Sarajevo Blues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sarajevo Blues - Essay Example all essays, prose vignettes, and poems all written in the first person and reflecting the terrible ordeal of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War.† (Segel 267) The author of Sarajevo Blues, Semezdin Mehmedinovic was born in 1960 in Bosnia. He contributed to cultural activities in Bosnia before he fled to the United States of America in 1996 along with his family to avoid the affects of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian war. Mehmedinovic claims that even though the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was broadcast extensively throughout the world, the perspective it portrayed was fairly limited due to political pressures. News on television, radio and in newspapers provided an incomplete, outside perspective on the war. Through his poems, essays and short stories in his book Sarajevo Blues, Semezdin Mehmedinovic provides a new perspective on the war; a view from the inside. A political act is â€Å"an event that forever alters our assumptions about someone else’s experience† (Mehmendivoni). Therefore, politics refer to acts that people commit which have the ability to alter people’s perceptions about a state of affairs. It is a tool for manoeuvring people’s opinions and perceptions in a certain direction in order to fulfil some ulterior motive. Politics is capable of manipulating not only a person’s perception of the world but a person’s perception of himself/herself. Mehmedinovic is sceptical about political factors affecting mass media, which in turn affects the global population’s combined and individual thinking because it is the most popular means of distributing information about past and current affairs. Semezdin Mehmedinovic’s act of writing Sarajevo Blues can also be called politics because it has the ability to and is intended to change the perception of the masses about war. He aims to show people how the media alters the realities of war. Mehmedinovic is talking about the blues faced by the inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Before the war and the

WHY WE ABUSE OUR CHILDREN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WHY WE ABUSE OUR CHILDREN - Essay Example In many instances, public outrage draws attention to the social system's lack of power to prevent and protect children, and the knock on effect that carries into adulthood. There are numberless domestic and international, institutional and social organizations that work toward the prevention of child abuse. Child abuse occurs as a result of broken homes, irresponsible parenting and stress due to financial circumstances. (thesis) Broken home is a social phenomenon which directly can lead to child abuse. This usually occurs, because the couple separates and the signle parent has to take all the responsibility for upbrining the kids. When parents split, this results in decreasing of the income and the single parent is forced to work longer hours, has two jobs and do not spend enough time with his offspring. The lack of parent's presence, control, love and care makes the children to feel unwanted. Thus, they seek reassurance from external sources - such as gangs or street fights. When the single parent faces the fact that she /he can not handle the behavior of his kid in his emotional distress he uses aggression. In most of the cases the aggression has a physical form, transformed into child abuse. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2004) reported that parents dependent on or abusing alcohol a

Learning Strategies and Information-Processing Development Essay Example for Free

Learning Strategies and Information-Processing Development Essay Learning can be simply defined as the process that leads to relatively permanent change in behavior or potential change in a person’s behavior. Learning makes one change the way they perceive the environment, react to stimuli and interact. Cognitive psychology is a very important branch of modern psychology. The main focus of this approach is the memory-how information is stored and retrieved. Several theories have been developed with regard to this subject such as the stage theory (Atkinson Shriffin, 1968). The stage theory model is widely accepted since it proposes that information is processed and stored in three sequential stages i.e. â€Å"the sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory† (Atkinson Shriffin, 1968, p. 90). In addition to this model other accepted theories include levels-of-processing theory proposed by Craik and Lockhart (1972), the parallel-distributed processing model and the connectionistic model. This paper examines how attention, memory, recognition and knowledge are related to various learning strategies. In addition, the paper discusses how visual-perceptual, motor and language relate to information processing development. Information processing development As stated in the introduction above, cognitive psychology forms an integral part of the discipline of psychology. The most widely used theory is the stage theory whose focus is on how information is stored in memory. Information is processed in three stages and this is done in a serial and scholastic manner. Another important theory is the â€Å"levels-of-processing† theory whose proposition is that the learner utilizes different levels of explanation as he or she processes in formation. A major advantage of the information-processing strategies is in their explicitness and accuracy in diving complex cognitive functions into distinct elements that can be easily studied. However, when it comes to analyzing cognition into its distinct parts; information processing fails to re-unite them into a general, comprehensive construct. In addition, most information processing tools such as computer models have lost touch with real-life learning experiences (Berk, 2009). Information processing approach towards cognition seeks to explain how the learner (children and adults) operate on the different types of information. Most scholars view the mind as a complex system (a type of computer) through which information flows and is manipulated. General models such as the store model by Atkinson and Shiffrin