Language, Culture and Communication: India

Language is governed by two innate characteristics: first that it is always changing, in all areas of its structure be it phonology, morphology, grammar, semantics, vocabulary or conversation style, and second that it changes in diverse patterns at diverse situations and times. What influences the change in linguistic usage and the pace of its change is the shifting social values and social development (urbanization, literacy etc.). Indian social structure has undergone a paradigm shift in the past few decades, and this has galvanized the shift in language usage too. The words that used to be a taboo in Indian ideological set up are now in common use. The use of slang, abusive words and rude gestures are now style statements for the youth. The movement for woman empowerment and the struggle for equality have influenced the shifting language usage by women too. Women were considered to be innately decent and modest, and this was reflected in their language usage too. But with the changing values in the modern times girls also find it comfortable to use profane language like boys as a reflection of their psychological adaptation to socio-cultural change. This article attempts to examine different aspects of socio-psychological changes in India, and their impact on language usage. There is an attempt not to judge, but to present the observations with objectivity.

Journal of Pragmatics, 1998

Text, Context and Identity, 2019

This narrative illustrates my linguistic and social identity as a Tamil speaker, an English teacher, and an Indian citizen. Primarily, it shows how non-contact with one’s mother tongue/native language can be traumatic and disorienting for an individual. Additionally, it explains how coming into conflict with a dominant language can cause socio-political problems within a country that can threaten the stability of the country itself. The underlying meaning and message of this narrative is that the linguistic identity that one forms in childhood continues to play a key role in all personal and professional relations and responsibilities. What is needed is a tolerant approach to linguistic diversity, which can create an accommodating environment for speakers of different languages to coexist, without which the co-existence of human beings will remain a distant dream.

2012

This research article is intended to explore the extent to which English language has influenced the culture of the Sub-continent. The assumption that any lexical item is a product of collaborative forces like economic scenario, ethical framework, political configuration, psychological makeup and religious approach of any culture inculcates the proposition that lexicon-adoption is not a purely linguistic phenomenon. Appropriation of the cultural background of the ‘Carrier’ word by the ‘Receiving’ culture is also the consequence of this lexicon-adoption. The assertion of this premise is established by data collection through a self-administered questionnaire with a sample size of 200 people. The result amplifies the validity of the idea that language arrogation can never be seen in isolation from its cultural implications. GJHSS-E Classification : FOR Code: 160103, 160104 Language and CultureWith Special Reference to English Language and Punjabi Culture Strictly as per the compliance...

Language is "the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way" (Oxford Concise Dictionary). Identity means "the fact of being who or what a person or thing is" (Oxford Concise Dictionary). In this paper an attempt is made to explain how identity of different social groups in general and of North-East India in particular is associated with their linguistic aspects. Here, the spoken form is under consideration as it differs in case of even speakers of the same language.

1981

This work attempts to provide an overview of liuguistic diversity in South Asia and to place this diversity in a cultural context. The work tries to describe the current state of knowledge concerning socially conditioned language variation in the subcontinent. Each of five major language families contains numerous mutually intelligible and unintelligible dialects. Different dialects of a language may be required for 'written and spoken use and for different social groups. Bilingualism and multilingualism are common for communication between groups. Language choice is important for education, politics, radio and television. Chapter 2 of this book enumerates criteria used in the taxonomy of language forms, discussing a number of theories of dialect formation from the points of view of linguistic innovation and diffusion of linguistic change. Chapter 3 surveys literature on classification of South Asian languages. Chapter 4 considers South Asia as a distinct linguistic area and Chapter 5 evaluates literature on South Asian social dialects. Chapter 6 examines linguistic codes encompassing elements from more than one autonomous language. Chapter 7 considers the ways in which the lexicon of South Asian languages and dialects contain elements that structure themselves into concrete systems. (CHK)

