Re-discovering English as an Oriental weapon in post independent India

Chutneyfication of the western tongue through textual and verbal discourses

Authors

  • Dey Sayan, PhD Scholar Research Scholar in the Department of English at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) India

Keywords:

global transformation, diversification, occidental, oriental, imperialism, neoimperialism

Abstract

In the contemporary era, English language performs a crucial role in global transformation and exchange. Diversification and modification of the language has not only diminished the age-old occidental/oriental dichotomies but has caused a complete erasure of the cartographical divisions of nation-state across the world. This language through a continuous process of colonial and marketing exchanges has become the primary source of universal contact. The acceptance and impact of English varies from nation to nation. English may have been introduced as a formal communicative procedure in Europe, but in the continents of Africa, Asia, America or Australia the language was introduced as a powerful colonial discourse and it is still flourishing as a neo-imperialistic discourse in several countries. This paper highlights the function of English in post-independent India, imploring the gradual transcendence of the language from mere colonialism to globalism. The language has been re-explored and re-discovered as an anti-colonial weapon to escape from the colonial shadow and establish universally distinct language identity. Most fascinating aspect about India is that English has been mimicked and molded on the basis of distinctive language communities spread across different states. Indianized version of English is not a centrally complete concept, but exists through its regional differences. Shedding its capitalist and colonialist identity, today English has emerged as a successful anti-colonial weapon in India to encounter all forms of imperialism or neo-imperialism.

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References

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Re-discovering English as an Oriental weapon in post independent India: Chutneyfication of the western tongue through textual and verbal discourses

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Published

28-03-2014

How to Cite

Sayan, D. (2014). Re-discovering English as an Oriental weapon in post independent India: Chutneyfication of the western tongue through textual and verbal discourses. SOCRATES, 2(1), 33–38. Retrieved from https://www.socratesjournal.com/index.php/SOCRATES/article/view/45

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2014): Issue - March

Section

Art, Culture and Literature

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Research Papers published in SOCRATES are licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)