Learning English at school is often seen as more important than learning local languages. If these are not taught, many are at risk of dying out. In your opinion, is it important for everyone to learn English? Should we try to ensure the survival of local languages and, if so, how?

English is a widely recognized international language that is not only the language of international commerce but of academics, too. It is highly sought after by parents, teachers and students alike. Unfortunately, it is often the case that regional or local languages are often overlooked. Pupils almost always have a preference for English than local languages. This puts the local languages at risk of dying out. If there is virtually no one interested in learning a particular language then it is highly possible that the language in question might as well cease to exist someday. When a language dies out or goes extinct, it is not just its lexicon and grammatical rules that die out; the cultural peculiarities and ethos that a language often posses dies out as well. A vast amount of literature that was probably written in that particular language becomes incomprehensible to a majority and thus rendered useless. The folklores, lineages, and genealogy associated with the culture cease to exist which is often the case with those regional languages which had oral traditions. Albeit, I am of the opinion that it is important to learn English, it is equally important to preserve the local languages too. We can do this by promoting the regional language through organising cultural events, making it a medium of formal instructions at schools, holding literary competitions and arranging incentives to use the local/regional language. Instilling a sense of pride in the heart of denizens about the regional language would go a long way too in preventing the local languages from dying out.