assume that information is stored in three parts of the brain for processing: â€Å"the sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory† (Berk, 2010, para.1). Craik and Lockhart (1972) level-of-processing model assumes that information is transferred from working memory to the long-term memory depending on the level processing. There exist several other information processing developmental models such as the Case’s theory which is a reinterpretation of Piaget’s theory of information processing model. Case views cognitive development as the increase in information processing capacity as a result of brain development which can be linked to more efficient learning strategies. Connectionism on the other hand explains information processing development as a result of learning strategies such as computer-simulated strategies which enhance; inter-connectivity of processing units that are well stratified just like the neurological structure of the brain. Siegler’s using his model of learning strategy choice argues that, learners always generate a number of strategies for problem solving, the more the experience, the more strategies are selected or discarded (Kail Cavanaugh, 2008). Attention is a critical factor when it comes to human thinking, it dictates the information that will be considered when undertaking a task. Attention is greatly enhanced during early and middle stages of childhood. Thus, improved attention makes one to be more adaptable, selective and organized. Enhanced cognitive reticence and efficacy of attentional learning strategies are pertinent to the fine-tuning of selective attention. The fine tuning of attentional learning strategies takes place in four stages: â€Å"production deficiency, control deficiency, utilization deficiency, and effective strategy use† (para.2). Whenever there is a problem with attention students would develop learning disorders. The argument here is that, when a student is learning a new concept, their attention needs to be focused on the new concept.   If they fail to fully pay their attention, it means that they will have a serious problem with the learning of the new information (Kail Cavanaugh, 2008). Memory strategies are said to improve with age, as children continue to develop various methods such as, organization, and elaboration. This increases the likelihood of storing information in working memory and its consequential transfer to the long-term knowledge bank. Thus, over childhood stages and even in adolescence, students’ recall steadily improves as knowledge is continually amassed and its organization is improved effectively. Childrens metacognitive abilities usually change from passivity to activity. A more productive view of mental functioning increases with the increase in awareness of information processing strategies, cognitive aptitudes, and task variables. Self-regulation cognitively develops gradually during childhood and adolescence stages. Recently, scholars of information-processing have focused their attention towards academic learning of children (Berk, 2009). Visual-perceptual, motor and language relation to information processing development A visual-perceptual skill is simply the brain’s ability to process information as seen.   Previously, most scholars had assumed that a deficiency in visual-perceptual skills was directly linked to the malfunctioning of the eye.   That is having a poor physical vision or poor muscle control in the eye. However, the presence or absence of physical vision has nothing to do with visual perceptual. Instead, visual perceptual refers to the ability of the brain the receiving of visual information, its interpretation, organization, storage, and transmission Thus, if a student’s brain is not properly storing information, recall will definitely be poor. This directly affects the student’s ability to concentrate and read since he or she has a slow recall of words. The slowing down of recall can also have a negative impact on their mathematical abilities let alone their fluency in speech and reading (Smith 2004). Language and phonological processing abilities are affected by the student’s ability to store, process, and retrieve information.   Usually language and phonological problems are rooted to reading disorders.   Many students with reading disorders have difficulty storing, processing, and retrieving information.   A normal student’s left brain hemisphere becomes dominant when they are carrying out tasks involving language processing (Berk 2009). A student’s motor skills are also an important factor when discussing about learning strategies.   Children will learn from their interaction with the environment; this ability is affected hindered by a child’s motor or verbal skills, a child will learn better when their motor skills are well developed.   This can be observed in a math class.   A conventional practice in the learning of fractions is the use of multiplication.   A student with a problem with their motor skills will have a problem with the use of manipulatives.   Thus they will definitely have it rough when it comes to the learning of fractions (Berk, 2010). Conclusion This paper argues that there exist several other information processing developmental models such as the Case’s theory which is a reinterpretation of Piaget’s theory of information processing model. Case views cognitive development as the increase in information processing capacity as a result of brain development which can be linked to more efficient learning strategies. The most widely used theory is the stage theory whose focus is on how information is stored in memory. Learning strategies such as memory strategies are pertinent to the process of information development. Information processing approach towards cognition explains how the learner operates on various kinds of information. The mind is a complex system (a type of computer) through which information flows and is manipulated. Deficits in information processing skills have negative impacts on a student’s ability to learn effectively. This is attributed to the reason that all learning is relatively cumulative.  Thus, problems in learning should be detected early in enough and solved otherwise; they would get worse with advancement of age.

