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Stage4: Each student finally tries to count and separate their left over words.
Timing: 5 minutes
Stage5: Presentation round where each students range of vocabulary in assessed by
the teacher.
Whoever have maximum number of left over words he is declared to be the winner.
Timing: 10 minutes
4. Information Gap Exercises: In the course of doing the activity one
participant should be in a position to tell one or more people something they
do not know yet.
Choice: The learner has some role in deciding exactly what he will say and
how he will say it.
Example:
Activity 1: Problem-Solving: A choice
Imagine that you are a passenger on the ship. You have found a place on the
lifeboat, but a woman carrying a baby has asked you to give your place to her. The
woman tells you the following information:
She is travelling back home after 10 years exile
She is twenty-two years old
She has Tuberculosis and cannot be cured
Her husband is dead
He is factory worker
She never went to school and she cannot read or write
Her baby is six months old
She intends leaving her child with a relative
Will you give the woman your place? Why or why not?
5. Rhymes and Songs: Use of rhymes and songs is also one of the techniques
of developing communication skills. Rhymes and songs are used to:
a. To motivate students in class
b. To create interest
c. To develop linguistic skills – LSRW
d. More enjoyable and meaningful practice
e. Practice of structures and vocabulary
f. Action songs are used for music
Example:
Activity1: Critical Appreciation of a poem
Select simple poems of poets like Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Khalil Gibran and
provide handouts to students by providing a few questions asking them to connect
to their life and to answer the questions and then finally to present it as a role play
in a team.
Skill Set: Reading Skills + Writing Skills + Listening skills + Thinking skills
+speaking skills + team building skills + Time management skills
Thus classroom English is the language you use when organizing various teaching,
learning activities.
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Conclusion:
The language of real life should be used habitually in teaching a foreign language.
Mere book learning will only result in the pupil mastering the only surface language
and dictionary meaning. Language should, therefore, be used as a natural medium
of expression and communication as we do in real life. Hence, communication
practice is a new look in language study, designed to study the needs of students
facing linguistic problems during teaching learning process. The communication
channel in the classroom should ideally involve initiation, reception and response
which serve as a feedback. The interaction between the teacher and the student in
the classroom should be that of a facilitator and a learner fully task oriented that
should boost up students’ confidence paving way for effective communication.
References:
1. Soft/Communication Skills; Dr. T. Jayasudha and Mrs. M. R.
Wajidabegum, (2011) New Century Book House Pvt. Ltd.
2. Communication in the classroom; Johnson, Keith and Keith Morrow (eds.)
1981.
3. Language in Teaching and Learning; Hazel Francis (1996)
4. Teaching Language As Communication, Widdowson, H. G. ( 1978)
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5. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching; Larsen Freeman, Diane
(1986)
6. Education and Communication for Development; G. P. Dharma and O. P.
Bhatnagar (1985)
7. Methodology for English Teachers; Dr. R. Dyvadatham (2007) Visalandra
Publishing House, Hyderabad
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The Language of Law in Independent India
Dr. Sujata Bali
Law says that no one can plead ignorance of the law, but it also seems that no one
can plead not understanding the language of Law, which a special language is called
‘legal language’. However, it is not the ordinary English that is the language of law
in India; it is the special tongue of lawyers, judges, law schools and law persons.
This special language may sometimes become incomprehensible to the people who
are subjects of law. The people who are able to skip rooms and corridors of courts
are bound to meet legal language while entering into contracts, drafting their wills
or doing something as simple as writing a cheque or registering property.
It’s Latin/French to us:
Hudson writes that the survival of Latin tags in our legal system is primarily
designed to give mystery and majesty to otherwise ordinary mortals and their
fallible proceedings, as is the case with wigs and robes. 12
The Roman civilization gave concrete form to latent principles of law, and so Latin
words are continuing to be present in the 21st century legal language. So, on one
hand, we find Latin in everyday use such as like de facto, versus and percent, and
in legal documents such as ab initio habeas corpus, inter alía. To the extent, Latin
has been embodied in day to day English, it’s alright. However, if the common-user
is not able to understand peculiar legal language, there is no harm in substituting
Latin-origin technical legal words with plainer English.
Latin is not the only language which has influenced the growth of legal language
as applicable today in India. French too has found its impact on legal language.
Understanding terms like force majeure are essential to know the meaning of a
contract and implications of its example.
Problems of English in Legal Language:
12 N Hudson, Modern Australian Usage, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1993, p.226.
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Along with the problems due to an Anglo-Saxon origin of legal language in India,
the language of English as manifested in legal language has inherent problems of
uncertainty, ambiguity, rhetoric’s, verbosity, legalism, formalism.13
Firstly legal language instead of allowing simpler and easily understood words,
insist on more difficult English words. To illustrate this point, let me give an
example. Under the law of Contracts, the term ‘Contingent contract’ is used while
the term ‘Conditional Contract’ could have been easily understood and served the
purpose. There are innumerable examples like this under different laws. Obsolete
words like demise, conceal, necessitate, peruse, proceed are commonplace in legal
language.
Secondly, to state simple things in short, the legal language allows and insists on
the more complicated way of saying simple things, mostly just to sound more polite
or respectful to law and its forum. For example, on the part of counsels, instead of
‘apply’, ‘make application’ is preferred. Similarly, courts too in their responses,
instead of ‘think’, use ‘be inclined to the view that’.
Peculiar Indian Concerns:
Indian legal system has based its foundation on British Common law system after
its last foreign ruler. So, as a natural corollary, the medium of legal language
continued to be British English. Post–independence, India proposed to replace the
use of English with Hindi, the official language of Union of India after freedom
from foreign rule.14 However, that dream has not come true yet.15
Though as practical use of English as legal language has been in India, it has been
restricted to higher judiciary i.e. High Courts and Supreme Court.16 Lower courts
have seen influence of Hindi, Urdu and other regional languages. The Court
proceedings in lower courts are conducted in regional languages as found in a State.
The land laws are a characteristic example of influence of regional language on a
fundamental law wherein one cannot understand the law without understanding the
local language.
Generally speaking, the legal language in India has imbibed in itself words like
Begar, Benami in it without even trying to find an English language synonym for
these eventually Indian words.
13 See, Anirudh Prasad, Outlines of Legal Language in India, 7th edition 2014, Central Law
Publications, Allahabad, pp. 33-44.
14 See, The Constitution of India, Art. 120, 210, 343-361.
15 The Official Languages Act, 1963 allowed use of English as official language even after expiry of
stipulated fifteen years post-independence for its substitution with Hindi in Devanagari script.
16 The Constitution of India, Art. 348.
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As the reality stands today, legal language in India prominently consists of English,
Latin, Urdu, Hindi and other regional/State languages. In this synthesis of
languages, the greatest influence continues to be of English and Latin.
Who is with us in simplifying Legal language?
Worldwide countries have been attempting to substitute legal jargon with plain
languages. E.g. in Australia, Centre for Plain Legal Language, Faculty of Law,
University of Sydney in 1995, published a list of essays highlighting the
unnecessary complexities in legal language due to use of Latin, French and complex
English words. Their aim was to communicate information in the most efficient and
effective way possible while remaining technically correct.17
What can be done?
After deliberate decision of serving the people using legal language and not the
people in profession of speaking the legal language, there is need of collective
conscious efforts in simplifying the legal language, so that its utility rather than its
beauty is increased. The identifiable set of people (not necessarily in that order)
who can get this done are:
1. Law-makers, by legislating in simpler legal language
2. Lawyers & Judges, by practicing simpler legal language
3. Law faculty and researchers, by suggesting legal ideas in simpler legal
language
Though the above-stated set of people may not be ready or comfortable to change
their habits in existing legal language, yet after initiating the movement, when we,
the people of India will demand simpler legal language, the change will have no
option but to come.
17 Mark Duckworth and Arthur Spyrou (eds.), Law words: 30 essays on Legal Words & Phrases 2
(ISBN 0 86758 991 4).
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The variability of language in contemporary Indian Writing in
English novelists: Rita Garg's :An Abbreviated child and Altaf
Tyrewala's No God Insight.
Dr. Manjusha Kaushik
Assistant Professor of English
Kanya Gurukul campus,
Hardwar.
ABSTRACT
Language is a way of communicating thoughts and feelings of the people. It is not
only specific to culture, religion and nation but also it is the effective means of
communication and a store house of knowledge, it is an instrument of thinking as
well as of delight. Language covers the thought in the writing and the part of
aesthetics is also communicated. Similarly, aesthetic is mandatory to literature for
the demarcation between pornography and literature. A large number of writers are
not concerned with this variability of language. To make writing a fit reading for
the masses is a necessary perspective for many such writers. Raja Rao, Mulk Raj
Anand and R K Narayan also maintained the literary quality of symbols, figures of
speech, precision of language etc.. This is the basic idea which is underlined in the
title. An Abbreviated Child has a rare charm and attraction. In this novel, many
aspects have been intertwined with the suitable language. Words are highly
suggestive. On the other hand, Altaf Tyrewala's language is not as suitable as
Garg’s due to the frank expression. But he is successful in attracting the young
generation. They are fond of words which are not socially acceptable. It really
attracts young readers. Their abusive words are connective medium between
readers and writers. The aim of this paper is to highlight the difference between the
two writers who are being apart in their way of expression.
Writing is not literature unless it gives to the reader a pleasure which arises not only
from the things said but from the way in which they said. The word aesthetic is
very significant in any writing. These lines beautifully reflect the beauty of the word
aesthetic-“the aesthetic end is the perfection of sensuous cognition, as such: this is
beauty.” (Abrams 5 ) In present usage, aesthetics designates the systematic study
of all the fine arts as well as of the nature of beauty in any object, whether natural
or artificial. Contemporary Indian Literature which is marked by amazing variables
in both the literature and the regions through which it was produced. Through the
novel An Abbreviated Child the novelist expresses that precise language is really a
means of attraction to a large number of the reader. In this novel, she uses the myth
to show the aspect of Indianness and the roots impregnate deeper. Those issues are
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naturally related which would have taken much more of length but not adding this
sober impact on the mind of the reader. Secondly, these mythical references create
a comparative note and highlight the position of characters and situations in the
present times. With the use of Abhimanyu’s learning in the Mahabharata, an
important question mark is put to an advantage of man. The novelist doubts if the
test tube baby can have the same growth as a normal embryo has. This is brought
forth with the comparative reference of Abhimanyu who overhears the strategy of
entering the chakravyuha. Somehow, his mother falls asleep and Abhimanyu is not
in a position to learn the skill to exit. The scene in the novel comes to the point that
a woman letting her womb on rent can never give such knowledge to the baby
unborn.
