DOCSLIB.ORG

Multilingualismin India

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Multilingualismin India Teaching Asia’s Giants: India Teaching Asia’s Giants: India Multilingualism in India By Jessica Chandras A sign at the border with Pakistan in the state of Punjab featuring the same message written in three different languages (Hindi/Urdu, Punjabi, and English) and four different scripts from the top down: Devanagari (Hindi), Punjabi, Roman (English), and Perso–Arabic (Urdu). Source: © Hemis/Alamy. ith a growing population of just over 1.3 billion people, India is an incredibly diverse country in many ways. This article will focus specifically on contemporary linguistic di- versity in India, first with an overview of India as a multilingual country just before and Wafter Independence in 1947 and then through a brief outline of impacts of multilingualism on busi- ness and schools, as well as digital, visual, and print media. India is home to many native languages, and it is also common that people speak and understand more than one language or dialect, which can entail the use of different scripts as well. India’s 2011 census documents that 121 languages are spoken as mother tongues, which is defined as the first lan- guage a person learns and uses.1 Of these languages, the Constitution of India recognizes twenty-two of them as official or “scheduled” languages. Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Constitution of India, titled the Eighth Schedule, recognizes the following languages as official languages of states of India: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.2 Six languages also hold the title of classical languages (Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu), which are determined to have a history of recorded use for more than 1,500 years and a rich body of literature. Furthermore, for a contemporary language to also be a classical language, it must be an original language and cannot be a variety, such as a dialect, stemming from another language. Just as there are many people who wish for their mother tongues to be recognized as official, scheduled languages, there are also efforts to add Indian languages to the list of classical languages. Once a language has the official status of a classical language, the Ministry of Education 38 Education About ASIA Volume 25, Number 3 Winter 2020 39 Teaching Asia’s Giants: India Teaching Asia’s Giants: India organizes international awards for scholars of those languages, sets up language studies centers, and grants funding to universities to promote the study of the language. Interestingly, the Constitution of India lists no national language for the country as a whole. Of the official, scheduled languages, Modern Standard Hindi—as an umbrella term for a family of languages—has the most mother tongue speakers, with around 528 million speakers, or 44 percent of India’s population, followed by Bengali with around 97 million speakers, or 8 percent of the popu- lation. Marathi has around 83 million speakers, or 7 percent of the population, and Telugu speakers number around 81 million, or almost 6 percent of the population. Speakers who list the remaining official languages as their mother tongues also number between 2 and 4 percent of the population, as recorded in the 2011 census. It is interesting to note that due to India’s large population, native speakers of these regional Indian languages often outnumber native speakers of other major world languages such as Korean—with 77.2 million native speakers—and Italian—with 67 million native speakers—as of 2020.3 Languages in India are categorized into language families based on their different linguistic or- igins, which often include different scripts as well. The main language families include Dravidian, Indo–Aryan, and Sino–Tibetan. Bodo is the Sino–Tibetan language spoken in northeastern Indian states with the most speakers (1.4 million). Languages considered to be mother tongues or regional languages in the south of India have grammatical structures and scripts with Dravidian roots, and languages used in the central and northern regions of India are part of the Indo–Aryan family of languages. Many central and northern Indian languages use scripts derived from the Nagari script. Contemporary variations of Hindi use the Devanagari script, and scripts used in Gujarati, Punjabi, and Marathi use Nagari-derived scripts or versions of Devanagari that include some differences in their