The word “barbarian” derives from the Greek language.
The Ancient Greeks used this word for the foreign language 
speaking population which did not speak in their native language.

Our Lord divided mankind into nations only by separating their languages. It is said, the language is the most important distinguishing feature of a nation, the pledge of its identity. That’s why for centuries a conquering country has not been satisfied by acquiring foreign lands until dominating over the language and script of the falling country. The humanity has reached to the peaks of modern armaments leaving far behind the era of spears; nevertheless the application of linguistic and educational pressure still remains “favourite” annexationist strategy.

For centuries Armenia has been invaded by countries of lower cultural development level. On one hand, this fact has contributed to the preservation of our national identity. On the other hand, this condition has developed a feeling of national inferiority, and one of the numerous ways of its manifestation is national vainglory or worship of foreign things. It distorts a nation’s ability of sober self-assessment.  

The independence of Armenia and the victory in Karabakh war were opportune moments for the national recovery. From the historical point of view, in a short period of time we managed to evict the Azeris who were continuously settling in our lands. We liberated our country Artsakh-Armenia and began setting grounds for our national statehood. One of the first laws of our independent country was the “Law on language” which was considered nationalistic by pro-Russian population and declarative by the indifferent people. Meanwhile, State Language Inspectorate, responsible for the adoption of the “Law on language”, was trying to implement its executive rights, the sub legislative acts and charters imposed both from inside and outside, weakened the law which was of huge strategic importance for our country. The status of the Language Inspectorate was also reviewed: formerly having been a structure of government, it was subordinated to the Ministry of Education and Science; whereas the “Law on language” should first of all establish supervision on the activities of the mentioned ministry.

This was followed by the consistent growth of Russian schools. Today, the vast majority of pupils studying in Russian classes are the Armenian children whose parents spared no efforts to put them in the Russian classes created for the foreigners. It caused the downfall in the quality of teaching of Russian language in the Armenian schools, which was inappropriate during the national awakening, especially when the higher education depended on often substantial and mainly physically exhausted Russian literature. However, no state structure is preoccupied by the translation and reformation of the lacking professional literature.

From the national awakening period we inherited also signboards with foreign writings that distorted the appearance of the capital city of all Armenians (as we like to call it). Our entrepreneurs explained the existence of such signs because of their commercial interests; it is but a flexible self-deception.

I would apply to the psychologist to know what change occurs in the human mind and spirit of an Armenian, when he/she sees their native city overflowed with foreign writings, but I clearly know the answer. The situation is even more reinforced by the appearing of those Armenian signs which are but the transcribed copies of the foreign language writings.

Let’s walk along the Tumanyan street in Yerevan. Here you will notice the Armenian signboards, such as “Tumanyan’s shaurma” and “Tumanyan’s pandok” which are places of suspicious purpose rather to fill stomach. It would be better to put these signboards with foreign letters and content.

And who should be ashamed of this situation; only those who are not able to prevent this disgrace.

The most important mission for our national unity can and should be carried out by the unification of spelling. It is clear that we are to overcome many obstacles and problems on the way, but the expected result is worthy of it. We must first of all realize that the spelling in the Soviet Union was just a barrier between us, Soviet Union Armenians and the Diaspora; all the other goals were invented. The grounds for unification of spelling should have been set still in the period of national awakening. It would have become a cornerstone of collective force for us. And still we are able and must solve this problem.

All these shortcomings caused a great retreat after the achievements of national awakening period and national recovery process forming our inner deformity.

 Now our language system is totally in a state of neglect. There are many linguistic questions which either do not have answers, or the answers are very spontaneous.

The existing linguistic problematic situation is one of the components of our country’s language policy, or generally our country’s policy.

Our worship for everything foreign is not compatible with our boasting. How much we like to mention that only we have had the god of education in our pantheon; that our language has been studied and praised by world’s great thinkers; that the Armenian language is the language of god. While first of all we must appreciate our language.  

Life shows that the educational programs, culture, everything in general is subjected to foreign worship, and the preservation of our national identity mainly depends on our language which surprising with its viability and amazing ability of self-purification will survive in Armenia and on the lips of all the Armenians living all over the world who have never been barbarians and really deserve to speak in their native divine language.

RAZMIK MARKOSYAN