Our catch phrase is on its way.

Dear Fellow Earthlings,

Just outside of my school in Yokohama, Japan there are women roaming about, on the prowl for other women pushing what Japanese call “baby cars”, but which native speakers call baby carriages or baby buggies. The women on the prowl are very forceful as they try to convince the mothers pushing those baby carriages to enroll the little children seated in the carriages in “early intervention” schools to, among other things, get the children started learning English at an early age.

These little children still have not even mastered Japanese – but are being pressured to take time out from acquiring their native language in order to learn English. Japanese are so concerned about their children “losing out” in the race to learn English, you see.

As someone who has seen what too much of a foreign or outside language can do to a native language, I can tell you this: The average child wants a language, wants ONE language. If circumstances dictate it, a person can learn MANY languages. But that person needs ONE LANGUAGE (or perhaps two languages, in rare circumstances) in order to become a “successful, productive” member of society. Any extra languages can be a bit of decoration on the cake or might open doors to some fantastic, rare opportunities. BUT THE ENERGY AND TIME NEEDED TO maintain those extra languages often detracts from a person’s other activities and takes time away from kerm responsibilites.

So here is what you should do, parents. Number one, let your political figures know that your children need grounding in their native language, their native culture, in the arts, in the sciences, in physical education, in manners, in ethics, and in the dynamics of utilizing free time for playing a bit! English or any other non-native language can wait until the chilrden start middle school. Then, as the example of Seibudai Niiza Junior High School near Tokyo, Japan shows, children can “jingle” their way to nativelike English pronunciation.

Steve Walker, Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.