About 1.25 billion people are living in India and Pakistan today which is about 18% of the world´s population, whereas the Indian subcontinent only makes about 3% of the available Landmass of our planet. (cf. Stang, 2002, 80 ff.) The Indian Government has enormous problems concerning administration, not only because of the size of the country and the mass of people living in India, but also because of the amount of different dialects, varieties and languages. The Indian Government states that there are 18 officially acknowledged languages in India. An overview of the language Situation can be seen on chart I in the appendix. The constitution though is written in English, which does not occur in that enumeration, not even in the table of the other 96 non scheduled languages of the Indian Census 1991. “cf. www.languageinindia.com/nov2001/1991Languages.html (March 25, 2008)” The language of the former colonizer, English, is the only common language to the different groups in India and therefore an important tool concerning administration, court, trade and daily life. Almost the same situation can be observed in Pakistan, where the dispute about languages in 1971 even led to a civil war and the foundation of Bangladesh. “cf. www.bpb.de/themen/4OJUFG,0,Die_Teilung_BritischIndiens_1947.html (March 22, 2008)“
The focus of that work will therefore be on the development and state just as on the analysis of syntax and morphology of the English language in India and Pakistan. My research will largely be based on the works of as Raja Ram Mehrotra, Baraj B. Kachru, R.K. Agnihotria and A.L. Khanna, as well as Benrd Kotmann and Robert J. Baumgardner.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. History and development of the English language in India and Pakistan
2.1. English before and during colonialism
2.2. English in India after the Independence
2.3. English in India in the present
2.4. The Future of the English language in India
2.5. The linguistic situation in newly created Pakistan
3. Indian English
3.1. Morphology, lexis and syntax
3.2. Phonology
4. Pakistani English
4.1. Morphology, lexis and syntax
4.2. Phonology
5. Summary
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to analyze the historical development, the current sociolinguistic status, and the specific morphological, syntactical, and phonological features of the English language as it is spoken in India and Pakistan.
- Historical evolution of English during and after the colonial era.
- Comparative analysis of Indian English and Pakistani English.
- Structural study of local morphology, lexis, and syntax.
- Phonological characteristics and the influence of native languages (Urdu, Hindi).
- Future prospects and the emergence of hybridized English varieties.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. English before and during colonialism
The development of the English language in India has to be split up in 3 parts. The first part deals with the situation between 1579 and 1834 in which four major European languages came to India due to the beginning of the trading relationship. Those four languages were English, French, Dutch and Portuguese. English came with Thomas Stephens who made British merchants to “take business expeditions to India”. (Mehrotra, 1998, 3) On 31st December the East India Company made a big step by monopolizing the trade to introduce the English language to the Indian subcontinent. The East India Company had a strong need in interpreters to simplify transactions between the English merchants and the innate people. Furthermore were army and Christianization responsible for the spread of the language. Whenever Indians joined the British army they had to learn English especially in terms of military vocabulary, which was the same with believers that wanted to read the Bible or say their prayers. (cf. Viereck, 2002, 209) After the battle of Plassey and the resulting English supremacy over India, the growth of importance and influence of the English language was enormous. English teaching schools were built in an around big cities like Bombay, Calcutta or Madras. During that time the English language more and more got accepted as a way to learn modern sciences and to acquire knowledge from the western world. (cf. Mehrotra, 1998, 3 f.)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the demographic context of India and Pakistan and introduces the research focus on the linguistic development and structural analysis of English in these regions.
2. History and development of the English language in India and Pakistan: Examines the timeline of English, from early colonial trade to post-independence policy shifts and the sociolinguistic challenges faced by India and Pakistan.
3. Indian English: Analyzes the specific vernacular features of Indian English, focusing on morphological, syntactical, and phonological deviations from Standard British English.
4. Pakistani English: Investigates the specific linguistic characteristics of Pakistani English, particularly the influence of Urdu on its grammar and pronunciation.
5. Summary: Concludes that despite its colonial origins, English has become an essential lingua franca for communication, science, and economy, enriching the English language family with unique regional variations.
Keywords
Indian English, Pakistani English, Colonialism, Morphology, Syntax, Phonology, Lingua Franca, Urdu, Hindi, Language Development, Sociolinguistics, Linguistic Variation, Standard British English, Post-colonialism, Hybridization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary scope of this work?
The work explores the historical development, current usage, and structural characteristics (morphology, syntax, and phonology) of the English language as it evolved in India and Pakistan.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The key themes include the impact of British colonialism, the linguistic aftermath of independence, the role of English in administration and education, and a detailed analysis of regional varieties.
What is the core research question?
The research focuses on how English has developed as a local variety in India and Pakistan and how it maintains its function as a tool for administration and modern communication despite local linguistic diversity.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a descriptive and comparative approach, basing the analysis on established linguistic works by scholars such as R.R. Mehrotra, B.B. Kachru, and R.J. Baumgardner.
What is discussed in the main chapters?
The main body provides a diachronic overview of English in both countries, followed by specific chapters that break down the morphological, syntactical, and phonological features of Indian and Pakistani English.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Indian English, Pakistani English, Morphology, Syntax, Phonology, Lingua Franca, and Linguistic Variation.
How did Urdu influence the phonology of Pakistani English?
The text highlights that the absence of certain distinctions in Urdu (such as clear vs. dark /l/ or specific dental fricatives) led to structural simplifications and unique pronunciations in Pakistani English.
What does the author mean by "Janus-like" in the context of post-independence India?
The author refers to the dual nature of English in India after 1947: it served as a symbol of colonial oppression while simultaneously acting as a necessary tool for administration and higher education.
What are the common features of the "Sahib", "Babu", and "Butler" varieties?
These represented social class-based varieties of English during the colonial period, where "Sahib" was spoken by the elite, "Babu" by the middle class, and "Butler" (or Pidgin English) by the lower social groups.
- Quote paper
- Martin Steger (Author), 2008, English in India and Pakistan, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/201147
