English - The Real "National language"
Have you wondered, if India would have blossomed into this brilliant, diverse nation had the English never colonised us. Would the lands of the Cholas , Cheras, Chalukyas and the Kamarupas ever have imagined that one day they would be under the same flag as the Scindias, the Rajputs, the Marathas and Sikhs...
This is no admission of my continued feeling of subjugation, nor is it an attempt to glorify our one time rulers. Lets put emotional showmanship aside. cracking the aura of sentimentality and breaking the harsh readiness with which most people take to nationalist sentiments, let us for one moment imagine, if this nation would have ever crystalised into its present foem had the british not rules us.
If one tries to identify aspects in history that links all the states, with their unique cultural and linguistic identities, to each other, one can narrow it down to just 02 points.
a) They all had one religious link, i,e , they all practised some form of Sanathana Dharma, now called "hinduism" for all kinds of convenience...
b)They were all governed by the English Empire
Any discussion on the first topic will lose its way into the "dreary desert sand" of Secularism/Fundamentalism or whatever you may like to call it..
That leaves us with just one point... English culture
If India's beauty is its ability to absorb so many different cultures of its various invaders, i.e, (Turks, mongols, Afghans, Persians, greeks, Portugese ..) and visitors (Chnese scholars, monks, Missionaries of all reliogions, etc) why is so difficult to accept that "English" is as much a part of culture and tradition as anything else we practise...
To most people, Hindi, the present National language, is culturally and as a matter of exposure, more foreign than english..
So , is it right to call Hindi our national language?
YOu cannot apply the Majority rule in this... Simply because, communication is more basic to a society than even religion. So, if you want to follow, "A no national religion" ideology, it is more imperative to apply to the national language as well. So, the theory that "Hindi is the Majority language" is flawed both by logic and by emotion.
In a nation obsessed with frenzied political emotion, governments go about banning english and trying to force people to learn rocket sciences and probability theory in Hindi/ other languages.
Its not impossible, but isnt it impractical. Arent we resorting to the worst form of emotional showmanship.
The argument they give you is that, the languages are dying. For centuries, so many different cultures invaded these lands and left their mark. We absorbed everything without ever losing our identity. Now, in trying to force these cultures out, we may end up having none...
so speak your minds, (in any language you choose...)
This is no admission of my continued feeling of subjugation, nor is it an attempt to glorify our one time rulers. Lets put emotional showmanship aside. cracking the aura of sentimentality and breaking the harsh readiness with which most people take to nationalist sentiments, let us for one moment imagine, if this nation would have ever crystalised into its present foem had the british not rules us.
If one tries to identify aspects in history that links all the states, with their unique cultural and linguistic identities, to each other, one can narrow it down to just 02 points.
a) They all had one religious link, i,e , they all practised some form of Sanathana Dharma, now called "hinduism" for all kinds of convenience...
b)They were all governed by the English Empire
Any discussion on the first topic will lose its way into the "dreary desert sand" of Secularism/Fundamentalism or whatever you may like to call it..
That leaves us with just one point... English culture
If India's beauty is its ability to absorb so many different cultures of its various invaders, i.e, (Turks, mongols, Afghans, Persians, greeks, Portugese ..) and visitors (Chnese scholars, monks, Missionaries of all reliogions, etc) why is so difficult to accept that "English" is as much a part of culture and tradition as anything else we practise...
To most people, Hindi, the present National language, is culturally and as a matter of exposure, more foreign than english..
So , is it right to call Hindi our national language?
YOu cannot apply the Majority rule in this... Simply because, communication is more basic to a society than even religion. So, if you want to follow, "A no national religion" ideology, it is more imperative to apply to the national language as well. So, the theory that "Hindi is the Majority language" is flawed both by logic and by emotion.
In a nation obsessed with frenzied political emotion, governments go about banning english and trying to force people to learn rocket sciences and probability theory in Hindi/ other languages.
Its not impossible, but isnt it impractical. Arent we resorting to the worst form of emotional showmanship.
The argument they give you is that, the languages are dying. For centuries, so many different cultures invaded these lands and left their mark. We absorbed everything without ever losing our identity. Now, in trying to force these cultures out, we may end up having none...
so speak your minds, (in any language you choose...)
posted by Jaiku at 9:23 pm
4 Comments:
Oye ship chalaane wale bandhe...ippidiyum irrukilaam that there could be no national religion and no national language but to keep the souls bound we do need a thread and a good excuse. Sanskrit would have done fine; as most languages have pieced out from this one but then again Hindi being a part of hindustan was chosen as the national and english as the business language.
Would Tamizh been your numero uno choice btw???
Red
Just raise your head and look up, look at China. Spend an hour in Beijing, try getting directions in English, French, and Afrikaans, and try all languages you know... only one will work- putonghua.
All parameters that apply to India apply to China as well... large country, diverse population, ancient civilization so on and so forth.
Their language is alive and kicking. People read and write poetry and literature in their language. In Hong Kong and Singapore, mandarin classes are overflowing with whites, blacks desi's struggling to understand and appreciate the complex language. Kids, even in international schools are expected to learn the language, and they do it without a whimper.
In the US, kids are encouraged to take mandarin at school and after school for its prospect enhancing qualities…I could go on here
All this while, Hindi/regional ``vernacular'' types are scoffed at in our school and college corridors, class loads of fresh college grads with American pseudonyms sit mimicking American accents....
The Chinese language is rich, heritage- worthy, profitable and thriving because they made it... What did we do for our language before summarily writing it off as impractical?
Hello there! stumbled upon your(?) blog in sulekha, and traced you to this place, but the last posts seem to have been done in 2006!
I even sent you a mail, and am now not sure if you are in receipt of it.
Liked your tunes for a couple of Bharati songs; I think we have common interests to talk about. Do communicate back if you think so, too.
-Vijay.
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!
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