Friends, A while back there was debate here on the issue of language, expressiveness and global competitiveness. Kenyan scholars have addressed part of this through a recent publication of Themes in Language, Education & Development in Kenya. A press release announcing the publication is attached. Like yours truly, the authors take the line that when a language dies is like burning down a granary. Indeed, this is the position of UNESCO when they say: “Languages like genetic diversity are essential to all of mankind. If we are to allow languages to become extinct then we are witnesses to cultural genocide. There is value in diversity; the economic health of these people and their communities are connected with how they feel about themselves which is tied to their language and culture. Flourishing communities are wealthy healthy communities …” – Lindsay Robert Marshall talking about, Dozens of Aboriginal languages near death: UNESCO National cohesion can be achieved via other means and language expressiveness can always improve with growth of vocabulary. Finally, on this list we tend to lay greater emphasis on economic development compared to anything else; yet a high GDP doesn't guarantee high quality of life. Countries like Norway with low income gap disparities also have a higher quality of life and are a permanent feature in the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). NB: am attaching an order form in case anyone is keen on ordering the books, copies of which will be available in Kenya in the course of December 2011. Shukrani. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be prepared to face ICT Security failures & know how to respond when they happen! Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info@aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk I have a workstation…" - Anonymous ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.
Matunda, Norway like its neighbours decided to embrace social democracy which ensures that everyone is taken care of and that there is less income disparities. This is not easy since you have to socialize everybody to respect and relate to each other as equal human beings first. Here you find a plumber neighbours a doctor. A graduate woman marrying a male mechanic and living comfortably. Language becomes the common thread that weaves the society together. This leads to a common value system and philosophy. Our confusion emanates from lack of common values and a false class system. Most of us are working to belong to a class higher up than what we are. Even in Church, I see people try to identify with those who have either socially made it or are powerful. It is common knowledge that we do not identify ourselves with plumbers, masons, carpenters as other normal equal human beings unless when we need their services. This is why our youth shun employment in these skill sets yet we do not have such craftsmen in sufficient numbers as we suffocate in unemployment. We must therefore try to re-build our language as a basis of our culture. It is the only thing that brings us together on the same table whether we are plumbers or doctors. I have noted in all marriage ceremonies how people want to belong and trying to dig into our common values irrespective of our backgrounds. Technology has enabled us to build repositories of our languages and culture. We must now develop content with the languages. Like Ngugi wa Thion'go, academics must begin translations of their works into vernacular and develop institutes of each language at all universities. Without this, we shall all fail. Ndemo. Sent from my BlackBerry® -----Original Message----- From: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:12:45 To: <bitange@jambo.co.ke> Reply-To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
Bwana PS, You should blog or Google+. There we can engage you (online but offline KICTANET) more on ideological / theological issues. https://plus.google.com/s/bitange%20ndemo Without good works, language, like faith without good works, is dead :) Good will overcome socio-economic barriers all the time, otherwise Scripture would not tell us "to overcome evil with good". In the late 90's, a youthful member of a prominent Central Kenya family passed on. His brother told us their gardener actually "made" him (the living brother) turn away from some pretty destructive habits. He could listen to the gardener after years of experiencing Christianity / goodwill from him. When Kikuyu speaking criminals harm innocent people in Nairobi or Central Kenya, it does not matter that we speak the same language (only one aspect of culture). We do not share the same convictions / approach to life or humanity. Actions speak louder than words... (i) About 3 years ago, a Brit (EMEA / Regional Manager for an Electronics manufacturer / distributor) told me they did not want to deal with