Also, it is suggested that the woman in poor circumstance can never have proper
mental and physical food. Besides, if the babies catch the diseases of the parents,
the medical problems of the third hired parent would also be introduced in the child.
The reference to Shakuntala projects the features of “The sight of Shakuntala’s trees
had troubled the trees to weep along with her.’( Garg 41) Radha too suffers all
through; remains positive; and, secure the community with such orphans as
Chandrima to hold the responsibility of one and all.
The reference to Lord Krishna occurs repeatedly. He is projected as the protector,
as the ruler with the democratic perception and the term leela is used with the
explanation in his political approach. This reference compares the present political
scene where the character called Minister ji has indulgence in anti-nation activities,
malpractices as bonded labour of child’s age and immortality. These are related to
other monarchs etc., all over the world since ever and ever. Naturally, with the
political scene deprived of necessary virtues, the society and man cannot do well.
In the days of Lord Krishna, there was a monarchy but the democratic attitude was
perceived: Lord Krishna giving an authentic smile to the grownups, the young ones,
the troubled ones, the immature ones and others too’( Garg 38) The central figure
is named Radha. The mythical name conveys the message of goodness.
Chandrima takes up the step to help who so ever comes her way. The novelist uses
the expression, much avowed Bhishma Pitamah’( Garg 49)and highlights the
Indian tradition of sacrificing ones’ capacity to be of use to others. These
mythological figures bring in courage and spread a message of goodness. Radha is
sold thrice but this feature causing physical atrocities must not prove her bad
forever. She understands her sincerity and puts in an effort to be less desolate: Lord
God, why I alone am a bad woman.
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The use of myth helps in the far-reaching impact. The precision of language also
does the same. To support this, the example of a boy; taking care of animals in the
market of these creatures, knows his own world which is a blend of criminals and
uncouth masses, nurturing in their own world. To lay emphasis on this, the novelist
uses only a limited expression when that minor unknown character, without even
nomenclature, takes pride with a sense of justification in his work nay performance
of duty: why do you talk about morals? Yes, I raped the girl at the age of thirteen.
Your atmosphere is different. My ethics is strange .’He tells Chandrima further:
Our heat is a real world. When a girl is brought for sale, see the eyes of buyers.’(
Garg 100)
This harangue in monologue of the boy is limited to less than one page but
Chandrima comes to understand the misery and the need to extend help. The
difference of the words, atmosphere and ‘ethics’ show the sense of pride the ‘boy’
attaches to his world. Also, the word ethics is associated with a cultured society or
discipline. The implication of the word moves to sub-culture’. Here, incidentally,
it would be in the fitness of things to recollect that the German culture is one of the
leading ones but the same had Nazi culture regime. All the while, rulers would talk
of high culture, ethos or ethics but the ruthless killing too might be a part of it. The
kind of groups in a society is made to maintain sub-culture. Thus, the word sub-
culture and ethics create all sorts of misgivings. The sub-culture has its own patois,
jargon, slang, a scale of values and ethical conventions.
Thus, with all this much of variation and particularly the Hippy sub-culture
spreading all over the world, consisting of drugs and immoralities, this attitude of
the boy has to be pondered over and changed but that is not attainable through direct
conversation or legal action only. Rather, slow but steady change through
reformation has to be applied. Chandrima definitely came across this in India but
she recollects this in America while she moves in a wider world.
The literary references are of such use as to introduce dimensions of poetry, drama
and novels also of English literature and Sanskrit. The ironical use of the reference
of George Bernard Shaw’s middle-class morality shows the picture of belief.
Nonetheless, it creates hope at last. The novelist says that the pitiable condition of
Radha does not attract anyone. The passerby being a humble middle –class woman
understands the meaning of George Bernard Shaw’s middle-class morality but she
was not to be fighting the scene.;( Garg 47)
Somehow, at least understanding is there. Hardy’s Henchard puts forth are ideal. In
An Abbreviated Child, Minister ji is debauch d immoral. The novelist writes:
Henchard, a creation of Thomas Hardy, is the one who defeats the idea of
extramarital affairs.( Garg 58) This comparison inspires. To predict the future is
not man’s action. It is known to reference, of an ignorant babe growing without
being in the know of family ties: This babe too, is to be a criminal member of the
criminal society or sent on some errand to be a blood seller organ seller, body seller
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per force and might be indulging ignorantly in Electra complex or Oedipus
complex. When the family ties are broken at an infant’s age limit who knows,
where, what or what not.’( Garg 34) The reference to Wallace Stevens
philosophical line, ‘It is a thing of either that exist ‘ helps the concept of Radha’s
fight on the basis of ‘Karma based purification.’( Garg 14)
Chandrima’s being helpless to express be compared: clasping of hands was
insufficient, taciturnity was the only expression. John Keats Nightingale would
burst because the expression was not there.( Garg 93) If the character has to be
speechless, the novelist too does not write much but leaves the matter with the
literary reference, to the wide and larger understanding of the reader. The novelist
has maintained aesthetic approach through a literary binary of language. It is the
beauty of this language that the eerie atmosphere created in the beginning of the
novel when Radha along with Chhotu and other bonded child labour goes out of
the establishment of Minister ji that much is expressed: God’s leela might
unknowingly spread wings to take them under its hue and aegis’ ( Garg 21-22) In
spite of all this magic realism, the fight is over and liberation has been achieved is
communicated metaphorically: ‘All those heavy fragments of slave
The irony is frequently used- some one’s child in some one’s womb’( Garg 8) Kalia
sells his sister, Gauri out of which she earns a life full of misery and all sorts of
taxation but Kalia earns income tax-free’( Garg 45) twenty thousand rupees.
Ironical situations and dialogues are many. Many philosophical comments are
there:’ Life is so varied that to cut a defined path is a constraint to be followed’ (
Garg 41) the use of poetic language binds the reader: ‘The voices of sale, sell, sold
shall continue to whimper into my ears. The use of ellipsis also adds to precession
here or elsewhere. Pathos is a dominating aspect. The miseries of the children are
endless. The grownups have either inflicted upon or the created ones: ’under all
sorts of suppression, the parentless child remains a featherless bird...The frightened
bird, belonging to an unsympathetic world, demoralised enough to take flights.
Consequential permanent disturbance unfolds itself and covers the aura of the child.
The comments on his future failure tag him rather than the caretakers.’(Garg 35)The
child deprived mother cries pathetically as the pain is too much after the baby has
been taken away by the kidnappers: Now in contrast were coming extremely painful
sobs of a mother running in the street from door to door, by the roadside, across the
market, wiping her face, her chest ready to burst heaving hard, unable to sit but
shouting-‘My lal, my boy, my munna. Oh, God, where are you; why I was born...
...Has baby been given food.’( Garg 34) To mention the use of simile is also
relevant. It is based on some similar point and in the example below there is a hint
of paradox also: ‘An abbreviated child has bloomed as a musk rose.’(Garg 73)
Juxtaposition is also employed with its deep roots in the tree: Lots of children are
delivered for economic or personal reasons to be finally lost amidst the jungle of
misery;( Garg 95) Personification stamps the impact much: ‘graveyard knows for
certain that most of the bodies do not come to it. Graves do not gulp all the dead.
Rivers do not flow all the ashes.;( Garg 95)
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The analysis of social and economic, man, woman and the consequential scenario
is applicable to contemporary requirements: ‘It is must for the economy of a country
to increase dearness. As per consequence man must earn much more. A woman too
ought to work outside. Woman’s cooking part is shifted mainly to market made
food.’( Garg 35) There are many more analytic references to an economy. To
increase employment feasibility on an ‘island’ is the ultimate hope of lessening
poor man’s dejections. ( Garg 9)
The imagery of ‘island’ reminds of Prospero bringing civilization on the island and
helping Caliban. This is not the only drama but much more are there. The
imagination of Chandrima is broader and planned. Prospero and Robinson Crusoe
are the accidental ones. The sarcasm on feminism is a man’s character approach
and is debatable:’ see, to talk at a high pitch is probably a dimension of the feminist
line of thought- which is still a westernized feature in India ... is simply subjugated
feminism which proves to be no feminism’.(Garg 40)
In another word picture, the plight of Radha as a young one is raised to add to
feminism: ‘The rope was at a height above the heads of watching crowds. The buyer
of mine did not give me tight pyjamas. Rather I used to be in shorts. How the idea
of shame torments me all the associated shames shadow me.’(Garg 39) The coining
of the term ‘gendered’ is highly expressive of the concern for woman’s condition
and also the precision of expression: ‘sex is biological and gender is the social
aspect. They go in combination and influence. This may be perforce.’(Garg 43-44)
A common feature of Indian writing in English fictionists is to use Hindi
expression. In this novel also such style is traced. One point with this practice is
that these are not translated into English as such. The words used are chhakrayuha,
leela, deewani, deewangi, haat, karma, or pallav and these have been appropriately
used in Hindi. The sense conveyed by these could not feminist, psychoanalyst or
Marxist mentioning pains and miseries to be fought with and pave the way to relief
to one and all. The language used in An Abbreviated Child is peculiar to its use. In
one hundred and four page novel, myth and epics, history, crime associated scene,
an orphanage, the need for education, government policy with regard to education,
Diaspora for the purpose of betterment, familial aspect in India and abroad, marital
bliss or curse, politics now or in past, taking a flight with bonded labour for their
liberation, dowry, demand, faith in God and fate, karma based working, human
being’s sale, and sold for the purpose of all sorts of exploitation like organ selling,
blood sucking, physical exploitation by pedophiles or others, labour union,
government jobs, the uses and misuses of medical advancement and medical
tourism and overshadowing all this with the dominant scene of poverty in need of
economic improvement and reform. The language has precision and at places, it is
rather tight and that are how so many aspects of the individual's life and society
have been incorporated. This is highly commendable. The limited use of expression
harmless the thought on the mind of the reader.