The Cambodia Vietnamese War History Essay

The Cambodia Vietnamese War History Essay The Cambodia-Vietnamese War was a series of conflicts involving various nations such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Hanoi, China and the United States of America. It was a conflict that flourished from border disputes between Cambodia and Vietnam. Minute aspects that contributed to this controversy stretched as far back as the 14th Century, when the Khmer Empire declined and when Khmers and Vietnamese dealt with an uneasy integration in an atmosphere of suppressed mistrust. The formlessness of the conflicts has made it difficult to identify the time frame unerringly but has been gauged that it occurred between 1975 and 1989. However, the wars foremost conflict was the Cambodian Incursion by the Vietnamese in 1978. It is debatable to affirm if this controversy can be justified accordingly. By examining the manifold of causes and effects of the conflict with close study to the Just War Theory to substantiate my view, I will elaborate on why I think that a form of equilibrium has been establishe d of the war in terms of being unjust or otherwise. Vietnam possessed no precise or pertinent reason to invade Cambodia. Emory Swank, the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia came to a conclusion that The war is losing more and more of its point and has less and less meaning for any of the parties concerned. (Schanberg and Pran 11). This is relative to the border disputes because of the U.S. involvement in providing military assistance for General Marshal Lon Nol, who overthrew Sihanouk in 1970, in Cambodia during the war. However, the Just War theory criteria, Jus ad bellum, states that a party must possess the right intention to go to war, and in turn will be granted the right to go to war (Just War Theory,  The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Cambodia and Vietnams feeble relationship fortified in 1965 when Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, despite mistrusting the Vietnamese, allowed North Vietnamese Communists to establish sanctuaries inside the borders of Cambodia (Schanberg and Pran 11). After North and South Vietnam signed an agreement in Paris on January 27th 1973, Cambodian communists were left to stand alone. This being the basis of the international relationship provoked many controversies, but never provided Vietnam with a commensurable rationale to invade Cambodia. The invasion into Cambodia by the Vietnamese was a disproportionate response to the 2-year long border dispute between the two countries. According to Jus ad bellum, the goal attained should be in proportion to the offence (Just War Theory,  The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). However, over two million lives were at the expense of settling disputes between two countries. It is impossible for Vietnams eventual goal to measure up and find equilibrium with the execution of over two million inhabitants. The invasion failed to ameliorate, furthermore prevent more evil than it caused. According to statistics, a larger amount of people were directly affected by the invasion and massacre rather than the series of border conflicts. Thus, the invasion failed to prevent more human suffering than it caused. According to the theory, the means used to fight must be in proportion to the wrong to be righted. (Just War Theory,  The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) However, the lives of a massive number of people were at the expense of the Vietnamese invasion, therefore, with humanity at stake, the goal cannot be compared to the evil committed in this incursion. Thirdly, the Cambodian incursion was not a last resort for the Vietnamese. According to the Just War Theory criteria, Jus ad bellum, a war is justified when only after all viable alternatives have been exhausted (Just War Theory,  The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). In this case, the Vietnamese offered a diplomatic solution to the conflict, such as the establishment of a demilitarized zone along the border of the two countries, but was eventually rejected by Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge in that period. A single attempt was made by the Vietnamese, indicating the possibility that more could have been done to prevent the provocation of the war. Therefore, because other possibilities and alternatives were never explored or exhausted, the invasion into Cambodia was not a last resort for the Vietnamese. The Vietnamese made no distinction between combatants and non-combatants of the war, thus resulting in an indiscriminate attack of Cambodia. It has been proven that a massacre of about one million Cambodians took place in the Cambodian incursion. According to the Just War theory, Jus in bello, non-combatants and civilians should be spared so as to avoid terrorism of the people. Combatants would include members of military forces, guerilla forces or anyone who takes up arms but not for self-defense. Non-combatants would include civilians or neutral countries, children, the old and the sick (Just War Theory,  The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). The war sparked off when the Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA) launched a massive invasion into Cambodia in 1978. They began a massacre of over a million people, and failing to distinguish between combatants and