alphabets. The 22 scheduled languages of the Republic of India Language Family Speakers Official Recognition in State(s) (in millions, 2011) Assamese Indo–Aryan, Eastern 15.3 Assam Bengali Indo–Aryan, Eastern 97.2 West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, and, Jharkhand Bodo Tibeto–Burman 1.48 Assam Dogri Indo–Aryan, Northwestern 2.6 Jammu and Kashmir Gujarati Indo–Aryan, Western 55.5 Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Gujarat Hindi Indo–Aryan 528 Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli Daman and Diu, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Kannada Dravidian 43.7 Karnataka Kashmiri Indo–Aryan, Dardic 6.8 Jammu and Kashmir Konkani Indo–Aryan, Southern 2.25 Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Goa Maithili Indo–Aryan, Eastern 13.6 Jharkhand Malayalam Dravidian 34.8 Kerala, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry Manipuri Tibeto–Burman 1.8 Manipur Marathi Indo–Aryan, Southern 83 Maharashtra Nepali Indo–Aryan, Northern 2.9 Sikkim and West Bengal Odia Indo–Aryan, Eastern 37.5 Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal Punjabi Indo–Aryan, Northwestern 33.1 Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and West Bengal Sanskrit Indo–Aryan 0.02 Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand Santali Austroasiatic 7.3 Jharkhand Sindhi Indo–Aryan, Northwestern 2.7 Sindhi is not official in yan states or union territories Tamil Dravidian 69 Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Telugu Dravidian 81.1 Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry Urdu Indo–Aryan, Central 50.7 Jammu and Kashmir, Telangana, Jharkhand, Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal The Eighth Schedule to the Indian Constitution contains a list of twenty-two scheduled languages. This table lists the twenty-two scheduled languages of the Republic of India set out in the Eighth Schedule as of May 2008, together with the regions where they are widely spoken and used as the state’s official language. However, states are not mandated to choose their official languages from the scheduled languages. Sindhi is not official in any states or union territories even through it is official in the Eighth Schedule.Source: Wikimedia Commons at https://tinyurl.com/y2cb8wrt. 38 Education About ASIA Volume 25, Number 3 Winter 2020 39 Teaching Asia’s Giants: India Teaching Asia’s Giants: India States and Territories of India States 1. Andhra Pradesh 2. Arunachal Pradesh 3. Assam 4. Bihar 5. Chhattisgarh 6. Goa 7. Gujarat 8. Haryana 9. Himachal Pradesh 10. Jammu and Kashmir (Now a union territory. See note in caption.) 11. Jharkhand 12. Karnataka 13. Kerala 14. Madhya Pradesh 15. Maharashtra 16. Manipur 17. Meghalaya 18. Mizoram 19. Nagaland 20. Orissa 21. Punjab 22. Rajasthan 23. Sikkim 24. Tamil Nadu 25. Tripura 26. Uttar Pradesh 27. Uttarakhand 28. West Bengal 29. Telangana Union territories A. Andaman and Nicobar Islands B. Chandigarh C. Dadra and Nagar Haveli D. Daman and Diu E. Lakshadweep F. Delhi (National Capital Territory) G. Puducherry India consists of twenty-eight states and eight union territories. All states, and the two union territories of Puducherry and Delhi (National Capital Territory), have elected legislatures and govern- ments patterned on the Westminster model (three arms of government: the executive, the legislature, and an independent judiciary). The other five union territories are directly ruled by the central government through appointed administrators. In 1956, under the States Reorganization Act, states were formed on a linguistic basis. Note: Jammu and Kashmir became a union territory in 2019. The map was made before this year when Jammu and Kashmir was an Indian state. Source: Wikimedia Commons at https://tinyurl.com/yyv7be5j. Similarly, Modern Standard Hindi and Urdu are grammatically identical, though they often differ in some vocabulary and their use of scripts, as Urdu uses a modified form of the Perso–Arabic script. As Hindi and Urdu are often considered to be one language with two scripts, a common belief is that the distinction among speaking and writing Hindi and Urdu falls along a religious divide be- tween Hindus and Muslims, where Hindus are listed as Hindi speakers and Muslims as Urdu speak- ers in government documents such as the census.4 However, in practice, the distinction between Hindi and Urdu speakers is much more fluid and complex, as linguistic boundaries rely more on