International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue 04 February 2018 Multilingualism in India Rumica Afzal & Shaista Afzal 1Department of English, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal Srinagar-190006, J & K, India 2Department of Political Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-144402, Punjab, India Abstract Key words: Multilingualism, Heterogeneity, Linguistic, Indian language. Multilingualism is a gift to India. Multilingualism means using several Introduction different languages. A multi-lingual person The term multilingualism which is the center can speak two or more than two languages of attention of this paper is derived from two very well. In terms of heterogeneity, Latin words namely “multi” that means multilingualism can be explained properly many and “lingua” that means language. .Five language families in India marked its Thus multilingualism is referred to as the linguistic heterogeneity. The multilingualism capability of a speaker to articulate himself in India is multidimensional and intricate. or herself in numerous languages with equal There are many changes in every single and native like proficiency language on the basis of caste, religion, (Bussmann,1996). However, it has been gender, occupation, age etc. An individual comprehended in both the written and verbal may use different style of language at communicative practices that proficiency in different places .It is present in the life of all one language frequently tends to dominate citizens. Indian multilingualism became in a multilingual set up as compared to the unique because of its dynamic relationship others. Multilingualism can also be regarded of its language. The present work is an as the co-existence of a number of languages attempt to find out the nature of within a society (Lyons,1981). These multilingualism in India. It also aims to look languages can be official or unofficial, into the different aspects of Indian native or foreign and national or multilingualism arising due to the high international. diversity of Indian societies. There is an old saying, “A man who knows two languages is equivalent to two men”. Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 484 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue 04 February 2018 This is because a person who can speak Heterogeneity on account of language, many languages can articulate with people which supposes importance for the present from those language backgrounds easily and study, becomes obvious from the census hence have a wider social life and easily fit report. Census of 1961 reported 1652 in a new place. Therefore, multilingualism mother tongues of various language groups. suggests a lot of autonomy to an individual, Five language families in India describes and is a benefit in terms of acceptance into a linguistic heterogeneity. different language culture. If an immigrant Every society has linguistic diversity .This is can articulate the language of the natives, he not the end of diversities present in India. or she is considered a member of the native There are many other diversities like community, although tentatively. This diversity of food habits, dressing ,religion acceptance offers a sense of security to the and region etc. because of all these diversity individual and hence becomes very ,India is multilingual. The multilingualism important for his / her wellbeing. In reality, of India is multidimensional and intricate. It the world itself has now entered a phase of is present in all citizens. It became unique globalization where the phenomenon of because of its dynamic relationship of Indian bilingualism / multilingualism has become language. Inspite of its linguistic diversity, an additional value. Globalization has communication is conducted easily improved the value of multilingualism. (Saba, 2013). Heterogeneity is the best term to explain Indian multilingualism. Multilingualism in India Multilingualism in India is a creation of its The Indian society has different social history and a manifestation of its diverse groups which are of varying shape and size, cultures. India is said to be a socio-linguistic and perform different functions. This giant and the nerve system of this giant is heterogeneity makes Indian society unique multilingual. According to Li Wei (Wei, in itself. It can be seen at various levels such 2000), “Language is a human faculty: it as geography, religion, caste (there are as coevolves with us” and monolingualism, many as 6000 castes in India), ethnicity, which even in normal circumstances is a culture, languages, scripts, etc. rare phenomenon, is beyond imagination in Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 485 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue 04 February 2018 a context such as India where English has most Indians still live in rural areas and in coexisted with indigenous languages over a small towns with different linguistic, long period. In fact, the magnitude of religious and cultural practices. (Saraf, multilingualism in India has made scholars 2014) The Indian constitution recognizes wonder about how communication happens twenty two official languages. Hindi and and how social cohesion is maintained English are used by the Union Government (Annamalai, 2001). “Indian multilingualism of India for official purposes. Tamil and is huge in size, having 1620 mother tongues Sanskrit were designated "classical reduced to 200 languages…. With the languages" by the Indian government in population of many of minorities larger than 2004 and 2005. The number of dialects in European countries”(Annamalai, 2001) India is as high as 1,652. India does not have Since time immemorial, India has been a a mother tongue, it has mother tongues. multilingual country. Through more than Does India have a national language? four millennia of known history, the Presumably, it does, and it is Hindi. How it linguistic families which co-existed together came to become a national language is have continuously interacted with each other described by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar who was and achieved a pan Indian character which is the Chairman of the Drafting Committee unique in itself, firstly, in the matter of when the Draft Constitution of India was sentence structure and, secondly, in the being considered, on the issue of adopting number of shared items of vocabulary Hindi as the National language: "...There (Prasad, 1979) norm. India houses about 1.1 was no article which proved more billion people with a population growth rate controversial than Article 115 which deals of 1.6 per cent a year. As per Census 2001, with the question. No article produced more India is administratively organized into 35 opposition. No article more heat. After a entities, each as big as many independent prolonged discussion when the question was nations. There are 28 States and seven put, the vote was 78 against 78. The tie Union Territories, broadly set up on the could not be resolved. After a long time linguistic principle. Currently, India has 51 when the question was put to the party Cities, 384 Urban Agglomerates and 5161 meeting the result was 77 against 78 for Towns (2843 in 1951) in India. However, Hindi. Hindi won its place as a national Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 486 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue 04 February 2018 language by one vote. I am stating these names at different stages. They are better facts from my personal knowledge. ..." known as the Scheduled languages now”.. (Ambedkar,1989) By 1960s, 87.13 per cent of Indians spoke As of today, the Indian constitution languages previously included in the8th identifies 22 major languages of India in Schedule of the Indian Constitution. India what is known as “the 8th Schedule” of the today has 92.07 per cent schools at the Constitution. They also occur to be the primary stage teaching through mother major literary languages in India, with a tongue, and the rural and urban comparison substantial volume of writing in them. They shows 92.39 per cent schools in rural areas include, besides Sanskrit, the following 21 and 90.39 per cent school in urban areas modern Indian languages: Assamese, teach through mother tongue. At the Upper Bangla, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Primary stage 91.34 per cent teach through Kashmiri, Kannada, Konkani, Maithili, mother tongue which consists of 92.71 per Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, cent in rural areas and 87.37 per cent in Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Santali, urban areas. 12.14% at the primary stage, Sindhi, and Urdu. Originally, only 14 14.47% schools at upper primary and languages were included in the 8th Schedule 18.53% at the secondary stage have two or of the Indian constitution. Bodo, Dogri, more media of instruction. It is also Konkani, Maithili, Manipuri, Nepali, Santali interesting to note that 91.95% of schools in and Sindhi were recognized later. The first the country at the primary stage teach two or Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal more languages. With regard to number of Nehru had made this comment about the languages taught 90.61% of schools