non-combatants of the war. According to the Just War Theory, the failure to do so would indicate the lack of justification of a war du e to the unleveled playing field of the two parties, which would result in uneven an potholed consequences. The VPA possessed excessive military force when invading Cambodia, without the limitation of unnecessary death and destruction of Cambodia and its civilians. In this bloody guerilla war, the amount of Vietnamese troops was almost 8 times the amount of Cambodian troops. According to the Just War Theory, Jus in bello, the principle of minimum force in a war needs to be appropriately applied, as well as attacking needs to stem from the intention of helping in military defeat (Just War Theory,  The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). The Vietnamese forces fell short of this as it resulted in the deaths of over a million civilians, the destruction of border villages and the abandonment of vast tracts of agricultural land. According to Jus post bello, goals of the war cannot be reached with excessive force, which the Vietnamese were in opposition of. The stringent lack of limitation of military forces showcases the Vietnameses incorrect conduct within the war. After the invasion, both countries suffered political, social and economical deteriorations. Slaughters, assaults, bombings and mass violence demonstrations affected the Vietnamese and Cambodians in terms of living standards, conditions and circumstances. A vast amount of property was destroyed which resulted in the overflow of refugee camps and the inhabitation of refugees in Phnom Penh specifically. Due to the large number of people, diseases in the area were rife. Also, food was scarce and malnutrition was a common situation. Medical attention was unable to be provided as hospitals were overworked and under-equipped with few drugs available, thus resulting in the collapse of the medical system. Political relations within different countries were also heavily impinged on. When the Khmer Rouge lost all political and military power, they suffered disintegrations through defections of the political and military system. The dimensions of Vietnamese colonization of Cambodia were also measured (Morris 224). For example, PRK was renamed State of Cambodia (SOC) in 1989 by the Vietnamese. However, the Vietnamese communists managed to achieve their goal of overthrowing the Khmer Rouge regime. Vietnam also suffered from Chinese military pressure for over 10 years as well as receives international diplomatic isolation (Morris 222). Vietnams alienation of international support was a result of their actions of invasion precluding any prospects of imminent normalization with the U.S., as well as turned most of the Western and Third World nations against any cooperation with them (Morris 222). This also meant war of Vietnam with China. The Vietnamese invasion on Cambodia meant much economic alterations for both countries. The Vietnamese suffered from economic alienation and isolation which retarded the economic growth of the country. Cambodias traditional economy was also all but vanished. As a result, inflation was extremely rampant in both countries. According to the aftermath of the Cambodian incursion, neither of the countries seemed to have gained incentives and inducements from the war itself. In turn, both countries suffered major political, social and economical damage, causing a massive downturn in the establishment of the two countries. However, probability for success for the Vietnamese was evident. There has been evidence of certain aspects of the incursion being justifiable. The Just War Theory criteria, Jus as bellum, states that a country has the right to go to war when there is a probability for success (Just War Theory,  The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). It considers the ethics of causing suffering, pain and death to inhabitants of a country with no chance of success. In this case, the Vietnamese saw that their probability for success from the incursion would be higher than that of the Cambodians. As long as chance for success existed for either party in this war, the Vietnamese can then be granted the right to go to war in the first place. Similarly, the Vietnamese had barely any supplementary alternatives to put an end to the various 2-year long disputes. After Pol Pot rejected Vietnams diplomatic solution for the border conflict, a mutual understanding between the countries failed to exist. This made it tough for the Vietnamese to decipher a modus operandi to put a quick stop to the disputes. However, the invasion was merely not a last resort but more of an immediate solution for the Vietnamese. With harsh limitations and an inability to resist more animosity, the Vietnamese succumbed to war. In this context and within these circumstances, it is still possible for the conflict to be a just one. Apart from accentuating the traditional animosities between Vietnam and Cambodia, furthermore, the was also managed to overthrow the Khmer Rouge from power as well as end the Khmer Rouge Regime Genocide. With close relation to the Just War Theory, Jus ad bellum, Jus in bello, and Jus post bellum, I managed to differentiate the aspects into which exploit is just and what is otherwise. Moreover, though many factors proved the Vietnamese invasion to be unjust, the possibility of the incursion being a just war still subsists.

