tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12808776.post111709549095658729..comments2023-06-14T15:04:38.420+05:30Comments on Saara Aakash: Those who forget history are condemned to repeat itNikhil Prasad Ojhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16038541283659597985noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12808776.post-1117781494313677772005-06-03T12:21:00.000+05:302005-06-03T12:21:00.000+05:30I choose to take a slightly different view on this...I choose to take a slightly different view on this. I don’t think that promoting the use of English language is in anyway belittling our vernacular literature, our culture or our Indianness. <BR/><BR/>The debate on whether English literature or poetry is superior to Indian language literature or poetry is silly- each has its own distinctive merits and has attained glorious heights and such futile debates are the pastimes of those who believe in being parochial and political. <BR/><BR/>But if you look at a lot of technical literature today, in any sphere or domain, the variety and depth that is available in the English language is certainly missing in any of the vernacular Indian languages. Correct me if I’m wrong. <BR/><BR/>Let us for a moment , assume that it was a matter of unfortunate co-incidence that the British colonial rulers proved to be more powerful in spreading their influence , language and culture than the French or the Portugese. The outcome of this anyway is that English became the most widely spoken ‘foreign’ language in the 20th century across continents and countries. A common language was able to bind many different cultures , academicians, students , businessmen and the general populace. The comfort of knowing that you can be understood by the other person and vice versa, has caused many an exchange , across widely different cultures, to take place. <BR/><BR/>China may become the manufacturing hub of the world in the 21st century, but when it comes to brainpower , it is the Indian workforce that will dominate. It is not just the qualifications and talent of the Indian whitecollar workforce that attracts foreign institutions and business houses, but the fact that they also are proficient in English. <BR/><BR/>It cannot be denied that English has opened up a world of opportunities for Indians- both in India and abroad. We need to encash this advantage as long as we can. <BR/><BR/>Even the so called deprived sections of society want to educate their children in “English medium” schools because of its perceived advantages- many of which are quite real. <BR/><BR/>We need to take a pragmatic view as far as the use of English language is concerned.<BR/><BR/> Net net, I belive that English is here to stay. But again, like the Japanese and the Koreans and the French and the Germans , let us pride ourselves on our motherland and let us not lose touch with that beautiful thing called- ‘mother tongue’………………because whatever English may do for us Indians , it shall never be our mother tongue………….Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com