geographic location and speech community. Another aspect of India’s multilingualism is that each mother tongue, or regional language, roughly belongs to one or more states. India’s twenty-eight states have been largely organized along linguistic lines since the 1950s, just after Independence, with the formation of the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh in 1953 for Telugu speakers. Andhra Pradesh was created after prolonged pro- tests and strikes by Telugu speakers, which included the prominent activist Potti Sreeramulu fasting for the creation of a Telugu state until his death in 1952.5 A new state was finally created in 1953 by dividing the Tamil- and Telugu-speaking regions in what, under the British, was called the Madras 40 Education About ASIA Volume 25, Number 3 Winter 2020 41 Teaching Asia’s Giants: India Teaching Asia’s Giants: India Indian state names in the script of each state’s regional language (Note: the map’s creator is Japanese hence the Kanji in the top right). Source: New World Encyclopedia at https://tinyurl.com/y5jtgaoy.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Curriculum Vitae
    CURRICULUM VITAE Name: Dr. G.L.V.PRASADA RAO Permanent Address Syama sundara puram(Vil), Seetha puram(Po), Tekkali(Md), Srikakulam(Dist), Andhra Pradesh(State). Pin-532201. For Communication Mobile: 78936 41736 [email protected] Educational Qualification MJMC, MA (Ed.), PGD-EL, PGD-SEIP, PGD-ES. Technical Qualification PGDCA, Type Writing Lower(English) Other Academic Qualification Qualified UGC NET in June, 2012. Cleared AP SET-2014. Research Experience PhD Awarded by Andhra University (Visakhapatnam) in the area of Journalism and Mass communication in April, 2012. Media Experience Nearly One decade Worked as a Journalist in Telugu Daily News papers Eenadu and Visalandhra. Seven years above in reporting field. Two years in desk as a News- Coordinator. Teaching Experience Worked as a Visiting Fellow under the UGC Scheme in Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University at Hyderabad and taught to MCJ Students for the academic Year of 2008-09. Worked as an Academic Consultant and taught to MA (JMC) in Krishna University at Machilipatnam for the academic year of 2009-10. Worked as a Lecturer in SVVP VMC PG College, MVP, Visakhapatnam and taught to MJMC for the academic year of 2014-16. Worked as a Guest faculty in the Dept. of Journalism and Mass communication in Andhra University and taught to Diploma courses for the academic year of 2015-16. Presently working as an Asst. Professor on contract basis in Dept. of Journalism and Mass communication, Dr BRAU-SKL from 18th, June 2016. Other Academic Experience Worked as a PR consultant in Ed.CET – 2012 & 2013 offices, Conducted by Andhra Pradesh Higher Education Council collaborate with Andhra University.
    [Show full text]
  • Sociolinguistics of English in India
    G.J.I.S.S.,Vol.3(4):128-135 (July-August, 2014) ISSN: 2319-8834 SOCIOLINGUISTICS OF ENGLISH IN INDIA Shaivya Singh1 & Rajesh Kumar2 1 Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Patna, Bihar, India 2 Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract The Present study attempts to discuss the Sociolinguistics of English in India. The rising status and the rapid spread of English is a matter of discussion in the field of applied linguistics. The language we speak defines and determines one’s place and identity in the world. It is not just a set of sound words or sentences. Many different regional varieties of English or ‘Englishes’ exist around the globe and are slowly but steadily gaining recognition. Indian English is one such variety. English spoken in India is deeply linked with the society, culture and the people. The function of English in India is different from that it performs in the native context. The defining factors such as the cultural plurality and presence of different languages have given India a distinct place in the multilingual context. The growth of English in India can be directly correlated with the growth of imperial rule in India. English language has been and continues to be a dividing force in the society. Keywords: Spread, Globalization, Varieties, Indian English, Indianization. 1. Introduction English happens to be the most widely used language around the world. The spread of English over the past four hundred years has led to the emergence of transplanted varieties of English in variegated socio-cultural and linguistic contexts.
