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Raj to Riches |
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Presenter Melvyn Bragg
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The story of the English language in India is also the story of the British merchants, adventurers and colonial administrators for whom the country was the Empire's jewel in the crown. Calcutta, the great Victorian capital of the Raj, holds the key to the way the language became woven into Indian consciousness, through education, government and the law. But why today, wonders Melvyn Bragg, is ex-cricketer Geoffrey Boycott such a linguistic influence?
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An English language poster
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Calcutta was the capital of British Imperial India - it was very much a British creation. Despite Bengali being the local language, and Hindi the principal national tongue, English is prominently displayed in shops, internet cafes, on public transport and in street signs and names. |
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Victoria Memorial Hall
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The architecture and monuments of Calcutta also reflect the city's origin and history. On a human level, many people still felt close to British culture even after independence as they carried on working for British companies. This complex link has often been seen as a love/hate relationship. |
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Amit Chaudhuri
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The writer Amit Chaudhuri reflects on this relationship:
Modern Bengali culture was defined by coming into contact with English and also defining itself against those influences. Social and commercial pressures demand the use of English,
The fusion of languages or 'kedgeree' is the language of the professional and upper classes,
He is against the anti-English reaction and the renaming of Calcutta's streets in Bengali.
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Trading in the 18th Century
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The East India Company was created by Elizabeth 1 and as trading and commercial links developed in India, English became the medium of communication. English words sometimes developed special meanings for the British companies and administrators. A special dictionary, Hobson Jobson, was even produced as a guide to these words |
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Presidency College
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English opened up a new cultural world to Bengalis - from Shakespeare to Hume. Many learnt the language at the prestigious Presidency College. It can be argued though that English encouraged Bengalis to aspire to freedom. A paradox - the language of the master was also the language of freedom.
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La Martiniere School for Girls
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The pupils of English teaching schools, such as La Martiniere School for Girls, are well aware of their mixed heritage. While recognising the significance of English in their careers, the girls also emphasised the importance of maintaining their Indian traditions. Bilinguar skills are common.
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Indian internet Lab
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While the internet has pushed English forward even more, other trends have also occurred, fusions of English and the native languages - 'Binglish' and 'Hinglish'. These merged languages have been taken up by the media and used effectively, such as in advertising.
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Geoff Boycott
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Much more classless is the impact of TV, in which the languages are interwoven. A linguistic curiosity is the increasing effect of the vernacular speech of a sporting commentator on satellite TV: Geoff Boycott!
An anti-English movement has developed and a renaming policy for some of Calcutta's streets has been implemented, although there are many who disagree with it.
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