THE STATUS OF MOTHER TONGUES IN KENYA AND CHINA: LESSONS THE TWO COUNTRIES CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER

Abstract

This paper is a comparative analysis of the language situations in China and Kenya,
intended to identify the important lessons about language management in a
multi-ethnic society that the two countries can learn from each other. China has
over 130 languages, with Mandarin Chinese (Hanyu) being a mother tongue to
over 90% of the Chinese population. The situation is different in Kenya, which has
over 40 languages, most of which are minority languages. Significant differences
are noted in the areas of language reforms and policy, language development
agencies, and the treatment of ethnic minority languages. In each of the two
countries, the constitution spells out some of the language concerns and the
relevant guidelines for their usage and management. In Kenya, additional legal
texts about the language policy are currently in preparation. The greatest lesson
that Kenya can learn from China is the need to insist on catering for issues to do
with language at the national government level, resisting any pressure from the
county governments regarding variations on the relevant constitutional provisions
(Republic of Kenya, 2010). The drafters of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 got this
right by giving the national government the function of managing “Language
policy and the promotion of official and local languages” (Fourth Schedule, Part 1
(5)). The national government must learn from China to treat this as a serious
national responsibility by formulating the relevant policy guidelines and enacting
the necessary supportive laws. For China, the greatest lesson to learn is the need
to also include NGOs and individual efforts in the development of languages.