University of the South Pacific academic Rajendra Prasad has urged the Government to connect with the people in a language they understand.
During a public lecture organised at USP recently, Mr Prasad said there was a perception that English was the language which everybody in Fiji understood.
“There is a perception that people would only be happy to contribute in the English language,” Mr Prasad said.
“I had a linguistics class in which we talked about the role of the indigenous language when we want to talk about important information, and how a simple translation would prevent the actual meaning from being passed on.
“I think, first and foremost, for the State in Fiji to start this truth and reconciliation process, there has to be a very vigorous attempt to connect with every person in a language he or she understands.
“Fiji, being a multiracial country, the task of translation of important terms, and actually coming up with a working title is something which is very important because that can either let a person be willing to participate or not.
“So moving on, Fiji has to be very careful about the language because it’s very much taken by the State all the time that English is the language which everybody will understand and everybody will be happy to contribute, but it’s not.”
He said if the Government wanted to reach people at the grassroots level, then it was necessary to pay attention to the language used.