2016

India, as well-known to all, is the home of diversity; linguistic, cultural, religious, and social diversity. All these aspects are interwoven together making India a vibrant nation promoting the impeccable idea of "unity in diversity". As a multilingual nation, the study of language contact, where hundreds of different languages are in a constant negotiation, provides an appropriate zone for investigating the language interaction and the sociolinguistic consequences resulting from such process. This paper casts the light on the Kurukh"s contact with Hindi and Sadri, being the languages spoken in the area under scrutiny, tracing the sociolinguistic consequences of this interaction through studying a sample of these tribes residing in Mandar area. It also seeks to find out the sociolinguistic status quo of Kurukh and its status among its speakers through considering the contexts and situations in which both Hindi and Kurukh are used. It has been reported that Hindi, Sadri, and Kurukh are used exchangeably in a complementary distribution. Kurukh is spoken in some certain domains; at home, talking with friends of the same speech community, and in-group occasions when they come together to celebrate their religious festivals or any other social occasions whereas Hindi and Sadri are used for conversing with people of other speech communities or when they are in the presence of out-group people. On the other hand, the children receive their education in Hindi-medium schools and some of them in that of Englishmedium. In the school context, the students of Kurukh background avoid using their mother tongue even when they talk to each other lest to be mocked at or stigmatized by their friends and classmates who do not understand their language. This linguistic behavior of the young generation puts the Kurukh language at stake and jeopardizes the linguistic identity of its speakers as the time goes by.

2014

The Present study attempts to discuss the Sociolinguistics of English in India. The rising status and the rapid spread of English is a matter of discussion in the field of applied linguistics. The language we speak defines and determines one’s place and identity in the world. It is not just a set of sound words or sentences. Many different regional varieties of English or ‘Englishes’ exist around the globe and are slowly but steadily gaining recognition. Indian English is one such variety. English spoken in India is deeply linked with the society, culture and the people. The function of English in India is different from that it performs in the native context. The defining factors such as the cultural plurality and presence of different languages have given India a distinct place in the multilingual context. The growth of English in India can be directly correlated with the growth of imperial rule in India. English language has been and continues to be a dividing force in the society.

Men and Women Wanted! 1. WANTED for-25 yrs old TALL, FAIR, VERY BEAUTIFUL, family oriented, homely, convent educated MBA professional girl alliance from well settled Jain boy sub-caste no bar. send BHP to this PO box no 1192. 2. Affluent & highly cultured brahmin family seeks alliance for their BE, well established son from the parents of good looking, fair, tall, slim, caring, traditional value lover, professional girl from Brahmin famiy. Relationship between Language and Society Language is a guide to social reality-it powerfully conditions all our thinking related to social issues, problems and processes. Human beings do not live in the objective world or alone in the world of social activity as ordinarily understood. They are very much at the mercy of the particular language, which has become the medium of expression for their society. It is quite an illusion to imagine that one adjusts to reality essentially without the

Academic Research Publishing Group, 2016

The language contact has been the primary concern of a number of sociolinguists across the world for decades. India, as well-known to all, is the home of diversity; linguistic, cultural, religious, and social diversity. All these aspects are interwoven together making India a vibrant nation promoting the impeccable idea of "unity in diversity". As a multilingual nation, the study of language contact, where hundreds of different languages are in a constant negotiation, provides an appropriate zone for investigating the language interaction and the sociolinguistic consequences resulting from such process. The Hindi language, the official and predominant language in India, coexists with many other national and indigenous languages. Jharkhand, on the other hand, is characterized with the most conservative tribes in India which managed to maintain their cultural and linguistic heritage over the years, though the ruthless creep of the other cultures and languages into their cultural and linguistic zones. In these tribal areas, many languages are spoken among which is the Kurukh language which is spoken by nearly two million of Oraon and some other tribal people who are scattered in different areas of Jharkhand and some adjacent states such as Odisha, Bihar, and West Bengal. This paper casts the light on the Kurukh’s contact with Hindi and Sadri, being the languages spoken in the area under scrutiny, tracing the sociolinguistic consequences of this interaction through studying a sample of these tribes residing in Mandar area. It also seeks to find out the sociolinguistic status quo of Kurukh and its status among its speakers through considering the contexts and situations in which both Hindi and Kurukh are used. In addition, the study attempts to consider the extent of the impact of this contact on the linguistic identity of the Kurukh speakers along with its future being classified as a vulnerable language. It has been reported that Hindi, Sadri, and Kurukh are used exchangeably in a complementary distribution. Kurukh is spoken in some certain domains; at home, talking with friends of the same speech community, and in-group occasions when they come together to celebrate their religious festivals or any other social occasions whereas Hindi and Sadri are used for conversing with people of other speech communities or when they are in the presence of out-group people. On the other hand, the children receive their education in Hindi-medium schools and some of them in that of English-medium. In the school context, the students of Kurukh background avoid using their mother tongue even when they talk to each other lest to be mocked at or stigmatized by their friends and classmates who do not understand their language. This linguistic behavior of the young generation puts the Kurukh language at stake and jeopardizes the linguistic identity of its speakers as the time goes by.