My Personal Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education T

My Personal Philosophy of Education Ever since I was a little girl, I knew that in my future I wanted to become a teacher. I always looked up to my teachers, especially the ones I had in elementary school. I even played 'school' with my friends and pretended I had my own classroom. I loved being in charge. During a summer, I was given the opportunity to work as an Energy Express mentor and work with a group of eight children. This was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever been through. I was a mentor to help guide the children, and by the end of the summer I felt as if I had really accomplished something. I am planning to pursue a career in elementary education. I love children, and just knowing that as a teacher I could make a difference in someone's life means so much to me. Every student is different. Different in how fast or slow they perceive information, comprehend and interpret concepts, and develop problem-solving skills. I agree with Rousseau?s belief that a child will not learn until they are ready. As a teacher, I will work with each student based on their needs and try to present information in a way that is effective to them all. It is important to understand that the approach a teacher uses with one student may be different from another. I believe that every student deserves individual attention as long as it is suitable. I believe that the nature of knowledge is relative; it depends on the person, place, and time. All students come from different backgrounds and are brought up differently, so sometimes it can be difficult to follow a set curriculum in the classroom. The teacher has to be aware of the needs and knowledge of her classroom, yet she cannot lose... ...ught good writing skills. Writing is an important form of communication, especially when there is a lack of verbal communication. These subjects are areas of knowledge important for all students. They prepare you for future education and life situations. After graduation, I plan to extend my education and pursue a master?s degree. I want to teach in West Virginia or a surrounding state where I will become a successful teacher. Many people do not understand how important a teacher is to a person?s life. They have to give extra time and dedication to their job. I have learned a lot of what I know today from my past teachers, and I hope that my future students will say the same about me. I love children, and this is why I think I?ll make a great teacher. I hope that one day I will have the same impact on my students that my past teachers have had on me.

Essay --

To most people ethnicity is shown by values, lifestyles, customs, and rituals that are personal to an individual ethnic group or religion. The feeling of belonging to a certain group is a basic need for mankind. In a sense, ethnicity can be separated into two particular categories, a unique social structure and culture heritage passed down from one generation to the next. I come from a Mexican family. This has shown me the many similarities, as well as differences in a Mexican family compared to an American family. From a young age we are taught that the value of family is the most important thing in the world. Most Americans encourage their children to move out after graduation from either high school or college, Mexicans believe that their children should live with them until they are married or around the ages of 25-30 years old. The most important family member in the Mexican family are the elderly. They are given special treatment and attention. For example our beliefs is that the elders shouldn't go to retirement homes. They are welcome in the family and are cared for until there last days. Grandchildren are taught to be respectful and to aways Listen to the elders, especially if they're your grandparents. Most Mexican families are extremely traditional, with the man as the head of the house hold, and the authority figure. Machismo (masculinity) in all latino countries is a huge problem, not only because women are being deprived of their freedom, but because men abuse their power. I asked five Mexican women how they felt about Machismo in Mexico. Two of the five women told me kind of the same thing; They believe that it is not a bad thing, but it depends on the man. The other three were very against it, and they ... ...ing aspect for Americans, because most Americans have their life planed out on a cellphone or on a planner and too often it doesn't include their family. Mexican food is influenced by the ancient civilization. For examples the Mayans ate corn tortilla with a bean paste that covered the tortilla. The Aztec found out that mixing and squishing different types of vegetables makes a savory appetizer they call salsa. They also learned how to make what are now called tamales. When the Spaniards came they brought over milk, rice and other products that were new to Mexico. But have now remained in the cuisine. Mexico has an amazing culture. It is full of wonders and mystery that are yet to be discuss. Mexico just like any other country has its fall backs, but one day Just like the United States it will rise up and be one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Is English killing other languages Essay

Abstract Is English Killing other languages? As we went on to know and find out what people think about question, we learned and observed people’s different opinion, rather we should term it as conflicting. Some say we cannot blame the English to be a language killer, world is changing and those who couldn’t survive die out, same theory goes for the languages also. While on the other hand people are very critical of the growing usage of English. A section of people also see it as a means of connecting cultures and promoting globalization. What we learned through working with questionnaires and interviewing people, is we cannot generalize anything, like yes this is it because majority thinks so, may be the next person you go to have a totally different opinion to say about it. It’s the person’s circumstances in life, his age, occupation, the environment he lives in, is brought up, that mainly shape his thinking process. Keeping in mind all these differences, and what we learned from people. We gave our best efforts to get a conclusion about this question. Contents Introduction Definition of Language Findings from people and sites, online discussions Extinct Languages in India Conclusion from interviews and questionnaire Final Conclusion Reference Appendix Introduction All over the world there is a concern about the disappearance of languages. Languages