    [Show full text]
  • Minority Languages in India
    Thomas Benedikter Minority Languages in India An appraisal of the linguistic rights of minorities in India ---------------------------- EURASIA-Net Europe-South Asia Exchange on Supranational (Regional) Policies and Instruments for the Promotion of Human Rights and the Management of Minority Issues 2 Linguistic minorities in India An appraisal of the linguistic rights of minorities in India Bozen/Bolzano, March 2013 This study was originally written for the European Academy of Bolzano/Bozen (EURAC), Institute for Minority Rights, in the frame of the project Europe-South Asia Exchange on Supranational (Regional) Policies and Instruments for the Promotion of Human Rights and the Management of Minority Issues (EURASIA-Net). The publication is based on extensive research in eight Indian States, with the support of the European Academy of Bozen/Bolzano and the Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, Kolkata. EURASIA-Net Partners Accademia Europea Bolzano/Europäische Akademie Bozen (EURAC) – Bolzano/Bozen (Italy) Brunel University – West London (UK) Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität – Frankfurt am Main (Germany) Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (India) South Asian Forum for Human Rights (Nepal) Democratic Commission of Human Development (Pakistan), and University of Dhaka (Bangladesh) Edited by © Thomas Benedikter 2013 Rights and permissions Copying and/or transmitting parts of this work without prior permission, may be a violation of applicable law. The publishers encourage dissemination of this publication and would be happy to grant permission.
    [Show full text]
  • Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh: Factors and Consequences
    Pramana Research Journal ISSN NO: 2249-2976 Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh: Factors and Consequences Dr. Hanumanthu Lakshmana Rao, Department of Social Work, Andhra University, Introduction On October 1, 1953 Andhra State formed with Kurnool as its Capital, which was carved out from Madras presidency. The first linguistic based state in India is Andhra with the efforts of Potti Sreeramulu and it comprises of the Coastal and the Rayalaseema region. In 1956, by Gentlemen’s agreement the Telangana region (for a long time part of the erstwhile Nizam’s princely state of Hyderabad) merged into Andhra State and formed into Andhra Pradesh State. After 57 years of Andhra Pradesh State formation the Telangana State again separated from Andhra Pradesh and formed as 29th State of India on 2nd June 2014. This paper basically explains about Causes or factors lead towards bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Problems faced by residuary Andhra Pradesh after post - bifurcation. First, we discuss about causes or factors lead to formation of Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The Factors and causes behind Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh The first wave of Telangana movement had started in 1969 but it was suppressed by Indira Gandhi Government with soft and hard policy. In Andhra region, counter agitation movement started, which is called as ‘Jai Andhra Movement’ (creation for Andhra state) due to negligence of the Andhra region and it was also suppressed. In the following paragraphs, we discuss about factors and causes leading to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The prime factor of Telangana Movement was started due to difference between Andhra (Seemandhra) and Telangana regions.
    [Show full text]
  • AP Lacks Good SSI Policy
    Industrial Vi e w First and only platform forMSMEs VOLUME 01 ISSUE 09 HYDERABAD FEBRUARY 2014 PAGES 60 Rs. 100 Technology in Banking The Next Frontier AP lacks good SSI policy UTURE FUEL Banking sector to succour wilting SMEs UPA AP transforming into a mecca of business (L to R) Shankarachary, Cherlapally, ILA executive member and FSME-AP advisor, G Prasad Kumar, minis - ter for HTLTSSI, APK Reddy, President,FSME-AP and editor, Industrial View, N Kiran Kumar Reddy, CM, AP, Sudheer Reddy, Secretary, ILA, Cherlapally and M V Rajeshwar Rao, CEO, CREDAI at the launch of the magazine at CM’s chamber Launch of Industrial View APK Reddy, President, Federation of hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy launched Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Industrial View on 22 June, 2013. The CM (FSME- AP), submitting a Chanded over the first copy of the inaugural memorandum to BJP national issue to MSME minister G Prasad Kumar. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister general secretar, M Muralidhara said, “A magazine for the MSME sector is a wel - Rao on the occasion of latter’s come development and the need of the hour.” interactive session with the members M V Rajeshwara Rao, Former Secretary General FAPCCI and advisor to FSME-AP, Sudeer Reddy, Sec - of FSME- AP in Hyderabad. retary, Cherlapally Industrial Local Authority, Sankarachary, Cherlapally, ILA executive member and FSME-AP advisor were also present on the oc - casion. rajamyndar reddy Contents SMEs in the Globalisation Era 6 Panjab Simplifies SME Functioning 30 THOUGHT PROVOKING 34 The jurisdiction of court cases pertaining to the items published in Industrial View will only be Hyderabad (the place of its publication).
