English-East and West.

The western mind takes pride in its ability to think beyond defined structures. Innovative thinking in Language is possible only when we realize that Language is a tool for our convenience, therefore always subject to change. Shakespeare invented about 1700 words, or maybe more, by changing verbs into adjectives and bending grammar rules, taking full advantage of poetic license. Several other authors like JR.R.Tolkien’s invention ‘tween’ or James Joyce’s ‘quark’ to name a few, have also added to the variety in English Language.

The Orientals on the other hand tread cautiously around the English Language, never wanting to upset limits set by traditionalists and laboring hard to emulate rather than innovate. The Americans pronounce and spell differently from the English, the Australians brag on ‘how to speak Australian’, and the French and Germans use English without bothering too much about its rules.

Indeed within America different pronunciations exist-the New Yorkers sound very different from the Texans for example, yet neither one feels inferior to the other or expects the other to change. However the Indians readily mispronounce their own Hindi words to ingratiate themselves to the western reader-so Ram becomes Rama and Mahabharat become Mahabharata!

English Language and Class

The class divide in India is best reflected in the way our people speak English differently.

The larger section of India apes the supposedly ‘superior’ breed and tries hard to divest itself of their natural Indian accent.

English medium schools are the poor India’s ticket to wealth so it is no surprise that at present we are dealing with a crop of youth who are terribly bewildered about their cultural identity. They are expected to copy the west in their speech but still comply by all the ‘mariyada’ of the traditional Hindu culture. We cannot deny the importance of learning English but we can learn English without denying our ethnic identities. We need to raise global citizens who are not embarrassed by their ‘Indianess’, be it in speech, dress or family values.

English Language and the changing times

English is not the language of the purists as it is constantly evolving, assimilating and getting influenced by global changes. This is the reason that the English language has prevailed over all the other Languages. Each year several words from foreign tongues become part of the Oxford English Dictionary, indicating that flux is part of life. If the Language itself is so in tune with the high-speed change of our times then why are we stuck in the past? Why can’t we alter our mindsets about the way this universal Language is spoken, written and understood?

We cannot undermine the importance of English but we need to recognize that it no longer belongs exclusively to any country-it is a global asset. We need to own the Language and use it to our advantage without getting daunted by the western influence.

India is living in the dark ages when it comes to our skewed gender roles, archaic caste system and massive social divide, isn’t it time that we take a more avant-garde approach to Languages? We need to adapt to this change so that communication is not obstructed by conservative structures in language and pronunciation, otherwise Asian students will always live in the shadow of the west, agonizing over accents and pronunciation instead of voicing their opinions on issues of real worth. We are no longer slaves to any country; it is time we assert our freedom in our own voices and accents, and view the English language only as a means of communication, not an end in itself.