are dying in a very big way everywhere in the world. And who is to blame is the much asked question. And our topic for the project, â€Å"Is English Killing Other Languages† is a big question, whether we can blame alone English as the cause of increasing number of extinct regional languages or other factors are also at work. We went on to find out people’s notion to this question. Definition of Language We will begin by delving into the question that what exactly is a language. The answer that we get most often is that, it is a means of expressing oneself, and of communicating with each other. The dictionary will tell us that it is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. We can also add non-verbal communication on top of this. What we think often is true, but it is just one small aspect of what really a language. Language is much more. A major part of is dependent on communities of speakers†. In truth, language is far more than a means of communication; it is a carrier of the entire social history and cultural heritage of a people. Through language, we communicate words, norms, ideas, social practices, values and emotions . The entire culture of a people is encapsulated in what we call language. So it is just not a means of communication that we are talking here of, it is the entire culture that is at stake with a language becoming endangered or extinct. Gatherings from blogs and online discussion groups Having this definition of language in mind, we begin with what we gathered from people over the internet .Talking firstly about the Mark Tully, former BBC India correspondent who sees English from a completely different viewpoint. Mark definitely doesn’t see English as a language killer infact he makes one think the growing usage of English from a different perspective. What he says is â€Å"English is one of the advantages India has, which are said to be propelling it to economic superpower status. So Why not use it†. He clearly means us to reflect towards the job opportunities and many other things that English has created how it has helped India to improve its economy. Also Former editor of the Economist, Bill Emmott said  India fell short of china in almost every measure except ability to speak English .So why should not India built on its one advantage. Not only Mark and Bill many other people also see English as the means of creating more opportunities. People have also cited life changing experiences when they acquired the ability to speak fluently in English. On the other hand we also have people criticizing the growing usage of English language . As Nicholas Ostler founder of endangered languages [ELF] said â€Å"English is killing off scores of minority languages in its wake to spread, with English creeping in among younger generations everywhere as the language of mass communications and symbol of progress minority regional languages are becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate†. Marc Ettlinger PhD linguistics UC, Berkeley had also quite the same opinion. He says often Languages associated with a nation state kill minority languages as a function of Nationalized school where success is determined by knowing the dominant language. Also in Centralized government dominant language is crucial to finding a job. Social pressure to fit in with what everyone is doing. Urban migration and many other reasons. Fortunately in India government does promote other languages also. But by default nowadays the main language seems to be either Hindi or English. Because of English becoming a global language as well as important for getting a job. What mostly people think is that English is just a requirement in this globalized world. It makes us a global player. It makes us versatile. One definitely needs to adapt to it. This was all in what we found through people on net. Extinct languages of India Now looking at the extinct languages of India, referring to a survey and the reasons they say behind the increasing extinct languages. According to People’s Linguistic Survey of India, India speaks 780 languages, 220 lost in last 50 years. The survey was conducted over the past four years by 3,000 volunteers and staff of the Bhasha Research & Publication Centre. It concludes that 220 Indian languages have disappeared in the last 50 years, and that another 150 could vanish in the next half century as speakers die and their children fail to learn their ancestral tongues. Now the looking upon the reasons that they saw during the survey behind the languages being  extinct, is the small group of people using a language, increased use of English or other reasons that are responsible for this extinction. Firstly ruling out the option that the small group of people using a language is the reason for language extinction. Because history provides evidence that very large languages had also gone down sometimes. Latin is one example. The (ancient) Greek language is another, Sanskrit is the third one. A language does not have to be small in order to face extinction. That is the nature of language. So this equation that the government will come will do something, then language will survive, that has to be taken out of all thinking. It is a cultural phenomenon. And we can see that all over the world there is a concern about the disappearance of languages. Languages are dying everywhere in the world. Secondly, wherever the English language has gone in the last 200 years, it has managed to wipe out the local languages. But in India, English did not manage to do that because Indian languages have a historical experience of having to deal with two mega languages in the past – one was Sanskrit, and after that, Persian. So Indians know how to cope with English. And that is why even today, though so many of us use English as if it is our first language, we still do not pray in English, and we do not sing our songs in English. So English is not the reason. When a language imbibes words from outside, it grows. Languages grow by taking words from other languages. Every language is from beginning to the end, a polluted language. The threat will come. Hindi has its roots – there are 126 languages surrounding the Hindi belt.Because they are feeder languages, they feed into Hindi, they are the roots for Hindi. So the bottom line is Hindi definitely will not extinct and English certainly is not the reason for language extinction. English is the sky. The sky will not harm the tree, but if you chop the roots, a mighty tree can fall. This happened with Latin, and should not happen with Hindi. Out attitude of neglect towards smaller languages is a threat to larger languages, English is nowhere to blame.