Wonderful essay. I am still stuck at answering the, No we have 15 (or whatever number i feel like making up at the moment) official languages and 3000 (for effect) dialects. And my first holiday ever was to London in `83
While speaking English is very restricted in India, 'knowing' the language is another story. I feel that most people who reach college in India, irrespective of the state they are brought up in, do pick up a working knowledge of English. It's something one cannot escape. Everything is in English. Also, while, as you say 44% Indians speak Hindi, in an overwhelming number that is where Hindi also ends. The use of Hindi language in day to day business or even the development of its literature, in science, in higher education is not commensurate with 528 million people speaking that language. Had it been so, English would have been wiped out of India a long time ago. And its not just within the country, but English connects us to the world. Its a great advantage we must not lose. I do not know how Indianness would be authentic in a person who language and world view is confined to a few forests / valleys of Central India?!
Hi Pallavi. I really enjoyed this post. I am a sociolinguist who has spent a good amount of time studying the diversity in Englishes, with a particular focus on Indian Englishes. And yet, more and more, the little voice in my head questions the work I have done for so many years - because I, as you have described in this post, very much belong to the upper caste of Indians because of my access to English - it is very much my first language. There is so much more I have to say, but for now, I'll leave it with a thanks! Incidentally, I have just begun my own Substack project - Chandrika.substack.com. I am trying to combine my life as a linguist with my personal life of a lover of food.....perhaps you could check it out. :)
A thoughtfully written piece that speaks to so many urban Indians. The English speakers are definitely an upper caste mostly confined to urban areas. English does not have the vocabulary for rural life. We have a generation of English medium kids who cannot relate to rural life. The overlaying of class boundaries over this divide is causing a serious rift—the present day politics reflects that!
Well written article and I can identify with most of the text- it’s not just the language alone but how you speak it, your diction and pronunciation connotes your good schooling in the English language- four years ago, my six year old grandson ( born in and growing up in New York City) asked me with childhood innocence, “Ajji, how come you speak English without an Indian accent? “ I must admit that I was flattered and told him that we had English teachers who corrected our pronunciation till we got it right. Yes, I did go to a “ convent” school in the Cantonment area of my city. My daughter’s colleague in the US complimented her by saying that I spoke excellent English for a visiting Indian mother !!
Excellent essay. I have definitely benefited from being a member of the privileged English-speaking caste. I also sense a lot of angst and rebellion from non-English speakers in India, among whom "Macaulay's children" and "Lutyens's Delhi" have become epithets.
As a US citizen with Indian roots, I often get the "Where are you from?"question. And, quite honestly, I too am curious about the ethnicity and immigration journey of other people, notably people who have looks or names that are different from the mainstream (such as the 2021 US Open champion, Emma Raducanu). If anyone looks askance, I explain my interest by saying that I am interested in exploring the journeys of fellow immigrants.
Another thought provoking article, Pallavi. Thank you. You have to ask, though, how much of our struggle to reconcile our Indianness to the fact that we speak English as a first language has to do with the basic premise that "we are Indian (in every way)". I am sure we are Indian in many ways, but perhaps linguistically we are not. And what is the problem with that? The answer to Nico's question is to maybe ask him a different one - "do you have to be from any one place?". Would love to have your thoughts. Thanks.
Very well written and thought provoking. Spot on with the analogy of use of English as a Caste divider. Certainly accords privilege in India. Even in the US, the fluent, convent educated Indians are able to get a significant jump start on acceptance and assimilation.
Interesting read. I grew up with a Keralite mum and Punjabi father. Dad to be fair spoke more Urdu than Punjabi. That generation in Punjab had Urdu as their main language. So yes, English was a definite bridge but being Christians our ‘caste’ was already decided. Tho none of that bothered anyone of us. I for one had other concerns like am I likely to get a second hand bicycle for my birthday?!
For me English opened a whole new world thru books, it introduced me to PG Wodehouse!
Never thought we belonged to any elite class cuz unfortunately there wasn’t much else to back that up. Just knowing fluent English is not enough!