our inefficient (import / export) customs procedures / problems. They were yet to find a local firm / distributors to partner with. Have pointed them out to one since. Believe we are taxed more in Africa for our poor infrastructure and inefficiency caused by our bad behavior / civil war = lack of hospitality towards each other which disables us from providing good services to each other. (ii) Was looking at KLM excess baggage taxes. http://www.klm.com/travel/no_en/prepare_for_travel/baggage/excess/bagagge_pi... Distance from Amsterdam to Denpasar via Singapore = 12, 149 km http://info.flightmapper.net/flight/KLM_KL_835 Zone 2 - USD 55.00 - tax for 2nd piece of excess baggage under 23kg Nairobi = 6673 km http://info.flightmapper.net/flight/KLM_KL_4141 Zone 4 - USD 100.00 - tax for 2nd piece of excess baggage under 23kg Taipei / Taiwan = 9436 km http://info.flightmapper.net/flight/KLM_KL_877 Zone 2 - USD 55.00 - tax for 2nd piece of excess baggage under 23kg Bombay (Mumbai) / or any part of India = 6855 km http://info.flightmapper.net/flight/KLM_KL_6086 Zone 3 - USD 75.00 - - tax for 2nd piece of excess baggage under 23kg JFK / New York / USA - 5844Km http://info.flightmapper.net/flight/KLM_KL_643 Zone 3 - USD 75.00 - - tax for 2nd piece of excess baggage under 23kg LAX / Los Angeles / US- 8950km http://info.flightmapper.net/flight/KLM_KL_601 Zone 3 - USD 75.00 - - tax for 2nd piece of excess baggage under 23kg Again, Actions speak Louder than Words :) On Fri, Nov 18, 2011 at 9:10 AM, <bitange@jambo.co.ke> wrote:
Matunda, Norway like its neighbours decided to embrace social democracy which ensures that everyone is taken care of and that there is less income disparities.
This is not easy since you have to socialize everybody to respect and relate to each other as equal human beings first. Here you find a plumber neighbours a doctor. A graduate woman marrying a male mechanic and living comfortably. Language becomes the common thread that weaves the society together. This leads to a common value system and philosophy.
Our confusion emanates from lack of common values and a false class system. Most of us are working to belong to a class higher up than what we are. Even in Church, I see people try to identify with those who have either socially made it or are powerful.
It is common knowledge that we do not identify ourselves with plumbers, masons, carpenters as other normal equal human beings unless when we need their services. This is why our youth shun employment in these skill sets yet we do not have such craftsmen in sufficient numbers as we suffocate in unemployment.
We must therefore try to re-build our language as a basis of our culture. It is the only thing that brings us together on the same table whether we are plumbers or doctors. I have noted in all marriage ceremonies how people want to belong and trying to dig into our common values irrespective of our backgrounds.
Technology has enabled us to build repositories of our languages and culture. We must now develop content with the languages. Like Ngugi wa Thion'go, academics must begin translations of their works into vernacular and develop institutes of each language at all universities. Without this, we shall all fail.
Ndemo.
Sent from my BlackBerry®
-----Original Message----- From: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:12:45 To: <bitange@jambo.co.ke> Reply-To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
On Fri, Nov 18, 2011 at 9:10 AM, <bitange@jambo.co.ke> wrote:
Matunda, Norway like its neighbours decided to embrace social democracy which ensures that everyone is taken care of and that there is less income disparities.
This is not easy since you have to socialize everybody to respect and relate to each other as equal human beings first. Here you find a plumber neighbours a doctor. A graduate woman marrying a male mechanic and living comfortably. Language becomes the common thread that weaves the society together. This leads to a common value system and philosophy.
Our confusion emanates from lack of common values and a false class system. Most of us are working to belong to a class higher up than what we are. Even in Church, I see people try to identify with those who have either socially made it or are powerful.
It is common knowledge that we do not identify ourselves with plumbers, masons, carpenters as other normal equal human beings unless when we need their services. This is why our youth shun employment in these skill sets yet we do not have such craftsmen in sufficient numbers as we suffocate in unemployment.
We must therefore try to re-build our language as a basis of our culture. It is the only thing that brings us together on the same table whether we are plumbers or doctors. I have noted in all marriage ceremonies how people want to belong and trying to dig into our common values irrespective of our backgrounds.
