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A person who acquires English has access to all the things that that language makes possible.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o

So what I thought was just an African problem or issue is actually a global phenomenon about relationships of power between languages and cultures.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Culture Global Language Power Problem
And even in terms of justice, law codes, the legal system. A person who does not know English in Africa is excluded from that system because he can only operate through acts of translation.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Act Cide English Known Legal Operate Person System Trasnlotyion
The Bible in translation is being read to thousands and thousands in Africa. It is an integral part of their functioning and the way they look at the world.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Being Bible Ciuntrym Integral Function Look Read Thousand Translation Way World
If poverty was to be sold three cents today, i can’t buy it.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Buy Cent Poverty Sold Three Today
We think of politics in terms of power and who has the power. Politics is the end to which that power is put.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

End Politic Power Put Term Think
How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one that knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool? Where is the future of Africa?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Arrive Away Best Broken Future Known Leader Price
They want to be the ones telling people: “This is what we have done in history” but when people begin to say, “No this is what we have done in history” it’s a different thing.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Begin Different Done History One People Say Tell Thing
Another phenomenon developing in Kenya is ethnic cleansing – and that’s the thing that has made me very sad. Because some people will use the cover of the problems of rigged elections to do things that are unacceptable like ethnic cleansing and displacement of people. It’s completely unacceptable.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Another Phenomena Cleansing Country Cover People Sad Some Use Very
Life, struggle, even amidst pain and blood and poverty, seemed beautiful.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Amidst Beautiful Blood Life Pain Poverty Struggle
How could Europe lord it over a continent ten times its size? Why does needy Africa continue to let its wealth meet the needs of those outside its borders and then follow behind with hands outstretched for a loan of the very wealth it let go?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Birder Continent Country Hand Need Outside Outstretched Over Size Time Wealth
Many people do not know that Jesus did not speak Latin or English or Hebrew; he spoke Aramaic. But nobody knows that language.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Jesus Know Language Many People Speak
Seen as an economic, political, cultural, and psychological re-membering vision, it should continue to guide remembering practices
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Continue Cultural Economic Member Political Practice Psychological Seen
The same questions are there in Native American languages, they’re there in native Canadian languages, they’re there is some marginalized European languages, like say, Irish.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Culture Language Phenomenon Power Problem Relationship
For me, being in prison writing in an African language was a way of saying: “Even if you put me in prison, I will keep on writing in the language which made you put me in prison.”
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Being Country Even Keep Language Prison Put Say Write
Why did Africa let Europe cart away millions of Africa’s souls from the continent to the four corners of the wind?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Away Continent Corner Country Million Soul Wind
In terms of language, English is very dominant vis-Ã-vis African language. That in itself is a power relationship – between languages and communities – because the English language is a determinant of the ladder to achievement.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Dominant English Gradually Language Term

A person who acquires English has access to all the things that that language makes possible.

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A person who acquires English has access to all the things that that language makes possible.

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