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On the other hand, Altaf Tyrewala coins a new term 'Englishhhh' it is a mixture of
English and Hindi words. According to the writer, Englishhh cures the ill effects of
English. It is the most life-altering language in the history of the world, he says.
The young novelists have taken a new path that is really easy for the young
generation. Their language is so simple an average man can easily understand. The
compilation has been alphabetized for easy referencing. From nouns, verbs,
adjectives and articles to names of continents, countries, states. The young writers
never left anything that cannot be changed. For example- Democracy is now a
democracy, colonialism is still colonialism, and globalisation is globalisation and
so on. The young generation is totally different. They can modify everything
according to their own convenience.
A writer needs to take care of language, a taste of readers, religion and geography
of the readers. These are the factors which effect directly to the work:
A creative writer is never wholly free from linguistic and cultural considerations or
limitations. How so ever unconscious of these he may be literally. He has to choose
his structures and sounds according to the kind of aesthetic effect he wants to create.
His creation is determined by the structure of language. The structure determines
what can or cannot be said in the language, just as his cultural background
determines the semantic content of his work. All external factors influence the style
of writing. (Upadhyaya 92)
The wrongly spelt words make people pay attention towards them and make an
impression on the memory also. It has more impact on the mind of the readers. So
the novelists use the words and pay attention towards it. "Get rid of unwanted
pregnancy in one have" (Tyrewala 8) but every reader gets the right meaning for
whom it is written. He is a no different young novelist who avoided the usage of
bad language or abusive words: "buy the cassettes. For fuck's sake, mam I need
the cash." (Tyrewala 11)
The novelist shows how the young India is moving and their language of
conversation with senior people has deteriorated to a greater extent. When novelist
explains Kaka, a man of sixty-five and how a twenty-four-year-old young lad talks
to the man of his father's age.
"Kaka", I'll drag you down by your dick if you do that again. Didn't you hear:
Woodland The sentence even gives the way how to speak the abusive word and its
tone of saying gives the reader an impression of real effects and make the novel
live in their minds. The novelist shows the language like: "The patronising saali! '
Sure', I say, "I will open the door and give you tea-biscuit also. ( Tyrewala 60)
The novelist does not hesitate anywhere to use the language of mawalis. How they
think, how they react, they donot have respect either for the woman and their every
sentence have a beautiful word which we normally say the bad word. The capital
letters used in the conversation is to make easy to understand the language.
Normally capital letters are used in the narrations of children so that they can easily
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understand it and can recall it. The novelist uses the fragmented sentences. The use
of sentence fragments is non-standard and common. The novelists use partially as
an aesthetic choice. Fragments introduce pauses, causing the text to flow in a
rhythm move like natural speech or free thought than like prose. The non-native of
English people does not think in long and flowery sentences for foreign language.
The language of the novel is giving the touch of local people who have bad words
in their language and the novelist uses the mixed language which is normally known
as Hinglish and proves the hybridity of the language."I look like an asli kasai,
absolute butcher man" (Tyrewala 133).He succeeds in capturing the psychic inner
life of Mumbai. He says it is important for me to live with my own culture, in the
location, I am writing about.
So, through these writers, we can say that our own modern language is totally
different from the traditional language of the old writers. There is really a
discrimination of the old and the new language. The old language was based on
grammatical rules and regulations but in today's context, a new trend is emerging
that language is easily readable by the common people is the best language. If we
see from the point of view of the young generation, this language is perfect but it
has lost its fragrance which was the real essence of the traditional language. “The
distinct Indian flavours are back in the English language and thus the works of the
modern Indian writers reflected the Indianised English. Be it Salman Rushdie,
Shashi Tharoor or Amitav Ghosh the deconstruction of the British English was
quite evident.”(Sharma 65) in the writings of the old writers reflects the Indianness.
The regional languages are freely used and once again breaking, restructuring and
adding a new twist and dimension to the traditional narrative patterns. According
to David Lodge, emotive use of language is also present in modern writing and
criticism: “A statement may be used for the sake of the reference true or false, which
it causes. This is the scientific use of language. But it may also be used for the sake
of the effects in emotions and attitude produced by the references it occasions. This
is the emotive use of language.” ( Lodge 7)
To preserve aesthetics in literature has that mandatory dimension which is much
surpassed. The masses are the reader with the linking for the pleasure of their level.
Undoubtedly, Shakespeare caters to all. In almost all the present generation
novelists, the use of mythical references is not to the depth. Arundhati Roy's
language has the typicality of frankness as per the theme. Tyrewala has the use of
language conceives to the masses. (Also refer to the office novel) This scene of
executive culture looks makes believe because of the overexposed use of language.
The very purpose of the novel gets nullified. If an executive has gone down the
drain then the organisations must come to an end.
In this balance or imbalance of language comes the novel, An Abbreviated Child
where the theme based on miseries has the projection of the message in
heteroglossia. The mental status of a self-sacrificing character Chandrima is
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conveyed through 'Much-avowed Bhishma Pitamah' Pin pointedly referring to the
determined path taken by both. Anti surrogacy message is concluded again with
Mahabharata character. Abhimanyu would learn in the womb which is the 'never
never nest' for a test tube baby. The much deep rooted expression is used to
embellish the issues raised. Through such literary expressions as Oedipus complex
or Electra complex depth in precision is given to the future of a child sold young.
The precision is attached to the instruments of myth, proper words, use of ellipsis,
and severe avoidance of uncalled for details and establish positive attitude in the
sufferers.
This language with its classicism is not much practised nowadays. Anyway, this is
a good attempt made by the novelist. Rather loud language takes away the serious
thought of the reader. The impact of the message gets nullified. Literature is an
aesthetically conveyed message to the society in a moral tone. Few references of
frank nature showcase in a novel written aesthetically like Salman Rushdie's
Midnight's Children, Kiran Desai's or Shashi Deshpandey's The Dark Holds No
Terror do not hurt aesthetics. Literature is to guide not to be guided. It’s our duty
to search purity, aesthetic, morality in the writing, which is the need of today. If we
are not able to search beauty, pleasure and moral in writing what will be the
difference between the history and the literature. So we have chosen these two
writers to show the variability in the language, though the language of Garg;s novel
is more aesthetically applicable than Tyrewala but it is not altogether true that his
language is totally vulgar only. It is really a voice of the young generation.
WORK-CITED
Abrams, M.H. and Harpham, Geoffery Galt. A Glossary of Literary Terms 11
Edition. New Delhi:Cengage Learning India Private Limited,2015. Print.
Garg,Rita. An Abbreviated Child. New Delhi: Vishva Bharti, 2011. Print.
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Lodge, David. Language of Fiction. London: Routledge, 2012. Print.
Sharma,Nandita. “Contemporary Trends in Indian writing in English-Post-
Independence Perspective” in The Aesthete: An e-journal of Department of English
and Foreign Languages. ISSN: 2455-5770 Volume 1 January 2016,65. Print
Tyrewala, Altaf. No God In sight. Penguin, 2007. Print.
Upadhyay B.P. and Singh, Shyam Radhey “Matrix of Language.” Language and
Literature:
Shifting Paradigm: A. Ed. Satendra Kumar. Jaipur: Yking Books, 2014, Print.
Literature and Globalization
Ashima Chandna
The Aryan School, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, India
Abstract
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The present paper deals with Literature as a vehicle of globalization. Specific
examples of literary works have been taken to demonstrate this. When we accept
thoughts, viewpoints, processes, customs and social behaviour which belongs to
any area of the world, it amounts to globalization. This helps us to come to a
common platform. Academic literature divides it into three categories: economic,
cultural and political. Literature is part of cultural globalization and therefore will
be the focus of this paper.
Social relations develop and become stronger through Cultural globalization which
deals with the exchange of thoughts, implications and standards of behaviour
among people of the world. Globalization is fostered by communication. The word
communication means to disseminate. This is done by presenting what one wants
to convey by the use of representations which are meaningful to the giver and
receiver. This function is performed by Literature. Literature has the quality of
bringing about a change in the way people think. It works beyond the barriers of
time, culture and place, trying to destroy restrictions so that we move towards a
world culture and globalization.
In Animal Farm George Orwell criticizes the Soviet culture so that he can bring
about a change in the way people think, so that self-made walls like the Berlin Wall
fall and we proceed towards a world culture and globalization. Anti-war literature
is instrumental in creating an environment conducive to communication and
globalization. The works of Wilfred Owen will be delved into in this context.
Key Words: Globalization, Cultural Globalization, Communication, Literature,
Work of George Orwell and Wilfred Owen.
Introduction
The present paper deals with Literature as a vehicle of globalization. Specific
examples of literary works have been taken to demonstrate this.
Globalization
At the outset, we have to be clear what we mean by globalization. It is a method
by which we bring the peoples of the world together by aligning attitudes, products,
theories, thoughts and other features of culture. The world has become a smaller
place as civilization has evolved. This has been facilitated by advancements in
communication. Man can physically move with the greatest of ease and reach any
part of the globe with convenience and speed. A great cementing force has been the
development of telecommunication and the use of cell phones and internet. This
has made it possible to bring the world onto a common platform where economic
interdependence is possible along with cultural exchange between different
political and geographical groups. Since time immemorial man seems to be moving
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towards globalization. It is observed that the easier it becomes to cross and
eliminate boundaries the more is the cohesion between heterogeneous groups in
terms of economies and cultures. Globalization is a way of unifying the world with
the help of give and take of thought processes, products, and other aspects of
culture.
Globalization means transforming an individual and making him into a world
citizen. World citizenship has many implications. A world citizen is a person who
does not believe in a national identity but would like to transcend political and
geographical boundaries. The great thinker Socrates said, "I am not an Athenian or
a Greek, but a citizen of the world” (Herod, 2009). Paul (2005) discussed that today
the dependence on each other is greater so all the people of the world need to unite
and share a joint consciousness and have a sense of joint responsibility for all global
issues like preserving the environment and dangers of nuclear proliferation. Appiah
(1997) suggested that globalization is a way to integrate the people of the world
and awaken them to interests which are common to all and develop a shared sense
of humanity. McLuhan and Powers (1992) considered globalization to be
economic, cultural and/or political. Literature is part of cultural globalization and
therefore will be the focus of this paper.
