There is no use denying the fact that the question of language can be taken as one of the most important for a new state which just chooses how it will be developing (Choudhury 6). The thing is that language determines the mentality of people (Willey 322) and influences how they will accept the world and analyze it (“What language to Choose?” para. 3). That is why it is vital to take into account a great number of various factors. Analyzing the case of Lopongo, it is possible to say that the situation is rather complicated. The country has a great diversity of languages that have various peculiarities and the areas where they are spread.
The thing is that the country was under French rule and has obtained freedom recently. That is why the French language still has strong positions and influence there. Due to the long-term influence of this language, all intellectuals speak it. Moreover, it is considered to be the language of all organs of power. Thus, it is still the language of the minority. The situation is also complicated by the fact that all local languages which are Lapagawi, Tonakaki, Dimanga, Soloso, Lapunga are not also spoken in all districts of the country and it is difficult to find the balance between them.
Under these conditions, it is possible to say that one of the possible solutions can be the introduction of several languages as official ones in the country as many examples show the efficiency of this model (“Countries With More Than One Language” para. 1). The necessity of such a step can be explained by several facts.
First of all, it should be said that French and Lapunga languages should obtain the status of official languages. It is obvious, that French remains the official language because of its spread among the intellectuals and in various governmental establishments. Moreover, there is a great number of schools which teach pupils how to use this language. That is why it is useless to ruin this infrastructure and destroy the bilingualism of certain groups of population (“The Advantages of Being Bilingual” para. 2). Moreover, French could be used as the language of international communication, trade, or some diplomatic issues, as it is widespread and many other countries use this very language (Comrie 519).
That is why it could be useful for a young country which just starts its rise. Besides, Lapunga should also be given official status. There are various reasons for this statement. First of all, Lapunga and Lapagawi, which is another language spoken on this territory, are mutually intelligible, that is why it is easier for people who speak them to understand each other and to be taught Lapunga. The second reason is that Lapunga is a fully functional and standardized language, which is studied at schools. There is also the literature written in Lapunga which can be taken as the evidence of its great cultural significance. Moreover, its script is used by people who speak Lapagawi.
The rest of the languages cannot be used as official ones because of several reasons. Tonakaki and Dimanga are full of borrowings from neighboring countries and they could not contribute to the development of the state and its distinctive character. Soloso is spoken by the absolute minority of people who are aggressive and should not be given such a powerful lever of influence. Thus, French and Lapunga should be studied at schools in all regions for people to be able to use the official language. Moreover, all official documents should be written in French and Lapuga. However, local dialects should also be supported in districts and people should not be prohibited to use their usual communication.
Works Cited
Comrie, Bernard. The World’s Major Languages. New York: Oxford University Press. 1990. Print.
Choudhury, Arumina. Languages in the USA. n.d. Web.
Countries With More Than One Language. n.d. Web.
The Advantages of Being Bilingual. n.d. Web.
What language to Choose? n.d. Web.
Willey, Terrence. Language planning, language policy, and the English-Only Movement. n.d. Web.