Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural World

Multilingualism and multiculturalism have been integral aspects of human civilization throughout history, yet they continue to present significant communicative challenges. Jacques Derrida likened the effort to understand others through translation to the reconstruction of the Tower of Babel, emphas...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Arifi Teuta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2024-12-01
Series:SEEU Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/seeur-2024-0017
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832570282934534144
author Arifi Teuta
author_facet Arifi Teuta
author_sort Arifi Teuta
collection DOAJ
description Multilingualism and multiculturalism have been integral aspects of human civilization throughout history, yet they continue to present significant communicative challenges. Jacques Derrida likened the effort to understand others through translation to the reconstruction of the Tower of Babel, emphasizing the difficulty of finding precise expressions across different languages and cultural contexts (Derrida, 1985). This paper argues that learning and studying diverse languages are essential not only for thriving in a multicultural world but also for fostering peace and mutual trust in an increasingly interconnected global society. The central thesis posits that global development trends and intercultural communication should be embraced as opportunities to promote multilingualism rather than as competitive barriers. Drawing on interculturalism theories by scholars such as Zapata-Barrero, Kymlicka, and Vertovec, this paper underscores the importance of creating a superdiverse world where multilingualism ensures cultural-linguistic inclusivity. The study further highlights the necessity of pragmatic approaches to integrate linguistic diversity into global and local policies, particularly in regions like Southeast Europe. By doing so, it seeks to position language studies as crucial to the era of globalization.
format Article
id doaj-art-092ec36d00f34c428b85278616a8c3c0
institution Kabale University
issn 1857-8462
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Sciendo
record_format Article
series SEEU Review
spelling doaj-art-092ec36d00f34c428b85278616a8c3c02025-02-02T15:49:09ZengSciendoSEEU Review1857-84622024-12-01192213210.2478/seeur-2024-0017Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural WorldArifi Teuta01Department of Albanian Language and Literature, Faculty of Philology, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University Skopje, North MacedoniaMultilingualism and multiculturalism have been integral aspects of human civilization throughout history, yet they continue to present significant communicative challenges. Jacques Derrida likened the effort to understand others through translation to the reconstruction of the Tower of Babel, emphasizing the difficulty of finding precise expressions across different languages and cultural contexts (Derrida, 1985). This paper argues that learning and studying diverse languages are essential not only for thriving in a multicultural world but also for fostering peace and mutual trust in an increasingly interconnected global society. The central thesis posits that global development trends and intercultural communication should be embraced as opportunities to promote multilingualism rather than as competitive barriers. Drawing on interculturalism theories by scholars such as Zapata-Barrero, Kymlicka, and Vertovec, this paper underscores the importance of creating a superdiverse world where multilingualism ensures cultural-linguistic inclusivity. The study further highlights the necessity of pragmatic approaches to integrate linguistic diversity into global and local policies, particularly in regions like Southeast Europe. By doing so, it seeks to position language studies as crucial to the era of globalization.https://doi.org/10.2478/seeur-2024-0017multilingualisminterculturalismglobalizationcommunicationlanguage studies
spellingShingle Arifi Teuta
Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural World
SEEU Review
multilingualism
interculturalism
globalization
communication
language studies
title Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural World
title_full Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural World
title_fullStr Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural World
title_full_unstemmed Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural World
title_short Challenges of Studying Languages and Cultures in the Multicultural World
title_sort challenges of studying languages and cultures in the multicultural world
topic multilingualism
interculturalism
globalization
communication
language studies
url https://doi.org/10.2478/seeur-2024-0017
work_keys_str_mv AT arifiteuta challengesofstudyinglanguagesandculturesinthemulticulturalworld