Bianjie

[journey]

State Council announces a steady course towards the revitalisation of the Bianjie language
13 March 5701



GEMUN: Bianjie language has been the core of Bianjian history and culture for millennia, before fading into irrelevance after the nation was colonised and divided between different foreign powers, replacing the language of ancestors with Kunikata and Yingdalan. Today, the state of affairs of the Bianjie language is worrying a lot of experts, linguists and ordinary people, as NECO, the National Education and Cultural Organisation, published yet another report back in January 5700, on a process that could very well end up in the extinction of the language as a whole. The report prompted loud reaction from all across the political spectrum, with representatives from most, if not all, parliamentary forces calling for the government to intervene and keep the Bianjie language alive.

Previously, in 5656, there were similar attempts by the State Council to support the mother tongue of our nation, and it was quite successful, but only for a short period of time, as the government did not show much enthusiasm in keeping it alive and afloat for much longer beyond that support period, which triggered many negative reactions from the language activists, linguists and other cultural representatives. Now, with the report published by the NECO, the question rose yet again, with even more worrying numbers and the reality of the matter. The issue was core during the local elections held the same year, with a number of candidates, both incumbent and opposition, pledging to give the Bianjie language the support it needs, with some even holding a roundtable in Ersangi to discuss the actions the local government can take on its own, without the national funding and assistance. And indeed, the national government was quiet for a period of time, with the Ministry of Education giving unclear responses, until just recently.

During the New Year's Address to the Nation, Premier Niohon Dusan spoke about the culture, history and Bianjie language in particular. According to the Premier, those three require "our close supervision and attention", otherwise Bianjie might risk losing it, which many observers considered a harsh and overemotional statement. However, Dusan has announced that the State Council has declared the next three years, 5701–5703, the "Years of the Bianjie Language, History and Culture" respectively, with 5701 being the "Year of the Bianjie Language". As a part of the new government-led focus on the issue, the State Council has released a statement on the morning of 1 January, where it was additionally announced that the Bianjie language will now be used in the official documents, the road signs across the nation will be dubbed in the Bianjie language, and government websites will now provide a separate version in the Bianjie language, and other minor or major add-ons that will make the usage of the language more common among the citizens and the government, as an effort to promote it unforcefully.

According to the Ministry of Education and its head, Sain Birure, the State Council will bring back the reforms from over 45 years ago, and allocate up to a billion g'an over the next five years to various cultural and education institutions, which will focus on teaching the Bianjie language, creating content in it, studying historical documents, literature and other work in the language, to develop more information and normalise the current spoken and written Bianjie language. Furthermore, to help such research and help the language become more literary and standardised, the MoE will be creating the national language regulator, the Bianjian Academy or Bianjie Giltusihūwa, which will be the supreme linguistic body, tasked with ensuring the stability of the language, as well as dedicating itself to language planning by applying linguistic prescription aimed at promoting the unity within and between various territories, to ensure a common standard.

Going into the third month of the "Year of the Bianjie Language", proclaimed by the State Council, an overwhelming 72% of citizens say they would be interested in studying the Bianjie language if presented with comfortable courses, as well as 66% of parents would support the courses in the middle and high schools. "If we don't want to repeat our mistakes from the past, and actually keep the language alive, we as the government have to ensure that our actions not just keep it afloat for the next couple of decades, but also that it grows, becomes more commonly used by our citizens, youth especially, because that is the core of our culture going forward", said the education minister Sain Birure.



毎日急行 (Daily Express) is a major daily newspaper based in the city of Namušun, Khani Province