Cultural Globalization
Paul (2006) referred to cultural globalization as the bringing together of thoughts,
meanings and standards of acceptable behaviour so that people of the world come
closer and intermingle. A synthesis of ideas results when cultures of different areas
come together and interact. This interaction between cultures paves the way for a
world consciousness strengthening social relations which fade out all walls between
people. When we talk of social relations, we just donot mean in the physical sense
but also in the way people across the world identify themselves with a particular
culture or cultures and accept behaviour and thought which they consider normal.
In this way distances between geographical and cultural groups are reduced.
The term globalization is an amalgamation of the economies of different countries,
what they produce, the policies laid down by them and culture patterns. This
integration is a direct result of the ease with which we can reach out to each other
with the help of science, whether we communicate in written, verbally or move
about in person, it increases efficiency in international business and other means of
exchange. In the beginning, only the linking of global markets was considered to
be globalization but today it encompasses (Bridges, 2002) social and cultural
influences too. This advancement has come about by the increased and easy usage
of the Internet.
Communication
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Globalization is fostered by communication. The word communication is derived
from the word commonality. It is the act of conveying implications which are
transferred from one individual or group to the others through the use of symbols,
which may include language. This function is performed by Literature.
Communication is a dissemination of information to different regions and people
by different channels. We have different methods that we use. According to
Manichander and Manjula (2016), there are understood to be four categories
delineated as:
Speech or Verbal method of communication: face-to-face by using cell
phones and media which uses radio and television.
Non-Verbal method of Communication: which uses body language and
actions.
Written method of Communication: these include letter writing, sending
messages through emails, books, newspapers and periodicals and the very
vast world wide web of the internet.
Visual method of communication: these transmit ideas with the help
of charts, maps, logos and other visualization
Communication is used to foster understanding between participants where one
sends and the other receives. Even the tone, the pitch, facial expressions and
gestures convey varying shades of meaning Verbal communication is immediate
but limited to the particular receiver or receivers.
When we express ourselves in writing we emanate our thoughts to the receiver or
recipients; till recently few of us had the means to publish for a large group or area.
Today this has become so easy because of worldwide webs which give an infinite
scope being online. We have any information on our fingertips (Harter, 1998).
Social network sites like Facebook and Twitter have helped people to come
together.
Literature
Literature is a writing which may be thought to be something of artistic merit and
wit because it uses language in a distinctive manner which is considered more
stylish than the ordinary. (Eagleton, 1983). It comes from the Latin word Litera
which means letter or handwriting. It may be used to describe anything that we
write. Today the definition has become more extensive and has encompassed texts
that are set to music. It extends to fiction, non-fiction, prose, poetry novel, short
story and drama. The concept of Literature has become even wider and
encompasses non-written, verbal and electronic forms.
In an attempt to define "Literature" Meyer (1997) endeavours to answer the
question "What is Literature?" he says that many have tried to define Literature but
have not been able to reach a satisfactory terminology because what we consider
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literature is an ever changing scenario. Definitions appear to be too broad,
nebulous and ephemeral. What we can say with certainty about Literature is that
its definition will keep changing. How we conceptualize it will also change (Ryan
and Ryan, 2014).
Definitions of Literature have changed with the passage of time. Some have claimed
that Literature is a work of superior quality and distinction. In 2005 Biswas said
that literature is what we consider to be beautiful which is transformed into a
written creation. The problem with the definition is that what is beautiful at one
time may not be considered good at a later time.
Literature" is concerned with poetic manifestations; that makes it different from
ordinary speech, it is the "literariness" or "poeticity" of the written text or other
kinds of writings, like journalism (Leitch, Vincent, Cain & William, 2010; Eagleton,
1983). Meyer (1997) thinks this to be a useful feature to explain Literature as
published material in a specific field like scientific Literature or medical Literature.
It must be noted that the language used must be according to a particular standard.
The problem with this definition is that language is dynamic and keeps changing
with time and people who use it. This has happened in the past and will continue
to happen in the future too. Today what we use as SMS language may be accepted
as a form of Literature in the future (Eagleton, 1983).
Literature Changes the way a Man Thinks
Studies have been made to show how Literature has affected the way people think
and form attitudes. Though studies are inconclusive because of the complex nature
of attitude formation, yet Literature has some value in the way a man thinks.
Morality plays of the past were used to instill ethics. Wisdom was taught through
fables and stories of the Puran and Panchtantra. Even today most popular stories
always convey the victory of good over evil. Literature has the quality of bringing
about a change in the way people think. It works beyond the barriers of time, culture
and places trying to destroy restrictions so that we move towards a world culture
and globalization. Shakespeare in his Julius Caesar (2014) writes “How many ages
hence shall this our lofty scene be acted over, in states unborn and accents yet
unknown?” Time, geographical region and narrow cultural restrictions cannot hold
back the oneness of a world culture developed by Literature. This is demonstrated
by Anton Chekov (2013) in his short story The Bet.
“For fifteen years I have been studying earthly life. It is true I have not seen the
earth nor men, but in your books, I have drunk fragrant wine, I have sung songs, I
have hunted stags and wild boars in the forests, have loved women. Beauties as
ethereal as clouds, created by the magic of your poets and geniuses, having visited
me at night, and have whispered in my ears wonderful tales that have set my brain
in a whirl. In your books, I have climbed the peaks of Elburz and Mont Blank, and
from there I have seen the sun rise and have watched at evening flood the sky, the
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ocean, and the mountain tops with gold and crimson. I have watched from there the
lightning flashing over my head and cleaving the storm clouds. I have seen green
forests, fields, rivers, lakes, towns. I have heard the singing of sirens and the strains
of shepherds’ pipes; I have touched the wings of comely devils who flew down to
converse with me of God. In your books I have flung into the bottomless pit,
performed miracles, slain, burned towns, and preached new religions, conquered
new kingdoms.”
Hence Literature acts as a melting pot where all discriminations fade into one world
consciousness.
The Animal Farm by George Orwell
There is much Literature to demonstrate how it helps us to move towards
globalization; but for the purpose of this presentation, I will restrict myself to the
novel by George Orwell The Animal Farm (Orwell, 1987).
This is an anti-utopian novel. It is a satire on Soviet Russia, against totalitarianism
in any form. Published in 1949 the book represents a near future society which was
a projection of totalitarianism in the modern world.
Orwell can be seen as a paradox of views in the sense that he is against communism
but an ardent fan of socialism. To understand him one must differentiate between
socialism and communism. Socialism is an economic system based on the
collective ownership of goods and property. Communism is a special form of
socialism, developed on the theory raised by Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels in
Manifesto (1847) and Das Kapital (1867). It seeks to remove ownership of private
property by violent means. On the other hand, socialism looks for legal and more
moderate and peaceful means of productivity. Soviet propaganda, secrecy and
isolation were behind an iron curtain and few people knew the truth of what was
going on in Russia. Orwell through the paradigm of The Animal Farm endeavoured
to bring out the true picture. He, through the pages of his celebrated novel, wielded
public opinion against communism as practiced in Russia. In 1941 people were
praising Stalin for his alternating foreign policy between friendship and enmity with
Germany; Orwell (2003) said that he would be called opportunist and stupid
eventually. He wrote in The Observer that communism was not a successful
revolution. A class of people gathered power and exploited the innocent
countrymen. They made blunders for which they punished any scapegoat. They
cruelly killed many to cover their own shortcomings.
The Animal Farm is a story that can be read at many levels. It is humorous in its
execution but attacks Stalinism, the Russian Revolution and Communism. It is a
paradigm on how revolutions end. Another forceful message is how power corrupts
and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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The Animal Farm presents a satire on the rise of Communism in the Soviet Union.
The Animal Farm is the country itself while its main characters are based on actual
persons. Mr. Jones represents the Czar who is wrapped up in seeking his own
pleasures keeping his own men hungry and devoid of all comforts. The animals on
the farm are the people who are ignorant but hardworking and are completely
exploited by a group of pigs. The patriarch boar is a representation of Marx and
Lenin. The idea appears to be beautiful but is distorted to benefit the pig community
of the animal farm lead by Napoleon. Squealer the pig symbolizes propaganda.
Other farms around seem to be Germany and Poland and the ambivalent
relationship with them is parallel to Stalin’s ever-changing foreign policy. At the
end, pigs walk and talk like men and the country remains as it was before. It is not
exploited by humans but by the totalitarianism of pigs.
Orwell is praised for his contribution to making people aware of the dangers of
Communism. The most important message that comes out is that oppression can
annihilate individualism. Orwell’s political ideas disseminated through his writings
helped to remove differences among people and brought them together again.
Walls are built due to differences in ideology, religion, politics and other social
causes, yet a way of unification and understanding is fostered by writers who effect
a change in the way people think. The idea can be demonstrated by a British
Cartoon (Illingworth, 1946) of March 1946, showing Winston Churchill trying to
peep under Joseph Stalin’s ‘Iron Curtain’.
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Cartoon - 'A peep under the Iron Curtain'(Illingworth, 1946)
Though the Soviet Union fell due to internal causes yet the removal of The Berlin
Wall was a decision from both sides. The acceptance of both the Germanys shows
that the world may have “been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls”
(Tagore, 2013). Yet as propagated by Robert Frost (2000) ‘Something there is that
does not love a wall.’ “Before I built a wall I’d ask to know what I was walling in
or walling out, and to whom I was like to give offence, something there is that does
not love a wall that wants it down”. Such Literature helped people to come
together.
Anti-War Sentiments as Presented by Wilfred Owen
Anti-war Literature is instrumental in creating an environment conducive to
communication and globalization. Much Literature appears to express these
sentiments so that people can awaken to the horrors of war and shun it. Robert
Southey (1796, 1855) wrote After Blenheim in 1796. The World War I brought in
its wake a number of poets like Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and Auden who
brought the attention of the public to the pain of the ground reality of war, which
was a complete contrast to what was seen as war. The poems of Rupert Brooke and
Maria Remarque are the greatest examples of anti-war poems. For the purpose of
this paper, I would like to focus on the poems of Wilfred Owen who is famous as
an anti-war poet.