    [Show full text]
  • College MR Rajesh Na NIZAM's Institute of Medical Sciences Potti
    June Name of the Institute Vartical Employees Student strength Contacted P Citi Group Of Institutions College College MR Rajesh Na Garden City College College Mr James Jawaharlal Nehru NationCollege Dr R Srinivasa Kakatiya University College Prof K Sayulu Jyoti Nivas College College autonomous Dr. Sr. Elizabet Palamuru Univeristy College Prof. V. Gopal St.Peters Engineering College College T.V.Reddy Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidya College Prof. Harekris Rajiv Gandhi Institute M of Technology Jayaprasad College 2000 Angappa College of Arts College Mr.Manoj.M St.Paul's College of Art College Dr G jayamala Navarasam Arts & SciencCollege Private Self Finance 3200 Dr.Renuga Dev Sri Jeyandra Saraswathi College Private Self Finance 1600 Mr.Saravana K Sasurie College Of Arts College Private Self Finance 800 Dr.Sundaramoo Sri Vasavi College College 2000 Ms.Keerthika. A.G Arts & Science College Private Self Finance 2000 Mr.Muthu Kum Sri Rajalakshmi College oCollege Private Self Financed 3000 Dr.G.Gnanase NIZAM’S Institute of Medical Sciences Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University Rayalaseema University Satavahana University Sri Krishnadevaraya University Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning Dr Naren Ramj Wiztoonz College Of Media & Design Neon IT Training and Mr. Richard Certification 2500 Rabbi Page 1 June Dr Nagesh Srinmit Jagadguru 2000 Prabhu Mallikarjuna Murugharajendra Institute of Dr S B Technology 2000 Shivakumar school Page 2 June DesignationAddress City State Pin Code Cell No. Main Gate, Director No. 27/2, 3Jayanagar Bangalore Karnataka 560082 HOD 16th KM, Old Madras Road, Bangalore Karnataka 560049 9243750068 Principal Pb No-128Navule, Shimoga Karnataka 577204 9980005535 Registrar Principal & Ps HosurMaisammagu Road, Bangalore Karnataka 560095 Vice ChancelloAyyapada Opp.
