Is Increased Use of English Alienating Us in Our Own Country.
Recently Amitabh Bachchan addressed the audience in Cannes Film Festival in Hindi, because they were celebrating the hundred years of Indian Cinema. A fine gesture no doubt. But all the Indian media persons thereafter asked him questions in English and he was also replying in English about the 'great' feat of him having spoken in Hindi to international audience in Cannes, France. What can be more ironical than it. In all awards ceremonies for Hindi language fil films the language used is English. More irony.
There was a time when Hindi movies had the title and important contributors names presented in both Hindi and English. The name of the film was also shown in Urdu language. But now there is no Urdu and what is more painful is the fact that nine out of ten movies the titles are in only one language and you guessed it right in English. Even certain explanations or warnings etc are given only in English almost always.
This fascination for English needs to be probed further. In the food market now most of the vegetables are known by their English names. Whenever I have asked the vendor to give me 'phoolgobi', invariably they look up at me to confirm whether am asking for 'flower' a short form of cauliflower.Or 'patagobi' is now known as kobij a slang for cabbage. "Simla mirch' is now known as capsicum even in rural markets. No one asks to be given a kilo of 'murghi' it is always chicken. No one asks for 'jhingas' it is always prawns. Similarly increasingly one asks for fish and not for 'machchi'. Almost all fruits are known by their English names. Even the fruit sellers now say banana for 'kela' or plum for 'aadu'. In most of the shops in price list the items are written in their English names even when these are written in vernacular languages. English has made deep inroads in our society.
The other day I went into a shop and found a typical old lady at the counter. Thinking that she maybnot understand me properly I asked her forv a 'lifafa' in Hindi. Almost with a contemptuous look at me she asked me did I mean a 'cover' for putting money to be given as a gift. A friend of mine recently told me that if you want to ask little children their name etc you must ask them in their mother tongue English.Try asking them 'tumhara naam kya hai' and chances are very high that you'll get a blank look but ask 'what is your name' and see how fast the tiny tots will reply. Indeed English is becoming the mother tongue of increasing number of Indians.
The sign boards of shops are now universally in English and in a few cases the local language is also used alongside in small letters. One can see this in hundreds of shops in Mumbai. The Hindi language which is supposed to be the Rashtrabhasha is rarely used.Admission pamphlets for local language schools are also distributed in English language! The language of business is entirely now in English. Even the government controlled TV channels are broadcasting more programs in English.
About a year back when I looked up to check what Hindi movies are running in my town, I was in for a big surprise. I do not recall all the names but out of ten Hindi movies nine had their names in English Like 'Cocktail', 'My Name is khan','Wake Up Sid", making me feel as if I was in a foreign country. Many times I find it comical that English movies names are translated into Hindi to attract local audiences and our movies are titled in English language.
Most of the time when 'educated' Indians want to make things clear to each other they do so in English. Almost always when we meet strangers in trains or planes we talk in English at first. English is almost now becoming our national language and Hindi is going into the background without a fight.It is both humorous and sad to see young parents talking to their children exclusively in English in public places. It almost seems that increasingly talking in local language is now going out of fashion.
English is seen as a vehicle of advancement in one's career in jobs. Itis also seen as a passport to better life both in India and abroad. It is the language of Information Technology. One sees many advertisements in media inviting persons to learn how to speak in English. I do not recall ever seeing an ad for improving one's local language skills.From time to time some persons and few political parties make a noise about curbing of English language but without success. Hardly anyone supports them. Some years back I read in a paper that many municipal schools in Mumbai are closing down, because the children of even housemaids are now going to private English medium schools.
English is the language of commerce in India and abroad and is able to get one a job which is the biggest priority in life. Rest follows it. So it is natural everyone would like to study in English medium. Also we have to accept the fact that no Indian language has developed its understanding of science, engineering or medical or management etc fields.This has therefore resulted in them loosing their attractions for students. If the three language formula is not enforced the only language children will like to study will be English.
One is not against the spread of English in India. That language which enables one to get a earning will always become popular. But it is the non use of one's mother tongue or local languages which I feel is sad. Because it is one's mother tongue that binds one to the soil and culture of the place one is born in. Without it one is almost rudderless in one's own country. It almost makes one a foreigner in one's own country.The generation of grandparents who were born in the early forties and fifties is vanishing. The present generation is mostly nuclear family based and are being brought up in a language which howsoever widespread it may become is not Indian and does not give one the flavours of Indian culture. As they say 'us mein apnapan nahin hai'. Social leaders should give a thought to arrest this trend whereby our younger generations are increasingly becoming alienated in their own country.
I also feel odd advocating the increased use of Indian languages in an English language article. That is the tragedy.
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