As a mother who speaks English, French, and German—and who was born in a country with over 250 distinct dialects—I often find myself wondering:
Am I helping or confusing my children by trying to raise them multilingually?
Cameroon, my country of origin, is often called “Africa in miniature,” not only because of its diverse geography but because of its astonishing linguistic variety. From Ewondo to Fulfulde, Bassa to Kom, Tali to Manyemen—each dialect is a window into an entire culture. And yet, many of these languages are slowly disappearing.
Interestingly, I’ve noticed something similar in my medical practice: patients who feel caught between languages and identities, unsure of what to pass on—and what to let go.
In a recent conversation, my father challenged my thinking. “Maybe it would be better,” he said, “if we just abolished some of these languages. It would make things simpler—less division.” Then he reminded me of the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, where humanity, once united by one language, was scattered and divided when God introduced many tongues. His point: multiple languages caused confusion and separation.
It gave me pause. I’ve always believed that our linguistic richness is something to protect—but is there truth to the idea that too many languages divide more than they unite?
So I ask myself:
Should we mourn the fading of these unique dialects and languages—or is their loss the cost of building a more unified future?
Are we preserving heritage, or prolonging fragmentation?
Here are my current thoughts on the matter:
While it’s understandable that the presence of many dialects/languages can seem like a barrier to unity, the belief that letting them die out would somehow benefit future generations is not only flawed—it’s deeply dangerous.
1. Language is identity
Dialects/languages are not just alternate ways of speaking—they are carriers of history, humor, worldview, values, and ancestral memory. When a dialect dies, an entire way of interpreting the world vanishes with it. And when children grow up speaking only a standardized language, disconnected from their linguistic roots, they lose a piece of themselves. That doesn’t create unity—it creates a cultural void.
2. Diversity is not division
Linguistic diversity is often blamed for fragmentation, but the real culprits are poor governance, inequality, and a lack of shared purpose. Countries like Switzerland, India, and South Africa haven’t just survived their multilingual realities—they’ve thrived because of them. Suppressing dialects in the name of unity is a form of cultural flattening that breeds resentment and strips society of its richness.
3. Multilingualism builds stronger minds
Research consistently shows that bilingual and multilingual children—including those who speak dialects at home—often outperform their monolingual peers in areas like problem-solving, creativity, adaptability, and empathy. Far from being a disadvantage, growing up with multiple languages builds mental agility and expands emotional intelligence.
4. Local language, global relevance
In an increasingly globalized world, uniqueness is currency. Dialects/languages are cultural assets that power tourism, music, storytelling, education, and even business. Embracing them helps develop individuals who are rooted in identity yet equipped to thrive globally.
In short, dialects/languages are not the problem—they are part of the solution. Our task is not to silence them, but to teach our children to carry their heritage with pride, while also building bridges across languages and communities.
Because true unity doesn’t come from sameness—it comes from respect and understanding.
As a parent, I still wrestle with the question: am I burdening my children or gifting them something timeless? But I know this—when they speak even a few words of a heritage language, something sacred stirs. They’re not just learning to speak to the world, but from somewhere.
So I ask you:
What languages—spoken or unspoken—are you passing on?
And what parts of your story are you willing to let fade, or determined to keep alive?