Speaking The Language Of The People

ALLOW me a space to air my concern in your reliable and trusted newspaper that is so popular, although there are some people like Paulus Kapia of SPYL who want to discredit our mighty The Namibian.

The issue that I want to bring to the attention of our politicians is that of Namibian politicians addressing meetings or gathering in English even though the community and the politician speak the same language. I have observed this for quite a long time now.You feel pity for elderly people who attend these meetings for the sake of getting the message; instead they come and stare at these politicians when they are delivering their speeches.I thought the reason for calling a meeting or addressing the community is to make people understand and also to inform them.People can only be informed if they are being addressed in the language they understand.Not all elderly people in rural areas are able to understand English.All of us know that English is the official language, but it does not deter politicians to address people in vernacular languages.I also do not understand the issue of interpreting as the speaker and the listeners speak the same language.Do these politicians address media or the community? Sometimes the journalists also understand the language and they will be able to report the event in English.It is understandable if the politician does not speak the same language as the people she/he is addressing.But in most cases a politician is addressing people from his own community and he is addressing them in English.Even Peace Corps Volunteers in rural areas can understand the local language and these are sometimes the only people attending the meeting who one may think will not understand the local language.I want to urge our Namibian politicians to stop this practice and address meetings or gatherings in local languages if they are addressing people who speak the same language as theirs.People do not come to attend meetings just for the sake of looking at their faces.What is important is the message that they are conveying.I hope Namibian politicians can improve on this issue.Emma Erasmus Via e-mailI have observed this for quite a long time now.You feel pity for elderly people who attend these meetings for the sake of getting the message; instead they come and stare at these politicians when they are delivering their speeches.I thought the reason for calling a meeting or addressing the community is to make people understand and also to inform them.People can only be informed if they are being addressed in the language they understand.Not all elderly people in rural areas are able to understand English.All of us know that English is the official language, but it does not deter politicians to address people in vernacular languages.I also do not understand the issue of interpreting as the speaker and the listeners speak the same language.Do these politicians address media or the community? Sometimes the journalists also understand the language and they will be able to report the event in English.It is understandable if the politician does not speak the same language as the people she/he is addressing.But in most cases a politician is addressing people from his own community and he is addressing them in English.Even Peace Corps Volunteers in rural areas can understand the local language and these are sometimes the only people attending the meeting who one may think will not understand the local language.I want to urge our Namibian politicians to stop this practice and address meetings or gatherings in local languages if they are addressing people who speak the same language as theirs.People do not come to attend meetings just for the sake of looking at their faces.What is important is the message that they are conveying.I hope Namibian politicians can improve on this issue.Emma Erasmus Via e-mail