Hindi, despite the numbers doesn’t define india. It’s history does. And the English language is very much part of that history. Try as hard as we might there no erasing that.
I would say calling English a caste is a bit of a stretch, but then that’s just me.
I have very mixed feelings about this writer's essay, and no doubt I will receive lots of criticism for what I have to say. However, having lived in India twenty-five years ago, I feel that I have some right to register an opinion. Yes, on one level I agree with him that the England of the colonial period did much damage. Clearly, they have much to answer for. However, the caste system was entrenched in India long before they arrived, and powerful Brahmins have much to answer for as well. For example, while I was there studying music, I witnessed many instances of caste oppression that had nothing to do with colonialism and nothing to do with spoken or written English. A case in point was Manipur, a very dangerous area that was, and probably still is, trying to get out from the yoke of Indian oppression. As a student of Hindustani music, I saw appalling instances of world class snobbism directed at differing levels of talented musicians within the caste system. I saw one young lower caste boy who was trying to mail a letter in a post office. For over an hour, he was constantly being pushed aside while higher caste people usurped his place in line. Finally, I agreed to help him mail his letter. These examples are real, and they have nothing to do with the British Raj. Rather, they have everything to do with the lack of common decency that is inherent in the Indian caste system. That must be addressed, so while I somewhat agree with what the writer says, I feel in many ways that it is a smokescreen designed to obscure much deeper issues that are extremely troubling. It is interesting to note that Brahmins, who were in many ways the beneficiaries of colonialism (witness the Marble Palace in downtown Kolkatta), are the quickest to cast blame on the Brits. Perhaps they should consider casting some blame on their caste. Ah, but I think that for the most part, they would be loathe to do that.
When you look at the world I think more and more people are like Nico. Multicultural and multiethnic. Good write up.
Very well written. Your essay helped me organize my own confused thoughts about all this. 🙏
A Well written article. You have brilliantly captured the sentiments and dilemmas encountered by many of us.
Wonderful essay. I am still stuck at answering the, No we have 15 (or whatever number i feel like making up at the moment) official languages and 3000 (for effect) dialects. And my first holiday ever was to London in `83
While speaking English is very restricted in India, 'knowing' the language is another story. I feel that most people who reach college in India, irrespective of the state they are brought up in, do pick up a working knowledge of English. It's something one cannot escape. Everything is in English. Also, while, as you say 44% Indians speak Hindi, in an overwhelming number that is where Hindi also ends. The use of Hindi language in day to day business or even the development of its literature, in science, in higher education is not commensurate with 528 million people speaking that language. Had it been so, English would have been wiped out of India a long time ago. And its not just within the country, but English connects us to the world. Its a great advantage we must not lose. I do not know how Indianness would be authentic in a person who language and world view is confined to a few forests / valleys of Central India?!
Hi Pallavi. I really enjoyed this post. I am a sociolinguist who has spent a good amount of time studying the diversity in Englishes, with a particular focus on Indian Englishes. And yet, more and more, the little voice in my head questions the work I have done for so many years - because I, as you have described in this post, very much belong to the upper caste of Indians because of my access to English - it is very much my first language. There is so much more I have to say, but for now, I'll leave it with a thanks! Incidentally, I have just begun my own Substack project - Chandrika.substack.com. I am trying to combine my life as a linguist with my personal life of a lover of food.....perhaps you could check it out. :)
Welcome to "nomadland" world citizen. Long live Esperanto !
A thoughtfully written piece that speaks to so many urban Indians. The English speakers are definitely an upper caste mostly confined to urban areas. English does not have the vocabulary for rural life. We have a generation of English medium kids who cannot relate to rural life. The overlaying of class boundaries over this divide is causing a serious rift—the present day politics reflects that!
😩So true of all of many of us! Not happy about it… but too late to do anything now…!