    [Show full text]
  • English Language Education in India: How Aspirations for Social Mobility Shape Pedagogy
    ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846 English Language Education in India: How Aspirations for Social Mobility Shape Pedagogy EPW ENGAGE While English is not the official language of India, it has become the language of the ruling elite. Fluency in English is extremely sought after and brings with it the potential for social mobility to the underprivileged sections of society. But is an English-medium education the solution? The United Nations celebrates English Language Day on 23 April, the date traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare. Celebrating “language days” for each of its six official languages, the organisation’s stated purpose in doing so is to “celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity.” In the Indian context, the English language had been recognised for official purposes in the Constitution for a period of 15 years and continues to enjoy such recognition under the Official Languages Act, 1963. While the “national language” issue was contentious during the Constituent Assembly debates and continues to remain unsettled even today, the use of English remains prevalent, not just for official purposes but also in education and public discourse. An estimated 10% of India’s population can speak the language. But in a country with 22 scheduled languages (those that are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution) and 99 other non-scheduled languages (as per the 2011 Census), what role does English play? Why is English becoming increasingly sought after as a medium of instruction? And what impact does the English medium have on education in the country? This reading list explores the contours of multilingualism in India in the context of English ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846 language education.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise and Growth of English Language in India and It's Perceived Relation Vis-À-Vis the Sense of Identity Among Young Adults
    ================================================================== Language in India www.languageinindia.comISSN 1930-2940 Vol. 17:6 June 2017 UGC Approved List of Journals Serial Number 49042 ================================================================ The Rise and Growth of English Language in India and It's Perceived Relation vis-à-vis the Sense of Identity among Young Adults Pooja Singal, M.A., M.Ed. ==================================================================== Abstract In a multilingual country like India, there exists a hierarchy among languages. While major Indian languages compete with each other for the position of power, leaving the minority and tribal languages far behind, at the top of this ladder is English, which has been variously described by educationists and politicians as an ‘imposition’ of the colonial rule, a ‘gift’ or the last ‘legacy’ of the imperial power. In the present context of the country, there is an increasing demand for English education, evident from the growth of small scale Private English Medium schools everywhere in India. On the other hand, all policy documents related to education stress the importance of Indigenous languages as the media of Instruction at least in primary classes. What, then, justifies the continued overwhelming presence of English in our context? This Paper attempts to outline the process of rise and growth of English language in the pre-independence India till the present time. The paper would also attempt to understand the perspective of young adults with respect to English vis-à-vis their sense of social identity through a study conducted with young adults engaged in different professions. Key Words: English, Multilingual Society, Education, Identity, Media of Instruction Introduction Language is not just a medium of communication, it is the medium that helps us to construct our everyday world, grasp the social reality, and acts as a representational tool to our innermost feelings, desires, fears and expectations.iThere is a close connection between Language and cognitive development.
    [Show full text]
  • Regional Imbalance in the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh with Special Reference to Telengana
    REGIONAL IMBALANCE IN THE INDIAN STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO TELENGANA A Dissertation submitted to the Tilak Maharashtra University Towards the Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN POLITICAL SCIENCE Submitted by: Supervised by: Robinson. Undrasi (Rg. No: 2207012987) Dr. Manik Sonawane Principal, (SDA) Head, Dept.of Political science, Mumbai Central. T.M.V. Sadashiv Peth, Pune DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE TILAK MAHARASHTRA UNIVERSITY SADASHIV PETH, PUNE 411031 JANUARY 2013 DECLARATION BY THE CANDIDATE I, Robinson Undrasi declare on oath that the references and literature which are quoted in my dissertation entitle “Regional imbalance in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh with special reference to Telangana” are from original sources and are acknowledged at the appropriate place in the dissertation. I declare further that I have not used this information for any purpose other than my research. Place : Mumbai Date : January, 2013 (Robinson Undrasi) Dr. Manik D. Sonawane Post-Graduate Dept. of Political M.A., M.Phil, Ph.d. Science and Public Administration, Head of the Department Tilak Maharashtra Vidya Peeth Sadashiv Peth, Pune. 411030 Ph. 020-24454866 ==================================================== CERTIFICATE BY GUIDE This is Certified that the work incorporated in his ‘M.Phil’ dissertation “Regional imbalance in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh with special reference to Telangana” submitted by Robinson Undrasi was carried out under my supervision. Such material as obtained from other sources has been duly acknowledged in the dissertation. Date: / / Dr. Manik D. Sonawane ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I express my sincere gratitude to my guide Dr. Manik Sonawane, Head of Department of Political Science Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeth for his valuable guidance, critical comments, encourage and constent inspiration throughout this course of investigation.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter One: Social, Cultural and Linguistic Landscape of India
    Chapter one: Social, Cultural and Linguistic Landscape of India 1.1 Introduction: India also known as Bharat is the seventh largest country covering a land area of 32, 87,263 sq.km. It stretches 3,214 km. from North to South between the extreme latitudes and 2,933 km from East to West between the extreme longitudes. On this 2.4 % of earth‟s surface, lives 16% of world‟s population. With a population of 1,028,737,436 variations is there at every step of life. India is a land of bewildering diversity. India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the Figure 1.1: India in World Population south, the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east. Many outsiders explored India via these routes. The whole of India is divided into twenty eight states and seven union territories. Each state has its own cultural and linguistic peculiarities and diversities. This diversity can be seen in every aspect of Indian life. Whether it is culture, language, script, religion, food, clothing etc. makes ones identity multi-dimensional. Ones identity lies in his language, his culture, caste, state, village etc. So one can say India is a multi-centered nation. Indian multilingualism is unique in itself. It has been rightly said, “Each part of India is a kind of replica of the bigger cultural space called India.” (Singh U. N, 2009). Also multilingualism in India is not considered a barrier but a boon. 17 Chapter One: Social, Cultural and Linguistic Landscape of India Languages act as bridges because it enables us to know about others.
