The first time I was introduced to Aristotle's principles of argumentation, I might have been a first or second-year university student. What stuck with me was the simplicity of the idea; the strength of an argument could be determined by how well it balanced just three elements—ethos, logos, and pathos. Ethos deals with the argument's credibility—how well it was supported by authoritative sources or the expertise of the person making the argument. Logos refers to the internal logic of the argument; essentially, the argument had to make sense. And pathos, sometimes the most potent of all, is the level of emotional appeal used in the argument. A debater could use these three elements to gain a persuasive edge in a debate. It wasn't until long after my undergraduate years that I learned of a fourth, though lesser-known, rhetorical principle—kairos.

Kairos in classical rhetoric has to do with the appropriate time for which an argument is most persuasive. Certain arguments work better when delivered at the right time. The "right time" is, of course, a subjective judgment; it is hard to say in advance when it might be, but when it arrives, you know it. You can feel it. The leader of the opposition party in Jamaica, Mark Golding, seems to be suggesting the kairos for language policy in Jamaica has arrived:

Campaign theatrics or serious commitment?

This wouldn't be the first time a Jamaican politician has mentioned that there is a need for a language policy in Jamaica that acknowledges the Jamaican language, Patwa, as an official language alongside English. The sitting Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, has gone on record to say that it is not a matter of "if," but "when" this will inevitably happen. However, it's hard to tell what is serious from what is campaign theatrics from these politician types.

For one, Golding's statement was made in the context of a political rally rather than, for example, a draft policy submission in parliament. He might simply be testing the waters with this idea, and with a general election looming in another year, wherever he can drum up support, all the better. It's also hard to tell whether the cheers from the audience members present indicate enthusiastic agreement with the idea or just euphoric outbursts from the electricity in the air. Golding's identity as a "true" Jamaican has also long been questioned, given his bi-racial status and the fact that he has British citizenship through his late father. What better way to lay the authenticity claims to rest than to be the politician who champions official language status for Patwa?

The other issue with declarations at political rallies is that, if and when a candidate is successful, they know they are only guaranteed one term of five years in office. Is language policy high enough on the agenda to be tabled, debated, and passed in the first few years of a political term? Is five years enough to implement a language policy and see the positive results that could be translated into campaign material for a follow-up term?

Language policy and academic endeavour

Almost any Caribbean linguist, especially any Jamaican one, who has been educated in the last twenty or so years would tell you that the time for language policy is overdue. I was surprised by the number of half-policies and start-and-stop discussions about language reform in the Caribbean that existed when I wrote a paper on Caribbean language policy last year. There is a graveyard packed with abandoned language policies and proposals from all over the Caribbean, and this represents countless hours spent by linguists who've devoted substantial energy to language reform in the region. Some have even passed away before seeing the fruit of their labour. As it relates to Jamaica, the Jamaican Language Unit (JLU) would produce the results of three language attitude surveys showing that a majority of the respondents (1000 Jamaicans each time) think official language status for the Jamaican language would be beneficial. But is this what Jamaicans really think?

Putting aside for a moment the fact that only 1000 Jamaicans were surveyed on three separate occasions, there was a clear opportunity for Jamaicans to proactively voice their opinions on language policy a few years ago. In 2019, a petition was started on the Office of the Prime Minister's website to "Make Jamaican an official language alongside English." The Prime Minister would address any petition that garners 15,000 signatures on the website. The outcome of that petition is below:

It failed to muster even a third of the goal. An apologist would say this method of collecting views from Jamaicans is not particularly effective; the timeframe for collection was too short, and the petition question might not have been clear enough. This could've been the other way around, and the petition would still not have met the goal. And it would be disingenuous to say the petition results don't matter since if the goal had fallen short by, say, 500 signatures, it would be held up as unequivocal proof that it was time for language reform. A better, albeit round-about, way to poll Jamaicans on this language issue would be to ask respondents to list ten priorities the government should focus on and see how many individuals put language in their top ten. Admittedly, a host of important matters would not make it into the top ten. But, isn't that the nature of prioritizing? Or do we count the votes of linguists as carrying more weight?

A skeptic would object, saying that linguists have nothing to lose with such an experimental policy but quite a bit to gain. The most vocal linguists on this issue, myself included, are already highly educated and proficient in English. Most of us, myself included, do not have children who would be in schools when Patwa is institutionalized as a language of instruction. And some of us, myself included, don't even live in Jamaica any more. I have maximal insulation from any adverse effects that would accompany this policy. But if the policy is a shining success, I can at least pat myself on the back as one of the vocal advocates and look forward to further publishing (and career advancement) on the matter. Mi gud aida wie ["I'm good either way"].

The right time for language policy

Is it the right time for the implementation of language policy in Jamaica? It will depend on who you ask. One thing is certain, though: this question would've been met with a resounding "no" ten years ago, and twenty years ago, it wouldn't even be a question worth asking. Maybe this is a sign of the times; we are living in the zeitgeist for language policy but not quite the kairos. Linguists have done the research and presented the case for a language policy. Politicians on either side of the political divide have voiced positive endorsements. Members of the public seem to be on board. So, is there a missing ingredient? Only time will tell.