Owen visited a hospital to interact with wounded French soldiers at Baigneres. He
was so moved by their plight that he wrote eloquently about it. The sight of their
wounds overwhelmed him to such an extent that he wrote about them in graphic
detail. His critics accused him of voyeurism, as these details found their place in
his poetry and he accentuated them as the pity of war.
Owen was wounded and hospitalized. While recouping he wrote many poems
which made him well known. At this time he composed ‘Anthem for Doomed
Youth’. Sassoon’s influence affected Owens poetic style. His poem Anthem for
Dead youth was renamed Anthem for Doomed Youth (Owen & Kerr, 1994) on the
suggestions of Sassoon.
“What passing-bells for those who die like cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.”
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He thoroughly disapproved of Jessie Pope whose viewpoints were in complete
contrast to his. She advocated that men must die for their country to earn glory. He
called this sentiment the old lie.
“If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
Bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro Patria Mori”. (Owen, 2013)
In 1918 Owen released a book of poems but wrote in the preface his celebrated
lines-- “This book is not about heroes.” “My subject is war and the pity of war; the
poetry is in the pity.” The poems in the collection gave out ugly facts about the war
in their complete nakedness. The reader’s sentiments were prodded to the extreme
by the nastiness of the word pictures presented.
“In all my dreams before my helpless sight
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.” (Owen, 2013).
The poems of Wilfred Owen are well known but were posthumously criticized
because it was alleged that he brought out only the pity of war, the misery people
went through and ignored the aspects of heroism, courage, sacrifice and
comradeship. In 1936, W. B. Yeats did not include his poems in ‘Oxford Book of
Modern Verse’ because of their polarity of viewpoint which did not present the
authentic life of a soldier. Wilfred Owens’s poems gained popularity after 45 years
of his death and he became known as the best war poet in English Literature. His
works show intensity of feeling and depict the physical, mental and ethical trauma
of war
ARMS AND THE BOY (Owen & Kerr, 1994)
“Let the boy try along this bayonet-blade
How cold steel is, and keen with hunger of blood;
Blue with all malice, like a madman's flash;
And thinly drawn with famishing for flesh.
Lend him to stroke these blind, blunt bullet-leads,
Which long to nuzzle in the hearts of lads,
Or give him cartridges whose fine zinc teeth
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Are sharp with the sharpness of grief and death.”
He wrote about his own experiences of war. He remembered a heavy machine gun
which went off after very short intervals and he was so exhausted that he fell asleep
just 70 yards from it. He walked through trenches which were filled with water. He
faced attacks and the smell of human carcasses overwhelmed him. He writes about
his sentry losing his eyesight, and his group of soldiers sleeping on snow covered
ground. War was a horror-filled experience for him. In a letter to his mother, he
wrote (Powell, 2014) that he felt he was in the seventh hell. He was in charge of a
dugout in the front. He trudged over mines, and through waterlogged trenches. At
some places, the marshy lands were ready to suck them in. This was the pain he
went through. Owen says, “Be truthful, suffer dishonour and disgrace, but never
resort to arms. Be bullied, be outraged, be killed: but do not kill." The pain of killing
is shown in the following:
“Where death becomes absurd and life absurder.
For power was on us as we slashed bones bare
Not to feel sickness or remorse of murder.”
These lines are from Apologia Pro Poemate Me (Owen & Kerr, 1994). He describes
the hopelessness of war in his poem A Strange Meeting (Owen & Kerr, 1994).
“I would have poured my spirit without stint
But not through wounds; not on the cess of war.
Foreheads of men have bled where no wounds were.
I am the enemy you killed, my friend.
I knew you in this dark; for so you frowned
Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed.
I parried, but my hands were loath and cold.
Let us sleep now.”
Wilfred Owens contribution of warning people against war has been considered
stupendous. He has fostered sentiment of togetherness and harmony as the way to
world peace and this can only result in encompassing the world into one.
Conclusion
The paper has dealt with how Literature binds people into a society that
encompasses the globe and paves way for one world but it endangers individuality.
In endeavouring to be part of the whole, one’s own identity is lost like a brook
entering the main river.
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Literature has been taken in its narrow perspective. The paper is about
Globalization but is Eurocentric and deals with only English Literature. This is
because the world is still far away from the cultural globalization that we envisage.
“The geniuses of all lands and of all ages speak different languages, but the same
flame burns in them all.” These words of Anton Chekov (2013) from The Bet cannot
make us belittle any culture or language of the world. Our expectation is that such
papers will be more broad-based in the future and include Literature in all languages
of the world. Another hope is that all people of the world will come together and a
cohesive society will emerge.
References
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2. Biswas, A. R. (2005). Critique of Poetics. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers &
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3. Bridges, G. (2002). Grounding Globalization: The Prospects and Perils of
Linking Economic Processes of Globalization to Environmental Outcomes.
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4. Chekhov, A. P. (2013). The Bet. Charleston: CreateSpace Independent
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5. Eagleton, T. (1983). Literary theory: an introduction. London: University of
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6. Harter, S. P. (1998). Scholarly communication and electronic journals: An
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8. Illingworth (6 March 1946). Carton. Daily Mail. Retrieved from
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9. Leitch, Vincent, B., Cain, & William, E. (2010). The Norton Anthology of
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in World Life and Media in the 21st century. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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Lebanon, New Hampshire, United State: UPNE.
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18. Owen, W., & Kerr, D. (1994). The Poems of Wilfred Owen. UK: Wordsworth
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Signifying Language through Literature
Dr. Sucharita Sharma
Asst. Prof. Dept. of English
The IIS University
I am a black writer struggling with and through a language that can powerfully
evoke and enforce hidden signs of social superiority, cultural hegemony, and
dismissive “othering” of people and language which are by no means marginal or
already and completely known and knowable in my work.
(Playing in the Dark x – xi).
In the last few years, the literary world has witnessed a growing fondness for the
implied sense of ‘aesthetics’ in the realm of literary studies which has raised
curiosity in the minds of readers whose indulgence in the text is not only to derive
pleasure but to decipher nuance- layered meanings. Moving forward in this study,
we have learnt that language has always served an important medium in conveying
the soul of the writer to its reader. In fact, it functions as an outpouring of
unexpressed and unspoken thoughts which flow from his subconscious to the
conscious minds of the reader in the form of written language. The written
language is presented in a more refined form, enriched with meaningful context
through which the readers are made familiar with evocative words and syntactic
structure of language.
Language in literature also forms a bridge to widen the horizons of cultural context
and understanding of the text which is written against a particular cultural
background. The language of a nation has always played an important role in
narrating the history of its formation. A very strong example of this responsible
relationship rests with the writing skills of African- American writers who are also
the custodian and carrier of their culture and traditions. The impact of the creative
genius of these writers is carried forward to the readers through the subtle and
intricate use of words, weaved together to deliver an essential force of their
community, yet not focusing on any single essential aspect of American reality.
These writers involve subjects ranging from and relating to their colonized life to
the journey of artistic awakening during Harlem Renaissance in the Jazz Age.
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Language has played a dominating role in scripting the lived realities, and
functions as an agent in establishing such reality with both forces of healing and
harming. This form of language becomes a subject in itself, demonstrated as a
genre that creates an awareness of the native’s journey and enables the text to be
read as a recreation of their past while orienting them to the reclamation of their
future through linguistic vision.
It is widely accepted that there is a natural connection between the language and
identity of any nation’s writings. The accent, diction, speech and pronunciation
define and describe the identity of its people as members of one group that share
a common individuality. Language is seen as an essential characteristic feature
integral to the articulation of an individual’s identity; rather a belief which is
formed on the basis of various socio- cultural and political factors grounded in
historical contexts, reflecting its vibrant and impulsive nature. But, it is not the
only language through which we are rendered an identity, but the use of a common
language with certain specifications and an identifiable and definable use by
certain socio-cultural groups also signifies the structure of that particular language.
Toni Morrison is one such writer in the line of such African- American writers
whose passionately composed and convincing art of portraying characters has
become an embodiment towards a deep insight into the real but nevertheless
unrevealed world of suffering. It is the expression of their trauma, suffering,
shame, guilt, agony and angst which is openly expressed in the choice of her
language, signs and symbols. The language of Morrison’s writings is an effective
tool to articulate the anger and pain of the entire black community. It is a journey
back to the roots of this community which is clearly manifested in their utterances,
actions and reactions. It is her linguistic artistry that compartmentalizes the diverse
experiences of this community. The passages of conversations between different
characters signify exchange and expression of ideas related to race, class and sex,
rendering a sociolinguistic perspective to the novel through the use of language.
Bell Hooks’ has rightly given an insightful remark that “images of race and
representation have become a contemporary obsession”, yet, “little progress is
made of we transform images without shifting paradigms, changing perspectives,
ways of looking”(6). The coming together of the art of story- telling and
investigations of race in a decisively socio-political relationship transforms the
language to that of liberation and felicitation.
Sharing her responsibility as a black women writer, Morrison clarifies that, “my
vulnerability would lie in romanticizing Blackness rather than demonizing it;
vilifying whiteness rather than reifying it” (1988, xi). Her prime objective is to
revoke the cultural memories while creating a “race- specific- yet a race- free-
prose” because the speech of a black writer is a reclamation and revival of her own
identity, a relation which enables and empowers her to connect with the outer
world of her ‘self’. For this canon of writing, language has been an important
medium to erase the vicious idea of “double consciousness” as expounded by Du
Bois, and inculcate and evolve the lost regard and self- pride. Slave narratives,
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histories and autobiographies are some testimonies to the brutal experiences of
slavery which were covered under the veil of shame and suffering. Even German
philosopher Immanuel Kant has remarked that “blacks are lower than all other
races in their mental capacities” (Kant, 111).
