Namibian multilingualism and sustainable development

Abstract

This position paper provides a critical discussion on the significance of indigenous languages in development in Namibia. The importance of the relationship between language and society is unquestionable as language in general allows communication to take place in society. The premise of this line of reasoning is to argue that though multilingualism may provide a challenging linguistic scenario for a country like Namibia which has a fragmented population running across different ethnic groups, the role of native languages in economic and social development should not be ignored as native languages can perpetuate sustainable development. This paper used qualitative content analysis, employing a desktop examination of secondary sources that pertain to language and economic development. As a desktop study, the data was collected through critical reading and analysis of language and development literature.