<p>Hinglish — the blending of Hindi and English words — is spreading fast in India and abroad, thanks to SMSs, chats, mobile phones and e-mails. It is perhaps the most popular style of colloquial speech among the younger generation these days.<br />While increasing popularity of Hinglish may be a cause of concern for the ears of Englishmen used to hearing chaste English since ages, the contagion seems to be unabated. At the Jaipur Literature Festival too (January 21-25), experts tried to have a look at this ‘badmashi’ going on with the English language and sought to unravel the mystery behind its ever increasing popularity.<br /><br />During a special session dedicated to the Queens’ Hinglish, Mark Tully, Ira Pande and Prasoon Joshi, celebrities in their own rights came up with interesting observations into the making of Hinglish.<br /><br />“We are in a society or culture where there are two types of people. First, those who speak English and those who want to do so, that means English is a language of Indian aspiration now. In the past few years, we have seen rechristening of names of cities and popular landmarks in the country. It may sound paradoxical that we hate our colonial past but simply love the English language. What makes Hinglish so popular among the masses is the fact that literature reflects time and mood of society,” said Ira Pande.<br />While the older generation finds it hard to digest the new style of communication or the bad English/Hinglish youngsters are using for communication, a huge list of acronyms has already taken shape in the process. When a writer like Prasoon Joshi, who has penned some of the most beautiful songs like ‘Samjho Na, Naino Ki Bhasha Piya’ or the ‘Taare Zamin Par’ and ‘Delhi-6’ songs in chaste Hindi, prefers to mix English words for ‘Rang De Basanti’ — “Talli hoke girne se samjhi hamne gravity, ishq ka practical kiya tab aayi clarity’ — it becomes obvious creativity can take place even in this language.<br />Prasoon feels this is just a beginning. The ‘crosswordisation’ is happening because people can relate or connect with it. The reason why hybrid literature is emerging is perhaps due to a sense of urgency with the young generation today. Youth is not averse to good words or language but it has no time for the more sophisticated, delicate expressions of courtesy as in Urdu.<br /><br />Catering to situation<br />Prasoon felt more comfortable using mixed language for the protagonist of ‘Rang De Basanti,’ while he preferred to go back to chaste Hindi to describe the bizzareness of his hero’s situation in ‘Namaste London.’<br /><br />According to him, the situation and thought determine the choice of right words. Society creates hierarchy for languages and he foresees two kinds of languages existing due to the hierarchy of languages in future. People feel they have increased their ‘right’ over Hinglish. The comfort level has increased, he says.<br /><br />Is it good to corrupt any language? And what is the correct thing to do? Mark Tully says the ‘correct’ keeps changing with the times. We no longer use Shakespearean English or the kind used in Chaucer’s age. Gone are the days when school children were asked to translate 60 sentences from Latin to Greek or vice versa. If Americans can speak American English, why can’t Indians speak Inglish or Hinglish, he opined.<br />Reacting to some politicians’ fear that English or Hinglish will kill Indian languages, he felt it was an ‘artificial way’ to stop people from using English. But it would be far more serious if the children neither know English nor their mother tongue, he had a word of caution.<br /><br />Language also carries identity and culture. In a global setting, keys to culture lie in the language so we should also try to relate to our languages while rejoicing in English. Hinglish surely raises the comfort level but if a uniform system of English teaching can be adopted across the country in all government and private schools, it would enormously help the students. That would bridge the gap between the vernacular and the pubic school.<br /><br />The public schools may produce progressive talents but they are without roots, and those from the vernacular side, without the vision. Coping up with the English language becomes the greater challenge for them than handling the main subject. We need both roots and branches, mother tongue as well as Hinglish, noted lyricist Javed Akhtar.</p>
<p>Hinglish — the blending of Hindi and English words — is spreading fast in India and abroad, thanks to SMSs, chats, mobile phones and e-mails. It is perhaps the most popular style of colloquial speech among the younger generation these days.<br />While increasing popularity of Hinglish may be a cause of concern for the ears of Englishmen used to hearing chaste English since ages, the contagion seems to be unabated. At the Jaipur Literature Festival too (January 21-25), experts tried to have a look at this ‘badmashi’ going on with the English language and sought to unravel the mystery behind its ever increasing popularity.<br /><br />During a special session dedicated to the Queens’ Hinglish, Mark Tully, Ira Pande and Prasoon Joshi, celebrities in their own rights came up with interesting observations into the making of Hinglish.<br /><br />“We are in a society or culture where there are two types of people. First, those who speak English and those who want to do so, that means English is a language of Indian aspiration now. In the past few years, we have seen rechristening of names of cities and popular landmarks in the country. It may sound paradoxical that we hate our colonial past but simply love the English language. What makes Hinglish so popular among the masses is the fact that literature reflects time and mood of society,” said Ira Pande.<br />While the older generation finds it hard to digest the new style of communication or the bad English/Hinglish youngsters are using for communication, a huge list of acronyms has already taken shape in the process. When a writer like Prasoon Joshi, who has penned some of the most beautiful songs like ‘Samjho Na, Naino Ki Bhasha Piya’ or the ‘Taare Zamin Par’ and ‘Delhi-6’ songs in chaste Hindi, prefers to mix English words for ‘Rang De Basanti’ — “Talli hoke girne se samjhi hamne gravity, ishq ka practical kiya tab aayi clarity’ — it becomes obvious creativity can take place even in this language.<br />Prasoon feels this is just a beginning. The ‘crosswordisation’ is happening because people can relate or connect with it. The reason why hybrid literature is emerging is perhaps due to a sense of urgency with the young generation today. Youth is not averse to good words or language but it has no time for the more sophisticated, delicate expressions of courtesy as in Urdu.<br /><br />Catering to situation<br />Prasoon felt more comfortable using mixed language for the protagonist of ‘Rang De Basanti,’ while he preferred to go back to chaste Hindi to describe the bizzareness of his hero’s situation in ‘Namaste London.’<br /><br />According to him, the situation and thought determine the choice of right words. Society creates hierarchy for languages and he foresees two kinds of languages existing due to the hierarchy of languages in future. People feel they have increased their ‘right’ over Hinglish. The comfort level has increased, he says.<br /><br />Is it good to corrupt any language? And what is the correct thing to do? Mark Tully says the ‘correct’ keeps changing with the times. We no longer use Shakespearean English or the kind used in Chaucer’s age. Gone are the days when school children were asked to translate 60 sentences from Latin to Greek or vice versa. If Americans can speak American English, why can’t Indians speak Inglish or Hinglish, he opined.<br />Reacting to some politicians’ fear that English or Hinglish will kill Indian languages, he felt it was an ‘artificial way’ to stop people from using English. But it would be far more serious if the children neither know English nor their mother tongue, he had a word of caution.<br /><br />Language also carries identity and culture. In a global setting, keys to culture lie in the language so we should also try to relate to our languages while rejoicing in English. Hinglish surely raises the comfort level but if a uniform system of English teaching can be adopted across the country in all government and private schools, it would enormously help the students. That would bridge the gap between the vernacular and the pubic school.<br /><br />The public schools may produce progressive talents but they are without roots, and those from the vernacular side, without the vision. Coping up with the English language becomes the greater challenge for them than handling the main subject. We need both roots and branches, mother tongue as well as Hinglish, noted lyricist Javed Akhtar.</p>