The relation between the colonizer and colonized exists on the difference
between both. The African presence cannot be seen without the discursive
authority of the colonizer in texts that are based on colonial discourse. To break
this tradition of colonial domination, these black writers have replaced the
discourse of exclusion with the speech of powerful depiction “possessing no true
self- consciousness, as signified by the absence of voice and therefore no history,
…blacks lay veiled in a shroud of history” (Gates, Jr. Figures in Black 104). The
linguistic discourse of black narratives implies the positioning of these ex-slaves
as a transitory passage to the revival of their identity. The history is retrieved
through varied narrative forms such as oral histories, autobiographies and slave
narratives combined with the use of myths, folklores, legends, establishing and
evidencing the importance of past in fabricating the present. Elaborating on the
importance of employing Black English, Morrison, in Playing in the Dark:
Whiteness and Literary Imagination writes:
My project rises from delight…from what I know about the ways writers transform
aspects of their social grounding into aspects of language. The contemplation of
black presence is central to any understanding of our national literature and should
not be permitted to hover at the margins of literary imagination. (4-5)
This strategic employment of language makes her narrative a tool to subvert the
white hegemonic writing. These literary records are, according to Terry
Eagelton’s definition of literature, placed under the large umbrella of discursive
practices, representing those governing cultural practices that transform these
silenced subalterns to speaking subjects. K.C. Lalthlamuani writes in his scholarly
article that
Race and gender sensitive writings always move through conflicting trajectories
underlining the nature of language and status of communication as the basic
principle of discourse formation and problematize social and political phenomena
in which the author and the text are located.
Although it is a complex task to rewrite and reclaim these lost identities, the
language and portrayal of black identities accomplish the task of bringing together
their fragmented and dispersed history. If language provides an authentication to
the colonizer, it is also reflexive of the suffering of this black community that has
always undergone dehumanizing experiences. The relationship between the
colonizer and the colonized is very complex and ambivalent to understand, which
is further aggravated by the use of ‘colonial discourse’ in these postcolonial texts.
The colonial frames his identity through his authoritative positioning against the
native. This situational analysis is well formulated and interpreted by the reading
of colonial’s linguistic mode of subjugation. But the retrieval of vernacular and
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aboriginal languages in African, Australian and other canonical writings have
carved the identities of natives in their own discourse, which is written in their
own language and explicitly articulates the native’s dissent over the forcibly
established colonial authority. The grammar, syntax, language and dictionary
actually become the mode of native’s newly formed self-identity, subverting the
imposed false identities by the colonizer’s discourse.
If fiction is considered as a written form of socio- political story, then language is
the force which provides authority to the natives to associate with their communal
relations. Morrison’s fictions have truly gained this sovereignty over the linguistic
use in her narratives, evoking a powerfully eloquent African discourse. Her
uniqueness as a Black writer is clearly reflected in her narrative style with
intricately woven techniques like the use of uncommon, yet explicit use of
comparisons and contrasts to take the reader to a new world of writer’s ideas and
thoughts to decipher the nuance- layered meanings of images and experiences,
further complicated by the use of multiple narration such as in Beloved, evocative
likenesses and varied sentence arrangements. But one of the most recognized
trademarks of her writing style is the inventive and artistic use of historical
references that evoke vivid and rich imagery seeped in reminiscences of Black
history which articulate the angst and pain of African- Americans. Novels like The
Bluest Eye, Beloved and Song of Solomon textualize the reality of those times of
history in which the stories are set.
The idea of such discourse conceptualizes the social world as a constituent of a
wide range of conversations which operate near the world of which they are a
component. A reading of Western history proves that treatises of gendered/ racial
literature have always been the dominating representation of white hegemonic
society. Such narratives are actually the written manifestations of the subject-
object relation or the binary of ‘Self’ and ‘Other’. The identities constructed
through such representations are patterned on their marginalized life on fringes,
retelling their struggle to shift from margins to the center. Thus, through its dissent
and resistance, the discourse of subordinated serves as an alternative to the
colonizer’s authoritative linguistic discourse. This discourse eventually becomes
an interface in reading Black literary studies as a document wherein we read to
derive the meaning in the life of people with fractured and tormented identities,
thriving on wreckages of forgotten and dispersed history, which is difficult to
trace as it is more a part and parcel of a diminished past which is to be brought
forward to render a powerful existence in the contemporary times through
rewriting this reality which has gradually declined to the world of darkness.
Works cited: Page 129
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Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1983.
Print.
Gates, Jr. H.L. Figures in Black: Words, Signs, and the “Racial” Self. USA:
Oxford University Press, 1987. Print
hooks, bell. Race and Representation. Boston: South End Press, 1992. Print.
Kant, Immanuel. “On the Different Human Races.” Kant and the Concept of Race.
Albany: SUNY Press, 2013. 111. Print.
Lalthalamuani, K.C. “Representation of Marginality in Toni Morrison’s
Narrative”. European Academic Research 2:9(2014): 12011-12018. Web. 19 Nov.
2016.
Morrison, Toni. “Unspeakable Things Unspoken: The African American
Presence in American Literature”. Michigan Quarterly Review 28:1(1989).
Politics of Language and Identity: A Role of Indian English
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Avishek Deb
Shiladitya Bhattacharya
Introduction:
The question of Indian English (henceforth IE) has become even more interesting
after seventy years of India’s political independence, with a robust question
without a validated solution: is IE a standard version or just another exotic one?
The question is important because of several historical, socio-political, educational
reasons. Historically, English came to India about four hundred years ago; since
then, the language has evolved from the language of the merchants, to the language
of the colonizer and in the recent times, the language of the ruling class of Indian
academic, bureaucratic elite (Sedlatschek, 2009). Even though we can ascribe the
beginning of the spread of English language in the world since the 17th century, it
will not be unjust to say that English established its roots in the period of
colonization by the British empire. The later consolidation of it as a language of
use in various domains beginning from literature, education and business as well
as entertainment, policy, governance etc came about after the graduation of the
United States in the post-second world war period.
1.1 A Short Description of the Indian Situation:
The Indian situation is of considerable importance. India is one of the earliest
colonies of the British empire. The language has been in use for more than two
centuries in attested history; same argument goes for the IE variety (Sedlatschek,
2009). In the pre independence era, the English language varieties were restricted
within the versions spoken within the British mainlands, be it the written or the
spoken form. It was the essential mode of instruction in education, both in schools
and higher-education domains. It existed as the official mode of governance, legal
proceedings of the Raj. Intellectual practices of both the ruling-class and the
resistance were shaped in this language. One can attest this from the writings of
the doyens of Indian social-reformation and historiography like Raja Rammohan
Roy and R.C. Mazumdar among many others. The regional languages became the
tools for national resistance in the Indian freedom fighting movement only after
the wake of “Banga Vanga andolan” of 1905 and 1911. It certainly created a class
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in India that was equivalent to the English civilians marked by features of
sophistication of taste, love for the Queen’s rule, a genuine hatred for the resistance
to the existing system of governance and the Indian ‘cattle class’, and in their love
for the English language and literature. Subsequently, in the post-independence
situation this class of civilians, educators and moderators of the national politics
received a heavy blow but nonetheless, it reaped the fruit too. The colony left by
the actual colonizers, was left in the hand of this faithful class of native ruling
class, who in its turn, preserved the nostalgia of the language alive by promoting
it as the associate official language of the state; thus, the linguistic colonization of
the English language persisted and is seen to thrive even now while we write this
paper.
The concern of the authors of this paper is not to set up an investigation to measure
the rights and wrongs of the process of the acculturation process mentioned above.
Nor do we want to scrutinize the set up parameters for language standardizations
of English in India. However, we are interested to express our concerns over the
fact that many standards in the form of regional varieties exist and if are to chose
from them, finding justification for each would be a major problem. We want to
take a look at the current situation while touching upon the theories regarding
Englishes vs English. Our questions are centered the questions like whether we
have a national standard for English or not, if anyone speaks that, and if not why.
Questions are also raised on the effects of standardization/varieties debate on the
communication need of students especially in the technical studies sector. In a
precise way, we raise our concern over the fact that the interactions of the two
problems: the multifariousness of the standards of English and the continued
linguistics imperialism posed upon by any English in that sense—looms large over
the question of education in a broader sense.
2. The Indian Standard and the Problems:
The question of an Indian standard comes later on, though varieties existed even
before the attestation.
The language was acculturated thorough a process of history in the Indian
scenario. We can say that, this gave birth to linguistic discrimination to an extent
that scholars worldwide would later coin a term ‘Linguicism’ (Nordquist, 2010).
It happened to such an extent that certain countries of the west-African coast like
Liberia has officiated English as its mother tongue, by marginalizing the native
languages indigenous to the region (Adeoun and Sodipe, 2011). Myers-Scotton
(1993) pointed to the fact that language choice is essentially determined by the
prestige factor which rises form socio-political considerations devoid of emotional
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exuberance. The prestige factor stems from the opportunities that lie with the use
of the language of prestige. In India, this has happened and the supremacy of
English in all domains thus pervades us.
Let us refer to long, but informative quote from Andres Sedlatschek’s book
‘Contemporary Indian English’ to delineate the situation in terms of usage
domains and prestige:
It continues to play an important, albeit controversial, role in
numerous domains of Indian life. Besides its status as the associate
official language of the Indian Union next to Hindi, India’s national
language, English is the official language in several Union states
and territories. English-language newspapers and magazines are
published in all states and are second in number and circulation
only to Hindi publications. India has grown into the third largest
producer of English books in the world, and private as well as state-
run broadcasting companies offer English-language programs on a
daily basis. In the educational sector, too, English is a major factor.
While secondary education is offered country-wide in Hindi,
English and a regional language according to the Three-Language
Formula, English-medium education enjoys great prestige, with
higher education often accessible only through Contemporary
Indian English. English, especially in the fields of science and
technology. The teaching of English has, in fact, turned into a
profitable business sector, not least because English is becoming
increasingly important in a society whose fast-growing IT sector
attracts companies from all over the world seeking to capitalize on
the skills of English-speaking Indians. While the number of
speakers of English as a mother tongue is comparatively low (at
about 180,000 according to the 1991 Census), the number of
Indians using English as an additional language is much higher,
with estimates varying from 3% to 5% of India’s population (cf.
D’souza 1997) up to a staggering 30%, the equivalent of 330 to 350
million users (cf. Kachru 2005: 15; Kamdar 2007: 4). Numerical
guesswork of this kind is interesting as it reflects the problems
involved when trying to identify the group of English-using
Indians, who differ in degrees of competence, regional and
educational backgrounds, and the extent to which they employ
English. If there is one appropriate generalization, it is that there is
a strong association of the affluent and influential sections of Indian
society with English, which also explains the high social prestige
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that Indian society at large attaches to this language these days.
