August 23, 2010

Language is the big BRANCH of UNITY

Circassia is one of the most mountanious area of the world. Even today to go somewhere is difficult without using the old roads. People live in different parts of these mountanious areas.

Since the old times, these roads were the only places for people to go or come somewhere. Today because of some known reasons the population is rare but not the Circassian languages. Although some of the languages, like the Ubykh language is not spoken anymore, there are still a lot of Circassian languages. Unfortunately not only in diaspora but also in the motherland young generations don't prefer their native languages for communication especially with the other tribes. The Russian is --unfortunately-- the main spoken language through the Circassian tribes, countries.

People think with words. Words are derived from life styles. Shortly, words and languages are oral forms of lifestyles. If you speak a foreign language for a long time, admit or not in time, you begin to live that languages lifestyle.

Young Circassians -- to be able to communicate with each other or to be able find a good job --prefer the most spoken language, The Russian.

This gave them a good advantage. In this way they can listen and understand other tribes' young men and women. They can find good jobs. They can read and write more. Especially for the ones who wants to have a good education, to know Russian has a vital importance.

But also they began to live Russian language lifestyle in time. This is not a shame for any of us. This must be changed but this is not shameful. We, the ones living in Diaspora also know very well second-homes' languages well. This is the fate I think. Not the desired one but this is a fate.

Today if I want to say something to homeland as a general saying, I must say in Russian or English. Otherwise I have to say the same thing in different tribal languages for a few times. I mean if you write an article in one tribal language, you must translate (NOT WRITE) the same thing for other tribes. This is really difficult. Because of which, homeland use Russian in education, we use Turkish, The American and European residents use English, the ones in the Middle East use Arabic ... etc.

So without losing the minor languages, we must choose one of the Circassian languages as a basic and common one. Maybe just for education or literature. And we must do this right now. English, Russian, Turkish or Arabic can not be the main language in Circassia.

Every word in a language has --known or not-- a story. When we speak a language we tell stories of that language and olds to each other. I want to tell Circassian stories, not the Russian ones.

Sincerely yours,
Kenugi J. UBYKH

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