This policy has fueled a multibillion-dollar private tutoring industry but also deepened inequality between urban and rural learners
This was most likely a prevalent thing in ancient times, as simply having the access to the tools to learn was the difference in social class
English dominance, if left unchecked, erodes not only minority languages but also the cognitive and cultural identities they embody.
If English gets to a point where only people with advanced educational resources can fluently understand it, it is at risk of dissolving
Second-class citizenship emerges when English proficiency is linked to economic and social status, reinforcing systemic stratification.
Social classes emerge when occupations are associated with social status
Communicative marginalization refers to exclusion from education, employment, or public life due to limited English proficiency (or perceptions thereof).
Or in the case of hieroglyphic and cuneiform, being one of the reasons for exclusion from positions of influence.
This paper examines the phenomenon of identity alienation--the psychological, cultural, and social estrangement that occurs when multilingual speakers experience their linguistic identities being undervalued, erased, or stigmatized in English-dominant contexts. By analyzing diverse case studies and scholarly debates, the study identifies the mechanisms through which English's global spread produces alienating effects and explores possible responses to this linguistic hierarchy.
In this case, English is the metaphorical hieroglyphics or cuneiform that only the elite (or in this case people with access to better education) could learn.
Prior studies have also shown how educators' language ideologies can shape classroom practices, affecting student opportunities to participate and their overall learning.
This is what happened in ancient times with written languages only being understood by the elite
hieroglyphic (meaning “sacred writing”) was coined by the ancient Greeks, who knew that the Egyptians sometimes called their writing “divine script.”
This makes sense, since one of hieroglyphics main purposes for communication was for ceremonial activities.
The phonograms were, of course, the controlling factor in the progress of hieroglyphic writing, because of the fundamental convenience of an alphabet.
Egyptian hieroglyphics seem to have had an extremely crude form of an alphabet, while cuneiform did not
Similar pictographic styles of Crete, Asia Minor, and Central America and Mexico are also called hieroglyphics
There is a difference between Egyptian hieroglyphics and any other hieroglyphics.
Indeed, the earliest use of cuneiform was merely mnemonic and not as a visual means to represent spoken language.
It was not the intended purpose to originally adapt cuneiform into a spoken language, so that might be a reason as to why it could not be further adapted into an alphabet
The sign for woman closely juxtaposed with the sign for foreign land yielded the sign for slave woman. Thus, the sign for bread within the sign for mouth resulted in a new sign meaning to eat.
This shows pretty clearly why it was such a difficult language to learn
For example, the sign for a bull resembles a bull's head. Sometimes these pictograms were used symbolically to express the natural association of ideas. The sign picturing a star was also used to denote heaven or god, since the celestial realm was considered an abode of the gods.
This was before the acrophonic principle was introduced which associated certain pictures with certain sounds
Most of the early cuneiform signs originated as pictograms, which attempt to replicate the appearance of objects they represent.
This is very similar to hieroglyphics
From the eighth millennium BCE, clay tokens of various shapes were used to represent quantities of items in order to keep track of agricultural products.
It seems like cuneiform was used more for record keeping purposes, which supports the reasonings as t why it was less accessible in concept than hieroglyphics
literacy was the purview of Egyptian and Mesopotamian scribes trained in complex writing systems that could take years to master
Both Egyptian hieroglyphics and cuneiform were originally complex writing systems, but hieroglyphics were able to be adapted into a system that is more accessible
Proto-Sinaitic script, which uses a set of alphabetic signs adapted from Egyptian hieroglyphics, is the earliest known system to rely on symbols alone to represent sounds and that could be mastered by someone who had never set foot in a scribal school.
Proto Sinaitic script is the link between hieroglyphics and the modern alphabet
People speaking a Semitic language and living in Egypt and Sinai adapted the Egyptian hieroglyphic or hieratic scripts to write their language using the acrophonic principle.
This indirectly ties in to hieroglyphics shaping the modern english language
the benefits of these technologies can only be fully realized when they are embedded in practices and supported by ethical and institutional frameworks.
The foundations should be in place for good English before AI can be properly used to communicate.
While these tools can support idea generation or drafting, their unregulated use may undermine learning outcomes if students bypass the cognitive processes essential for language development.