(Sedlatscheck, 2009, 1-2)
With such multidimensional usage ascribed to the language of English for over
two centuries, different aspirations of people related to the language, the questions
of standard(s) is comes up. The contemporary IE that has been talked about in the
indented reference, is a questionable one. It is questionable because of at least two
aspects: what is its status from the perspective of international standards of
English(es); and secondly, is this a version devoid of regional variations of English
and if it is so, then what are the parameters that give it an Indian status?
Sedlatschek (2009) provides us with pertinent questions:
Are we dealing with independent innovations found exclusively in
IndE? Are we dealing with features shared by IndE with other
varieties? Are there qualitative or quantitative differences
observable between IndE and other varieties or across registers and
text types within IndE? And if that should be so, how relevant are
those differences and what do they signify? Hence, although it has
been argued that IndE is on its way toward carving out a regional
standard variety, it is still unknown to date what the characteristics
of this regional standard really are.
(Sedlatschek, 2009, 3)
Standardization of a language requires certain steps to ensure viability and
visibility of a given standard. The processes include the building of dictionaries of
registers and technical terms, stabilization, homegenization, codification, writing
handbooks on the usage and grammar of the language with reference to the regions
where it is spoken. The problem with Indian English is that although there have
been pioneering work on the written standards, but empirically rich norms of
speaking and usage is yet to be attempted in a serious manner with a scientific
temper.
2.1. The linguistic Indianism:
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We often refer to the ‘Indianism’ of IE with examples as illustrated in Bhatt (2005)
stated below. we have the Indian English examples while in 3 and 4 we have its
standard American or British Standards:
1.You have taken my book, isn’t it?
2.You are soon going home, isn’t it?
3.You have taken my book, haven’t you?
4.You are soon going home, aren’t you?
In 1 and 2 the usage of the question tag is undifferentiated. In its standard norms,
the syntactic strategy for a question tag is to copy the subject pronominal (or
generate a subsequent pronominal form agreeing in gender of the subject nominal
expression such as in : Ramesh has taken my book, hasn’t he?). It is argued that
the deviation from the grammatical norms of the standards is not a deviation or
violation; rather, these are regional contextual standards. In the Indian context, the
principle of politeness called non-imposition derives such structures in 1 and 2.
Similar examples can be furnished citing the example of the modal verb ‘may’ and
‘can’. The modal expression for ‘permissibility’—may--is often replaced by the
modal for ‘ability’ in Indian contexts in questions like ‘can I come in?’. The
authors being teachers of communication themselves, have experienced such
‘deviations’ many a times in the classroom situations. In 5 we give another
variation for 1, which is a common trend in speaking now-
5. You have taken my book, na?
The italicized morpheme at the end of the tag suggests a pure Indianism. This
code-mixing of Hindi and English and is most common among youngsters.
3. The Arguments from the Kachuruvian School of thought and The Myth of
standards:
In order to be acquainted with the Kachruvian school of ‘World Englishes, we
have to gaze through the multifariousness of the term. The term ‘world English’
or ‘world Englishes’ has become an umbrella term, under which three categories
reside. The first one is a collective broad term which includes the wide-spread
American and British standards along with terms as English as an International
(auxiliary) language, global Englishes, non-native versions of Englishes etc. The
second group is of a slightly narrower sense only including the non-native versions
of Englishes from the African continent, and south-east Asian including Indian
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English. The third version refers to an approach of study initiated by scholars like
B.B. Kachru and R.Quirk. According to Bolton (2002a):
The Kachruvian approach has been characterized by an underlying
philosophy that has argued for the importance of inclusivity and
pluricentricity in approaches to the linguistics of English
worldwide, and involves not merely the description of national and
regional varieties, but many other related topics as well, including
contact linguistics, creative writing, critical linguistics, discourse
analysis, corpus linguistics, lexicography, pedagogy, pidgin and
creole studies, and the sociology of language.
Underlying each of these three broad approaches is an evident
concern with monocentrism versus pluricentrism, i.e., one English
(with all its geographical and social varieties), or multifarious
Englishes (deserving consideration and recognition as autonomous
or semi-autonomous varieties of the language). This tension
between the centrifugal and centripetal dynamics of international
English( es) also finds expression in discussions of "world English"
versus "world Englishes."
(Bolton, 2002a)
3.1 The Kachruvian Circles:
According to the Kachruvian model, the English speaking (or English using) world
is divided into three circles. The first one is the native English speaking states like
England, America and Canada, altogether termed as the ‘Inner Circle’. The ‘Outer
Circle’ consists of countries like the former colonies of India, Africa and Nigeria.
Lastly, the ‘Expanding’ one consisting of Japan, China and the likes where the
wave of trade-related and technological development has hit and thus the need of
English is escalated. Kachruvian paradigm argues that, as English has grown or
expanded from a narrower monocentric native-speaker dominated language to
pluralistic broader multifarious sense as ‘languages’, any grammatical deviation
from the standard norms should not be considered as errors. This argument was
furnished against the IL theory of Selinker (1972,1992) which suggests otherwise.
Kachru’s (1985) proposal was that, in the expanding English speaking world, the
sociolinguistic reality of the outer circle was different than the inner one; and
hence, the norms of speech act, and grammatical registers do not matter there. This
came as a challenge towards the attempt of an unified standard of English for
communicative purposes. Widdowson (1994) argues:
How English develops in the world is no business whatsoever of
native speakers in England, the United States, or anywhere else.
They have no say in the matter, no right to intervene or pass
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judgment. They are irrelevant. The very fact that English is an
international language means that no nation can have custody over
it. To grant such custody of the language is necessarily to arrest its
development and so undermine its international status. It is a matter
of considerable pride and satisfaction for native speakers of English
that their language is an international means of communication. But
the point is that it is only international to the extent that it is not
their language. It is not a possession which they lease out to others,
while retaining the freehold. Other people actually own it.
(Widdowson 1994, 385)
Further arguments of Kachru were that, the speaker of the outer circles are creating
a new identity for English and in no ways they are interest to identify themselves
with the speakers of the inner circles. This resounds the arguments of the
linguicism school in heart. The constant attempt of the linguistically imperialistic
standardization process to victimize the efforts of the outer circle by not
legitimizing or accepting the outer circle standards as ‘proper’ standards, and
identifying the variations as mere deviations or errors shows that linguicism is at
work here.
3.2. The ‘Standard’ Myth:
Abigail Lane (2012) talks about the myth of standardisation. In her opinion, the
process of normalizing a language in a multilingual and muticultural setting is not
only an effort in vain and thus achieving a standard is a myth; but at the same time
such efforts constantly denigrates a person’s cultural heritage, linguistic
knowledge and social status by marginalizing her/him calling her/his language a
variation from the norm. Thus, the process of socio-cultural inclusion is harmed
and unique group identities emerge.
Mari Matsuda (1991), professor of law at Georgetown university,
comments on the social construction of language. She says, “People
in power are perceived as speaking normal, unaccented English.
Any speech that is different from that constructed norm is called an
accent,” (p.1361). She continues on to say that “Everyone has an
accent, but when an employer refuses to hire a person 'with an
accent', they are referring to a hidden norm of non-accent – a
linguistic impossibility, but a socially constructed reality,” (p.
1361). I believe this perfectly explains how because standard
language is socially idolized in such a way, it becomes an exception
to the normal ways that a language is described. SE is
conceptualized as neither an accent nor a dialect, but rather a perfect
ideal of a language. It is made to be correct, normal, and unaccented
while other dialects are made inferior by comparison. This ideology
has become so ingrained in our society and we have been so
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indoctrinated in that mindset that it is never questioned. Because it
is never questioned, SE ideology is empowered and makes
permissible the discrimination of non-standard speakers.
(Lane, 2012)
4. Conclusion: The Problem of The Standard Variety
In the light of the previous two subsections we can connect the two arguments of
the world Englishes and the myth of standardization and argue that, the process of
establishing one singularly unique standard is not the solution for the Indian
situation. We can raise the question whether we need to follow an Indian standard
or not. In our argument we do not actually need one and the theoretical framework
that we follow suggest in keeping the variations alive.
1. The dominance of social/economic/educational and cultural elitism of Kolkata
over the language of majority. Reasons cited: vulgar usages, improper grammar,
not suitable for creating literature. This shows that standardization is a process
aimed at gaining a superiority effect over the majority, which in its term is equal
to the politics of cultural representation of one dominant class or set of ideas.
2. The gradual cleansing of the Bangla dictionaries
3. Language used by the author in literature is recognized as the language of his
social/economic class rather than being recognized as the characters painted.
Sharat Chandra’s language gets identified with his being ‘baaundule’
(wanderlust?). Politics of elitism in high culture regarding popular culture (Part of
point 1) s
4. Algerian language is a mixture of French-Arabic in such an extent so as to erase
its connections to both the original parent languages. Mimicking practice not
limited to social and economic/ cultural form. It extends even to the linguicism
where the resultant product loses its parameter globally being alienated from the
parent. Perhaps it is the fear of losing the language to a completely indigenous
creolized version if let loose the preconceived parameters of so-called
standardization that prevents the legitimization of the obscured Indian standard.
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5. Business sector English is neither following the stringent rules of RP nor in that
sense any American variety. Within the boundary of India, it has the acceptance.
Local level acceptance can exist, but the acceptance on the international level
cannot be established.
One major problem with the so called Indian Cultivated standard English is
perhaps its abstract nature. It has an existence, no doubt; at least it looms large as
a theoretical/academic linguistic construct in certain spheres of discourse. But
otherwise, a close scrutiny will suffice to figure out the fact that this construct is
built on a void. It is a construct based on absence. Standardization, in its true
nature, as argued by some is the diametrically opposite stand to variations, local
flavours and such idiosyncrasies.
These areal features that one may find among the regional standards of English or
Indian Englishes amounts to various linguistic peculiarities be it lengthening or
shortening or flattening of vowels, additions or deletions of consonantal sounds.
Standardization of an official language like English requires deletion of these
features which preserve regional identities. A standard language is devoid of such
vibrancy. So, it aims at attaining a universal/ panoramic legitimacy by appealing
to a conceptually homogenized class of modern information technology labourers.
