After two hundred years of British rule, followed by more than sixty years of independence, English is the most evident heritage of the colonial period in India.
The number of native speakers of English in India is small, but the language plays an important role as a second language, not least because it is an official language in India (Mehrotra 1998:1).
English is omnipresent; in TV, in radio, in print media, at every corner of larger urban areas. Indian English is considered as one of the most important English varieties throughout the world.
“It nevertheless constitutes a minority lect” (Schneider 2007:161), since only approximately 11 percent of the Indian population have a command of English (2001 Census of India). Indian English comes in a range of varieties with distinct phonological features, highly influenced by local languages. But India has also produced its own standard variety, which is comparable to standard (British) English, yet has some features characterizing it as Indian (Kachru 1983:73).
This essay presents the context and current position of Indian English and discusses this English variety within McArthur’s, Kachru’s and Schneider’s models of English. Moreover, it outlines the most striking phonological features of Indian English, which mark this English variety as Indian.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Basic information on Indian English
2.1 Demography
2.2 Official status
2.3 Domains of use
2.4 “Indian English”
3) Models of Varieties of English: Indian English
3.1 Tom McArthur’s Wheel model of English
3.2 Braj Kachru’s Circles model of English
3.3 Edgar Schneider’s Dynamic model of Postcolonial Englishes
4) Phonological Features
4.1 Standard Indian English Pronunciation (SIEP) vs. local varieties
4.2 Speech rhythm and stress
4.3 Consonant sounds
4.3.1 [r]
4.3.2 [t̪, t̪ʰ] and [d̪] for [θ] and [ð]
4.3.3 [ʈ] and [ɖ] for [t] and [d]
4.3.4 [ʋ] for [v] and [w]
4.4 Vowel sounds
4.4.2 The long monophthongs
4.4.3 Diphthongs
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper examines the sociolinguistic context and current status of Indian English, analyzing its development through established global linguistic models. The central research objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of how Indian English functions as a distinct variety, while also detailing the specific phonological characteristics that distinguish it from other varieties of English.
- The historical and demographic context of English in post-independence India.
- Theoretical analysis of Indian English using McArthur’s, Kachru’s, and Schneider’s models.
- Investigation into Standard Indian English Pronunciation (SIEP) versus regional variations.
- Detailed breakdown of phonetic features, including consonant sounds, vowel systems, and speech rhythm.
Excerpt from the Book
4.3.3 [ʈ] and [ɖ] for [t] and [d]
One of the most prominent linguistic features of South Asian Outer Circle countries is the articulation of retroflex plosives [ʈ] and [ɖ] in the initial sounds of worlds like “time” and “dine”, which are pronounced with alveolar plosives [t] and [d] in other English varieties (Melchers & Shaw 2003:139). Retroflex plosives [ʈ] and [ɖ] are produced “with the tip of the tongue curled back” hitting the hard palate (McArthur 2003:321).
However, there are again differences between SIEP and regional Indian English varieties. Some SIEP speakers have the voiceless alveolar [t] in their speech, but it is the voiced alveolar [d] which cannot be articulated by both SIEP and regional Indian English speakers (Sailaja 2009:19).
Speakers of non-standard Indian Englishes always use retroflex sounds (Sailaja 2009:21-22). According to Wells (1982:628), the degree of retroflexion differs significantly in the speech of Indian English speakers, with South Indians showing a greater extent of retroflexion than Indians from the northern part of the subcontinent. Sailaja (2009:21-22) points out that it also depends on the formality of the situation to which degree the plosives [t] and [d] show retroflexion; more formal situations bring on less retroflexion and less formal situations bring on a greater retroflexion respectively.
Retroflexion of [t] and [d] is the most striking phonological feature of Indian English and is the best way to recognize an Indian background (Wells 1982:628.).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the status of English in India post-independence and explains the author's motivation for researching this specific variety.
2. Basic information on Indian English: This section covers demographic data, the official legal status of English, its functional domains, and the debate surrounding the terminology of "Indian English".
3) Models of Varieties of English: Indian English: The chapter evaluates how Indian English fits into international theoretical frameworks developed by McArthur, Kachru, and Schneider.
4) Phonological Features: This comprehensive chapter details the distinctive phonetic and phonological elements of Indian English, focusing on pronunciation, stress, consonants, and vowels.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, noting the continued growth and "Indianization" of English in the country.
Keywords
Indian English, Postcolonial English, Phonology, SIEP, Retroflexion, Braj Kachru, Edgar Schneider, World Englishes, Sociolinguistics, Language Policy, Speech Rhythm, Monophthongs, Diphthongs, Intelligibility, Language Contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the linguistic status and characteristics of Indian English as a postcolonial variety of the English language.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The document covers the demographic and legal background of English in India, its role in society, theoretical models of world varieties, and its specific phonological features.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to illustrate how Indian English operates as a recognized variety and to analyze its most distinct phonological markers compared to other forms of English.
Which scientific models are utilized for the analysis?
The paper analyzes Indian English through Tom McArthur’s Wheel model, Braj Kachru’s Circles model, and Edgar Schneider’s Dynamic model of Postcolonial Englishes.
What does the main body focus on?
The main body focuses heavily on phonological analysis, including rhythm, stress patterns, specific consonant realizations like retroflexion, and the vowel system.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Indian English, Postcolonial English, Phonology, SIEP, Sociolinguistics, and World Englishes.
How does the "three-language policy" influence English in India?
It ensures that students in state schools receive instruction in their local language, Hindi (or another regional language), and English, creating a unique multilingual educational environment.
Why is retroflexion considered the most striking feature of Indian English?
Retroflexion of [t] and [d] is identified as the most prominent feature because it is consistently produced by curling the tongue toward the hard palate, making it a distinct marker of Indian speaker identity.
What is the difference between SIEP and non-standard regional varieties?
SIEP is the standard pronunciation model aspired to by educated Indians, while non-standard varieties often show stronger regional interference from first languages and higher levels of rhoticity.
- Citar trabajo
- Alexander Welker (Autor), 2014, Dialect Illustration of Indian English, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/293216
