Indian English Heading for Extinction?

chillibreeze writer — Bhagyalaxmi Velugu

Indian English! An adopted language, which over time has acquired an independent identity from its predecessor or a caricature of English with an unmistakable imprint of various colloquial Indian expressions. Very often hinglish or a combination of other Indian languages and English is passed off as Indian English. That’s an unreasonable supposition, because English educated Indians speak Standard English, though with a definite Indian touch.

English is spoken or written with an indigenous feel, which gives it an altogether new dimension. The Indian-ness is brought out through the treatment of the language as well as through the peculiar use of idioms. Thus Indian English has come to be a distinct variety of the English language.

In the nineteenth century, literary work in English by Indians came into being. Then, the illustrious writers like Rabindranath Tagore, Nirad C Chaudhari and others wrote in English which was not influenced by any Indian languages yet thematically it conveyed an unmistakable Indian flavour. Since then it has been a dynamic journey for English in India.

Indian English has continued to grow by absorbing several commonly used words especially from Hindi. Many words of Indian origin are currently used in English; words that have seamlessly blended leaving no trace of their “foreignness”. These words have come to be accepted formally by various linguistic authorities in the world. Indian English is now an entity different from the British English studied in India since colonial times; a vibrant and continually enriching version.

In present times Indian English literature has found its own niche in the world. Writers like Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry, Vikram Seth to name a few have received international acclaim for their work. The language used by these writers is globally appealing simply because of the uniqueness and the diversity it presents compared to other dialects of English. As opposed to the use of pure (the Queen’s) English by earlier writers like R K Narayan and Mulk Raj Anand, the contemporary writers very often use the fused (Indianised) version. To use one of Rushdie’s terms, “chutnification” of the language keeps Indian English thriving. Yet the one common factor that binds writers of yore and the current patrons of Indian English is the distinctive Indian sentiment to their works.

In the urban centres of India, English is the first language and medium of teaching in schools. And in the rural areas where the regional languages are the medium of teaching, English is a mandatory part of secondary education. The English press in India holds an indomitable presence. It is one of the key forces involved in the development and recognition of Indian English. Although Hindi is the official language of communication for the bureaucracy, the Indian Government recognises English as the proxy official language. Besides, English is the accepted language of communication in the corporate world.

In the face of these compelling facts supporting the growth of Indian English, to say that it is becoming extinct would be injudicious.

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