10/13/2026
Your child may one day need an interpreter to understand their own grandmother.
Imagine that.
Grandma has stories to tell, advice to give, and love to express.
But her grandchild cannot understand her—and you speak the language you never taught them.
That should make us pause.
In Liberia, we can be proud to say, “My child speaks good English.”
But can that child greet their grandparents in Kpelle, Bassa, Lorma, Kissi, Vai, or their own family’s language?
What are we passing on—and what are we allowing to end with us?
Inspired by John McWhorter’s TED talk, here are four reasons to learn our Liberian languages and teach them to our children:
1. To understand our culture and connect with our people.
A translation can explain the words, but some humor, warmth, and meaning may get lost along the way.
Think about a grandmother’s song, an elder’s proverb, or the story behind your Kpelle name.
Learning the language helps you join those moments.
Our children deserve to join the conversation, laugh at the joke, and hear their family’s stories for themselves.
2. To give our minds something new to learn.
Learning a language makes us practice listening, remembering, and expressing ourselves in new ways.
We encourage children to learn difficult school subjects.
Why assume they cannot learn English alongside Bassa, Kpelle, or another Liberian language?
Give them the opportunity. Be patient with their mistakes.
3. Because learning can bring joy into the home.
Language lessons do not always need a classroom.
Teach a greeting while getting dressed. Name foods while cooking. Sing a song together.
Ask an elder to explain a saying. Imagine the smile on Grandpa’s face when his grandchild greets him in his language for the first time.
That small moment can mean so much.
4. Because we have more ways to begin today.
A phone can hold a recorded story, a voice message, or a lesson you can replay.
Books, online lessons, and conversations with fluent speakers can help us learn.
Resources are still limited for many Liberian languages. That makes creating, sharing, and supporting them even more necessary.
If you do not speak your language, you can start learning alongside your child.
We cannot keep pushing our languages aside, then expect the next generation to protect them.
And we must reject anyone who uses our language differences to divide citizens for personal gain.
Our children should learn to love their heritage and respect their neighbors’ heritage too.
At The Liberian Language Institute, we work to keep these connections alive. But this work also needs a place in your home.
Start tonight: teach your child one greeting, learn five words together, or call an elder and ask for a lesson.
Contact LLI to begin learning—and share this post with a parent who needs to read it.
Let your child inherit your language while they can still hear it in your voice.
