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Michael Ross, Professor Emeritus of English and Cultural Studies, McMaster University

How linguistic diversity in English-language fiction reveals resistance and tension

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel 'Purple Hibiscus' intersperses Igbo words and expressions. (Rolf Vennenbernd/Pool Photo via AP)

Linguistic diversity, like other types of diversity, can enrich life. It’s a truism that languages and cultures are closely allied. Some believe that language imposes its own unique perceptual grid on its users.

If this were true, translation would be virtually impossible. On the other hand, it’s generally accepted that a translation seldom reproduces the exact sense of the original text; nuances don’t travel well.

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