Technology has enabled us to build repositories of our languages and culture. We must now develop content with the languages. Like Ngugi wa Thion'go, academics must begin translations of their works into vernacular and develop institutes of each language at all universities. Without this, we shall all fail.
Ndemo.
Sent from my BlackBerry®
-----Original Message----- From: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:12:45 To: <bitange@jambo.co.ke> Reply-To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
Dakitari Those are good points. Language as a basis of our values is key; and that value system emanates from more things than social democracy. Nordic countries like Norway and others like Canada (where I have spent most time in my days in the Diaspora) have also ensured that citizens play their role effectively as part of the "social contract"; and that each citizen does a fair share for the common good. Here a neighbour will report a neighbour for cheating on taxes. The argument: why should some people get a free ride? As well, citizens hold those in power accountable for proper spending of these taxes for the common good. Often the debate isn't about where the countries should head but how to get there. So one party may suggest investing proportionately more in health care versus infrastructure versus education. Contrast this with Kenya: I arrived once at the airport in Nairobi and a few things I carried were assessed for customs. Armed with the figure, I duly paid. As I showed the customs officer the receipt asking him to release my luggage, he looked at me, almost in wonderment, and made a remark that has stayed with me to date: sasa si tungegawanya hii nusu nusu kwa sababu hata pale ulipeleka itakuliwa; si we Mkenya kama hao wanakula? We still have a state in Kenya where citizens don't feel they belong; it is a parasitic instrument for elite accumulation; thus each one tries to get the better of the state. Those are our "national values"! While social democracy may reduce income gaps my thoughts are that it would not be enough. New lexicon would emerge with greater interaction of the people in formative years, leadership that preaches water and drinks the same and a value system of common ingrained (call it brainwashing) through the school system. As part of creation of this new order, we should seriously consider making every Kenyan secondary school a national school: let each school in this category look like Kenya. Do this over 20 years and issues of ethnic discrimination would recede; indeed, from this ethnic mix would emerge a Sheng-like nation that borrows the best from the diversity of our languages, cultural practices, etc. with vestigial practices rent extinct organically. BTW: in Canada diversity is central to the nation's being; there is also protection of language rights. Thus even when Quebec nationalists have tried to push for independence, they have lost in referenda because the majority value being part of Canada. Baadaye ________________________________ From: "bitange@jambo.co.ke" <bitange@jambo.co.ke> To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 1:10 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages Matunda, Norway like its neighbours decided to embrace social democracy which ensures that everyone is taken care of and that there is less income disparities. This is not easy since you have to socialize everybody to respect and relate to each other as equal human beings first. Here you find a plumber neighbours a doctor. A graduate woman marrying a male mechanic and living comfortably. Language becomes the common thread that weaves the society together. This leads to a common value system and philosophy. Our confusion emanates from lack of common values and a false class system. Most of us are working to belong to a class higher up than what we are. Even in Church, I see people try to identify with those who have either socially made it or are powerful. It is common knowledge that we do not identify ourselves with plumbers, masons, carpenters as other normal equal human beings unless when we need their services. This is why our youth shun employment in these skill sets yet we do not have such craftsmen in sufficient numbers as we suffocate in unemployment. We must therefore try to re-build our language as a basis of our culture. It is the only thing that brings us together on the same table whether we are plumbers or doctors. I have noted in all marriage ceremonies how people want to belong and trying to dig into our common values irrespective of our backgrounds. Technology has enabled us to build repositories of our languages and culture. We must now develop content with the languages. Like Ngugi wa Thion'go, academics must begin translations of their works into vernacular and develop institutes of each language at all universities. Without this, we shall all fail. Ndemo. Sent from my BlackBerry® -----Original Message----- From: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:12:45 To: <bitange@jambo.co.ke> Reply-To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
participants (3)
-
bitange＠jambo.co.ke -
Matunda Nyanchama -
S.M. Muraya