led Kok Borok into the vulnerable situation may be identified as follows,
– Very powerful and assimilationist influence of the state policy which has been relaxed through inclusive education policy of 2010 and an action of which is reflected in the introduction of Kok Borok for the pre-primary level of education.
– Powerful influence of the national language, literature and media.
– Comprehensive mixture and living with the dominant language speakers
– Lack of scope for literary practice and publications.
– Scarcity of reading and audio-visual materials for children and adults.
– Lack of patronization and sponsorship.
– Lack of community effort.
– Lack of interest and awareness etc.
In pursuit of the improvement of the current condition of Kok Borok, three levels of efforts are necessary- state level, community level and individual level. In the three levels, the following measures and initiatives may be undertaken to revive, preserve and develop Kok Borok in Bangladesh. These may be divided into three categories as follows,
5.1 Government measures:
– Government should approach more pluralistic and diverse policy to address the real characteristics and history of the nation.
– A bilingual or multilingual education may be introduced up to secondary level in the areas where the Tripura and other ethnic minority people are living.
– Government may provide special incentives and funding for running regular literary magazines to create scope for publishing writers’ literary works.
– Government may incentivize the initiatives to set up publishing houses.
– A daily slot of time may be allocated in BTV exclusively for the ethnic minority languages likewise the BBC Bangla slot in BBC, or the Australian TVs where a professional team of the ethnic minority background may work as staff members.
– A community radio may be set up exclusively for the ethnic minority languages.
5.2 Community initiatives:
– Mainstream print and electronic media may allocate a corner/time slot on daily or weekly basis for the ethnic minority language-based literature and events.
– Mainstream publishing houses may shoulder some responsibility to publish at least one book written in ethnic minority languages or in bilanguages.
– Communities may form literary forum or groups to publish literary works and arrange literary events.
-Community-based organizations should include literary items, e.g. story-telling, recitation, songs and singing rhymes in their events.
– Formal social events may be run in Kok Borok.
5.3 Individual effort:
It is said that even one person can make a difference and bring changes through initiatives and efforts. One person can motivate a group; a group can mobilize a community; a community can influence government policy. Therefore, thinking and action in individual level is every important. Without individual effort, no state policy or community initiative may succeed. So, it is very important that interested people should come forward with personal efforts. Below I am suggesting some types of individual efforts that may contribute in preserving and developing Kok Borok in Bangladesh:
Every Tripura individual should learn and speak Kok Borok. One should put effort to learn to speak own language
– Every adult should learn some Kok Borok rhymes, poems and songs so that they can recite and sing them to their children as a mean to grow interest and love; to implant seeds in the mind of the children. The parents who never recite or read a Kok Borok rhymes or songs, can they ever expect their children to love the language and literature?
– Parents should name their children in Kok Borok. Name is the first identity of a person. If a person is named with own language, one would be called so thousands of time in life. Moreover, if every Tripura person keeps a name in Kok Borok and if one meets at least another five hundred Tripura people, one gets opportunity to learn five hundred Kok Borok words automatically.
– Interested individuals should strive to write Kok Borok literary pieces, collect oral literary pieces and compose songs. Take initiatives to make the schemes and projects happen as mentioned in the sections of government and community initiatives above.
In conclusion, it may be said that the current status of Kok Borok in Bangladesh is in vulnerable situation which is caused by various socio-economic factors. Therefore, it is necessary to take some serious actions to raise awareness about the vulnerability and about the importance of saving and developing this language. A set of three level initiatives have been suggested in this article. Intervention and initiatives are needed in state, community and individual levels. We can hope that concerned people should come forward first to ring the bell and draw attention of the community so that influence can be leveraged on government policy. It can be hoped that the three level initiatives can play effective role in preserving and developing the vulnerable languages in Bangladesh.
Note: The writers are Assistant Professors at the Department of English in American International University-Bangladesh.
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