Well written article and I can identify with most of the text- it’s not just the language alone but how you speak it, your diction and pronunciation connotes your good schooling in the English language- four years ago, my six year old grandson ( born in and growing up in New York City) asked me with childhood innocence, “Ajji, how come you speak English without an Indian accent? “ I must admit that I was flattered and told him that we had English teachers who corrected our pronunciation till we got it right. Yes, I did go to a “ convent” school in the Cantonment area of my city. My daughter’s colleague in the US complimented her by saying that I spoke excellent English for a visiting Indian mother !!
Excellent essay. I have definitely benefited from being a member of the privileged English-speaking caste. I also sense a lot of angst and rebellion from non-English speakers in India, among whom "Macaulay's children" and "Lutyens's Delhi" have become epithets.
As a US citizen with Indian roots, I often get the "Where are you from?"question. And, quite honestly, I too am curious about the ethnicity and immigration journey of other people, notably people who have looks or names that are different from the mainstream (such as the 2021 US Open champion, Emma Raducanu). If anyone looks askance, I explain my interest by saying that I am interested in exploring the journeys of fellow immigrants.
Another thought provoking article, Pallavi. Thank you. You have to ask, though, how much of our struggle to reconcile our Indianness to the fact that we speak English as a first language has to do with the basic premise that "we are Indian (in every way)". I am sure we are Indian in many ways, but perhaps linguistically we are not. And what is the problem with that? The answer to Nico's question is to maybe ask him a different one - "do you have to be from any one place?". Would love to have your thoughts. Thanks.
Very well written and thought provoking. Spot on with the analogy of use of English as a Caste divider. Certainly accords privilege in India. Even in the US, the fluent, convent educated Indians are able to get a significant jump start on acceptance and assimilation.
Interesting read. I grew up with a Keralite mum and Punjabi father. Dad to be fair spoke more Urdu than Punjabi. That generation in Punjab had Urdu as their main language. So yes, English was a definite bridge but being Christians our ‘caste’ was already decided. Tho none of that bothered anyone of us. I for one had other concerns like am I likely to get a second hand bicycle for my birthday?!
For me English opened a whole new world thru books, it introduced me to PG Wodehouse!
Never thought we belonged to any elite class cuz unfortunately there wasn’t much else to back that up. Just knowing fluent English is not enough!
Hindi, despite the numbers doesn’t define india. It’s history does. And the English language is very much part of that history. Try as hard as we might there no erasing that.
I would say calling English a caste is a bit of a stretch, but then that’s just me.
(Never did get that cycle! 😅)
Mai bhi wohi Angrez hun!!Samje? Lakin Kanada me’ rehtha hun!!
I have very mixed feelings about this writer's essay, and no doubt I will receive lots of criticism for what I have to say. However, having lived in India twenty-five years ago, I feel that I have some right to register an opinion. Yes, on one level I agree with him that the England of the colonial period did much damage. Clearly, they have much to answer for. However, the caste system was entrenched in India long before they arrived, and powerful Brahmins have much to answer for as well. For example, while I was there studying music, I witnessed many instances of caste oppression that had nothing to do with colonialism and nothing to do with spoken or written English. A case in point was Manipur, a very dangerous area that was, and probably still is, trying to get out from the yoke of Indian oppression. As a student of Hindustani music, I saw appalling instances of world class snobbism directed at differing levels of talented musicians within the caste system. I saw one young lower caste boy who was trying to mail a letter in a post office. For over an hour, he was constantly being pushed aside while higher caste people usurped his place in line. Finally, I agreed to help him mail his letter. These examples are real, and they have nothing to do with the British Raj. Rather, they have everything to do with the lack of common decency that is inherent in the Indian caste system. That must be addressed, so while I somewhat agree with what the writer says, I feel in many ways that it is a smokescreen designed to obscure much deeper issues that are extremely troubling. It is interesting to note that Brahmins, who were in many ways the beneficiaries of colonialism (witness the Marble Palace in downtown Kolkatta), are the quickest to cast blame on the Brits. Perhaps they should consider casting some blame on their caste. Ah, but I think that for the most part, they would be loathe to do that.