A whole generation of students, are being driven towards the same future, similar
fate with similar educational inputs. There might be conscious effort of the state
apparatus to drive the youth towards a singular direction of achieving success and
its bodies as, such an effort might lead to the generation of surplus labour of the
similar skill level. In a way, the mono-directional engineering/technical education
drive was undoubtedly generated by the neo-liberal open market policies in the
1990s; and hence the requirement of technically skilled labour for the information
market paved the way for another version of English. This one was never meant
to be an erudite and elite system of linguistic signs that delimits itself within the
narrow sphere of a handful. It was not meant to be something as exotic as a
regional variation either, as it would have created multiple regional identities of
the same language. Rather, the aim was perhaps to create something that lies in-
between the two mentioned before. It is this construct, devoid of the exotic
regional as well as the elites, which attempted to gain legitimacy riding on the
waves of neo-liberal homogenization on the basis of grades and merits.
Unfortunately, it stayed in the limbo since then, neither attaining a global
legitimacy nor a local one.
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Crystal, D. (1997) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language.
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Myers-Scotton, C. (1993): Social Motivation for Code-Switching:
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Englishes, 12, 335-73.
Kilickaya, Ferit. (2009). World Englishes, English as an International Language
and Applied Linguistics, CCSE, vol.2, no.3
Analysis of Krashen’s ‘Input Hypothesis’ in Teaching English Language
Anamika Lall
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“Language Acquisition does not require extensive grammatical rules and does not
require Tedious Drill.” (Stephen Krashen)
The above lines are aptly marked by Stephen Krashen, the founder of famous
‘Monitor Model Theory’ in Linguistic Theory.
We learn many words a year from our first birthday and till we die. We grow from
knowing no language to the chatter box, and many researcher wants to know, how
it really happens. There are different theories on language acquition. It is the
process by which we learn to listen speak write, or even use symbols to
communicate in the most meaningful ways.
Among many theories of Language Acquisition, Dr. Stephen Krashen had also
Given the Theory of Language acquisition. His theory is famous ‘Monitor Model
Theory’ of Language Acquisition. Under this theory he had given and proved five
Hypotheses. Dr. Krashen was born on 1941, He is an educational, researcher and
a linguist .He is currently an Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of
Southern California.
Under Monitor Model Theory, There are five Hypothesis, they are -
1- Input hypothesis
2- Monitor Hypothesis
3- Acquisition Hypothesis
4- Natural Order Hypothesis and
5- Effecting Filter
From the above Hypothesis, the Input Hypothesis is Proved and tested in this Paper
which attempts to examine the learning ability of the student. Under this small test,
we examine the learning process of the students through two different observation.
INPUT HYPOTHESIS –
acquisition best occurs when the learners receives second language 'input'
that is ‘ i’
step beyond their current stage of linguistic competence;
often termed as comprehensible input, or 1+
Thus i+1 = r (or Input +Challenge = Better Result)
OBSERVATION – 1:
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Under this Observation, I taught English to the few of the students with the mixed
combination of Grammar and Translation method’ and ‘Direct Method’ of
Teaching Language. For this I Taught all rules of Different Tenses which was
followed by the brief Introduction of Grammar and Part of Speech. And after the
completion of all the rules, after two weeks the tests were conducted. The students
were assessed with a simple MCQ Test, which was given to the students followed
by few Extempore Topics , to assess their language command. The same test was
conducted to another Group of Students also, but this time with a small twist and
different method. For this, let’s go to the observation-2 explained below-
OBSERVATION-2:
Under this observation also I used ‘Grammar- Translation Method’ with ‘Direct
Method’ of teaching language. For this observation also, the same topics were
selected, i.e. Tenses and
Part of Speech. But this time, the test was given side by side. After each sub-topics
were covered and also the questions were asked during the explanation of the
topics. This time the test was conducted at the end of each sessions when the sub
topics were explained and taught and after two weeks the main exam was
conducted.
Output:
The output received from the Observation-1 and Observation-2 was quite
different. In the Observation-1 , we gave the test at last and In Observation-2, the
test process was going on side by side, Where, after every Input there was a
challenge. Thus, In the Observation-1, it was found that the students could not
mark the correct answer in the MCQs and even they could not speak with the
proper usage of grammatical rules.
Whereas, In Observation-2, the students were quite vigilant about making
mistakes as they were facing the regular drill exercise in the form of MCQs and
Topics in a regular interval and after two weeks when they had to face the main
exam they had shown the better result.
Conclusion:
From the above experiment, we can accept that ‘Input +Challenge’ really helps us
in better Result and the formula of ‘Input Hypothesis’ (i.e. i+1= R), really works
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a lot. Other than this, it is found that the Krashen’s theory is quite effective to
understand the students learning method. It not only helped to test the Hypothesis
but also explains the method to teach English in a better and effective way.
References :
anonymous. Educational Psychology. ICFAI University.2009
Krashen,Stephen D.Second Language Acquisition and second language
learning.Prentice-Hall International .1988
Steven J. Robbins.Psychology of Learning and Behaviour. w.w.Norton
&company.2001.
4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 144
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Wren and Martin. A Final Course of Grammar & Composition.S.Chand.2013
Anonymous. English Language book. S.G.R.R Public school. 2004
Communication Skills–Core of Employability Skills: Issues & Concerns
Dr. A.V. Bharathi
“Education can unlock all doors for a progress” ………….Swami Vivekananda
Communication is the mother of Existence------------------------ Keerthi Kumar
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Introduction
In today’s ICT ruled knowledge society, English is the global means of
communication. English language proficiency has gained great significance in all
the major fields including education, trade, commerce and employment. Effective
communication has become a benchmarking parameter for ensuring growth and
success in any field. English language proficiency is imperative for creating and
maintaining better relations either at any level. English language, which is known
as the lingua franca is one of the most significant means of communication in this
present-day world. As a result of the ongoing globalization, knowledge of English
has become a necessity.
English plays a key role in our educational system and national life. It is an
international language and provides a window to the world. English is being taught
as a language of instruction in schools and colleges and in this era of
communication technology, without English no further higher education or inter
change of professional language is possible. English has the power to change the
world. It provides information in every conceivable branch of knowledge. Even
the entire student community has realized that English is necessary to expose their
identity to the world outside. Considering this, parents and learners have realized
that through acquisition of English language knowledge and usage, one can
withstand increasing levels of competition and can sustain one’s career growth.
Here, Darwin’s theory of “The survival of the fittest” works.
Language, a Skill
Language is essentially a skill. A skill may be called as ability to do something
well. Knowing about these things is an intellectual exercise (cognition) and using
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or doing them is a skill (action). Basically, language skills are categorized into four
segments as LSRW skills. These four skills can also be categorized into two more
segments such as Productive /Active Skills (Speech and Writing) and Receptive
/Passive Skills (Listening and Reading).Further; they can be sub-divided into
another two categories based on their usage.
Figure No.1 Showing Division of the Language Sub-skills Based on their
Usage
Skills
Proper Skills Casual skills
Listening Speaking Reading Writing
Proper skills are frequently used by all. Reading and Writing are used casually.
One can live without reading and writing, but not without speaking and listening.
This indicates the importance of listening and speaking in the process of language
learning. (A.K. Paliwal 1998). So, in order to enhance one’s communicative
abilities, one should have good acquaintance with all the four language skills.
To attain the optimal level of language proficiency, a language teacher must
consider all the four variables when programming any teaching. If all these are in
proper tune, the outcome of the teaching –learning process will be fruitful and
encouraging.
Figure No. 2. Showing Variables Influencing Language Learning Outcome.
The Learner
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The Setting The The Material
Teacher
The teacher must know the age, educational level, level of proficiency, goals,
linguistic and cultural background and handicaps of his students when teaching a
language. Materials through which the target language is taught must not be
neglected, just because the new gadgets are available. The materials must be fully
used and exploited. The teacher, who intends to teach a target-language, should
satisfy himself/herself that he knows the language thoroughly well. Linguistic and
cultural setting must also be taken care of.
Current Scenario
Today’s world demands such young a generation that possesses certain skills and
virtues in addition to their academic excellence. Knowledge has become a way of
survival and the growing economy needs highly skilled human powers to generate
marketability. For this, we need such an educational system which caters this
question of quality and producing trained human power in all faculties and all
subjects. Though there is growing demand for English language proficiency, we
still have Macaulay’s curriculum which only emphasizes on reproduction and
memory capabilities. . The whole teaching process lacks the focus on sharpening
logical thinking, creativity and flexibility. The skills of present day graduates do
not match with the expectations of the employers and the present situation of
English language teaching-learning is not at all encouraging in Gujarat. The failure
of many children to learn to read and write even after ten to twelve years of
schooling is a cause for concern.
It has been observed that in the present process of English language teaching-
learning, even many of the final years B.Com students remain very passive and lack
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basic communication skills. Only a few exceptional students are found to be
capable of writing and speaking correct English. They are incapable of reading a
book with correct pronunciation and following it independently. Incorrect spellings
and ungrammatical construction are found to be quite common even among the
college students. Correct use of English idioms and figures of speech seems to be
almost unknown.
Hence, considering the present scenario of teaching-learning English, the
researcher, being an English lecturer in one of the Commerce Colleges located in
the state of Gujarat feels that it is worthy to conduct the study to check the levels
of the language proficiency. Hence, the researcher conducted a study to look into
the details of it.
Statement of the Study:
Study of Communication skills with Special Reference to Writing Skills of the
Third Year B.Com Students of the Colleges affiliated to KSKV Kachchh
University, Bhuj.
Objectives of the Study
a) To study the syllabus relevance of the concerned subject at the final year
graduation level in commerce discipline.
b) To identify the syllabus lacunae in the existing syllabus at the under graduate
level.
c) To check the communicative abilities of students
d) To gather the opinion of the teachers on their students’ writing performance
e) To suggest some remedial measures to improve their language proficiency
The data collection was in the form of responses given by respondents through
questionnaires and opinionative. The researcher obtained the responses of both the
teachers and students of all the commerce colleges affiliated to the K.S.K.V
Kachchh University, Bhuj and collected the data regarding the writing skill
4th International Conference MAGIC 2016 Page 149
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