tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280250587598936924.post5949261517401187013..comments2023-09-13T07:09:13.772-07:00Comments on Ruminations: INDIAN MULTILINGUALISMB.N.Patnaikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758591513346337483noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280250587598936924.post-10909385517524848552011-03-07T22:55:05.604-08:002011-03-07T22:55:05.604-08:00You are absolutely right, Prof Patnaik: language i...You are absolutely right, Prof Patnaik: language is the handmaiden of power. For instance, rarely in Telugu cinema do the hero or heroine speak Telangana Telugu; they speak the Telugu of coastal Andhra. Telanaga Telugu is left to comedians and villains!<br /><br />Education of linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples the world over happens in the dominant languages. This is one of the biggest factors in loss of linguistic diversity.<br /><br />India's National Commissioner Linguistic Minorities lists several "safeguards". My 2010 paper "<a href="http://tinyurl.com/35ywy64" rel="nofollow">Linguistic Human Rights in India: Policy and Practice</a>" discusses some aspects of the problem: http://tinyurl.com/35ywy64<br /><br />Thank you for a thought-provoking post.गिरिधर | giridhar | గిరిధర్https://www.blogger.com/profile/00964919802142337619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280250587598936924.post-24569837250886271182010-08-19T08:08:10.832-07:002010-08-19T08:08:10.832-07:00Indian multilingualism as a concept is as old as t...Indian multilingualism as a concept is as old as the Rigveda.The seer-thinker while extolling our national character as multi-ethnic,multi-lingual and multi-religious,speaks in favour of our unity in final count,an idea which now we phrase as unity in diversity.<br />Linguistic minorities need to be treated with just sympathy and all languages must be allowed to flourish and contribute to human progress.<br />I remember an incident when in a seminar at the Delhi Assembly annexie hall where I was to speak on the influence of Odia on Sanskrit literature,one lady was to present her paper on the contacts between Sindhi and Sanskrit.She while delivering the ideas broke into tears as Sindhi as a language was not cared for in the divided Pakistan.She so fervently pleaded her heart how Sindh could stay on as an integral part of political India.Now the central govt has provision to award Sindhi writings at the Sahitya Akademy.<br />We are monolingual if both our parents or those with whom we initially grow up speak the same language or dialect otherwise we are different.<br />Multilingualism is an asset as it helps India in thinking so richly and diversely.With the coming and getting almost naturalized in many respects,English has not diminished the glitter of our vigorous mother tongues - our spontaneous regional languages and dialects.Best regards.S M Mishrasurendra.shastramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09494595406011707031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280250587598936924.post-75910092507500459832010-08-19T08:06:42.672-07:002010-08-19T08:06:42.672-07:00Indian multilingualism as a concept is as old as t...Indian multilingualism as a concept is as old as the Rigveda.The seer-thinker while extolling our national character as multi-ethnic,multi-lingual and multi-religious,speaks in favour of our unity in final count,an idea which now we phrase as unity in diversity.<br />Linguistic minorities need to be treated with just sympathy and all languages must be allowed to flourish and contribute to human progress.<br />I remember an incident when in a seminar at the Delhi Assembly annexie hall where I was to speak on the influence of Odia on Sanskrit literature,one lady was to present her paper on the contacts between Sindhi and Sanskrit.She while delivering the ideas broke into tears as Sindhi as a language was not cared for in the divided Pakistan.She so fervently pleaded her heart how Sindh could stay on as an integral part of political India.Now the central govt has provision to award Sindhi writings at the Sahitya Akademy.<br />We are monolingual if both our parents or those with whom we initially grow up speak the same language or dialect otherwise we are different.<br />Multilingualism is an asset as it helps India in thinking so richly and diversely.With the coming and getting almost naturalized in many respects,English has not diminished the glitter of our vigorous mother tongues - our spontaneous regional languages and dialects.Best regards.S M Mishrasurendra.shastramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09494595406011707031noreply@blogger.com