It depends on the context whether or not AI is okay to use
the growing reliance on AI in assessment processes raises questions about academic integrity and authenticity.
This would not be particularly necessary in a professional workplace where the only importance of a letter or message is to convey simple points.
This study seeks to address this gap by exploring the ways in which multilingual individuals use code-switching and translanguaging in their online interactions.
Main point of the article
In an increasingly globalized world, where individuals regularly interact with people from diverse linguistic backgrounds, code-switching becomes a tool for navigating complex social landscapes.
It will naturally happen, even within the English language it happens.
In online settings, translanguaging appears in various forms, especially in the production of memes, videos, and other multimodal content, which often blend text, images, and audio to create new communicative meanings.
It is much easier to get meaning behind photos and video than it is a worded language.
The rise of digital communication has brought about significant opportunities for the promotion of multilingualism, especially for minority and endangered languages, which often struggle for visibility in traditional media.
And it is much easier to find those communities that use endangered languages now more than ever before.
Code-switching, a well-established phenomenon in multilingual communication, adapts to the affordances of digital platforms, where hybrid linguistic forms emerge in response to character limits, hashtags, and multimedia formats.
Code switching adapts to culture changes
For instance, during festivals like Diwali or Ramadan, users incorporated native language phrases alongside English to convey authenticity and pride in their roots. This practice not only reaffirmed their connection to their heritage but also resonated with like-minded individuals in their digital communities, creating a shared sense of identity and belonging.
As an African American in New Mexico, I can say that I more or less do the same thing when I find myself around other black people. I tend to change my speech ever so slightly so that it matches their way of talking.
Translanguaging often arises from the need to express complex or culturally specific ideas that cannot be adequately conveyed in a single language. For example, users may incorporate local terms, expressions, or phrases in languages such as Hindi, Arabic, or Mandarin, which have no direct equivalents in English. This is particularly true in posts related to cultural events or personal experiences, where blending languages allows for a richer, more authentic narrative.
This is even the case in English, as there are terms some people and families use that are specific to them or an experience they share.
Multilingual individuals no longer feel bound by traditional language structures and may freely switch between languages to express themselves more authentically. The result is a dynamic evolution of language, where new hybrid forms emerge, and old norms of linguistic purity become increasingly blurred.
I think they should still adhere to traditional structures in a professional setting, but outside of that is fine.
Integrating translanguaging into educational practices can enhance students' linguistic flexibility and prepare them for a multilingual, interconnected world.
This is more the case in communities that see a lot of code switching on a daily basis, such as in the Southwest parts of America
For technology, developers are encouraged to design platforms that accommodate diverse linguistic needs, promoting inclusivity and ensuring equitable access for users from various linguistic backgrounds, ultimately contributing to a more accessible and interconnected digital world.
How would they do this without accidentally ostracizing the English language?
To ensure the inclusivity of multilingual digital environments, educational systems and digital platforms must foster policies that promote multilingualism and ensure equal representation of minority languages.
What kind of policies would they use?
This process challenges the traditional boundaries of written or spoken language by enabling users to express themselves through a combination of linguistic and semiotic resources, thus promoting a more inclusive and flexible understanding of communication.
Translanguaging is not just constrained to words, it also uses non verbal elements as well.
For example, memes are a prominent form of digital communication where users frequently combine different languages or dialects, often mixing English with regional languages or even incorporating slang and emojis. This practice reflects the fluidity of linguistic boundaries in digital spaces and highlights how translanguaging can function as a creative tool for expressing complex ideas or social commentary
I had never thought of memes in this way before.
while Twitter's character constraints encourage succinct code-switching, multimedia-friendly platforms like Instagram foster richer translanguaging practices.
This makes sense, as Twitter is a much more professional platform in terms of who uses it and what is announced on it compared to other social media platforms.
Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzed the communication habits of 120 multilingual participants on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The findings highlight distinct patterns of code-switching and translanguaging influenced by factors like audience demographics, contextual demands, and the technological features of each platform.
The author went through a lot to get this information, so this article is very accurate in terms of statistics
For instance, bilingual individuals may switch from one language to another to signal a shift in topic or to evoke a certain emotion or cultural reference.
This happens quite a bit in New Mexico, because of the Hispanic population