    [Show full text]
  • American Institute of Indian Studies
    A M E R I C A N I NSTITUTE OF I N D I A N S T U D I E S A F F I L I A T E S P O N S O R F ORM To the Applicant: Please type. Fill in all information requested and return with your application. Applicant’s Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Project Title: ___________________________________________________________________ Affiliation with an Indian institution is required by the Government of India as a condition of issuing a project approval. ALL fellows MUST be affiliated with an Indian institution; affiliation with a degree- granting institution is required of Junior Fellows. AIIS will arrange the affiliation for all fellows. Applicants are asked to indicate their preference of institutions with which they would like to be affiliated. Attached is a list of institutions with which AIIS has made special arrangements to affiliate our fellows at no charge to the fellow. You may choose affiliation with any other institution you wish. However, some institutions charge high affiliation fees, although others, such as museums, libraries, and research institutions, may charge no fee at all. If the institution with which you wish affiliation is not among those on the list, and if it levies an affiliation fee, you will be responsible for paying it. Applicants are encouraged to include at least one of the listed institutions among their choices. Applicants should also choose affiliating institutions located in or near their main site of research. Please note that affiliation with one institution does not restrict your access to facilities elsewhere or your collaboration with scholars at other institutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Language and Language-In-Education Planning in Multilingual India: a Minoritized Language Perspective
    Lang Policy (2017) 16:135–164 DOI 10.1007/s10993-015-9397-4 ORIGINAL PAPER Language and language-in-education planning in multilingual India: a minoritized language perspective Cynthia Groff1 Received: 10 March 2015 / Accepted: 14 December 2015 / Published online: 10 March 2016 Ó The Author(s) 2016. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract This article explores India’s linguistic diversity from a language policy perspective, emphasizing policies relevant to linguistic minorities. The Kumaun region of Utterakhand provides a local, minority-language perspective on national- level language planning. A look at the complexity of counting India’s languages reveals language planning implicit in the Indian census. The more explicit status planning involved in the naming of official languages is explored in the Indian Constitution. An overview of India’s language-in-education policies for languages to be taught and languages to be used as media of instruction further illustrates status and acquisitions planning affecting India’s linguistic minorities. The Indian example informs and stretches the language planning frameworks used to analyze it, adding status-planning goals of legitimization, minimization, and protection. Finally, the question of what actually happens in education for linguistic minorities opens up a conversation about the pluralistic language practices common in mul- tilingual contexts beyond the implementation of official language and education policies. Keywords Language policy and planning Á Linguistic minorities Á Medium of instruction Á Minority education Á Indian census Á Indian Constitution Á Legitimate language Introduction: Languages and linguistic minorities in India Known to be a diverse country of multiple cultures and multiple languages, India has faced the challenge of dealing with this resource called diversity.
    [Show full text]