The evolution of the English language
What is the most annoying thing you hear people say? “I
the leaders of today’s Untouchables, Chandra Bhan
was sat”, or “between you and I”, or “for free” or “Can I
Prasad: “We believe English is an empowering
get a coffee?” or controversy stressed on the wrong
language.”
syllable, or perhaps simply the name of the letter aitch
Transfer the argument to Britain, and what do you get? A
pronounced “haitch”?
cast of academics, sociologists and educationists on one
It does seem odd that other people cannot speak their
side who declare that one child’s pronunciation is as
own language properly and so career (or careen as
valid as the teacher’s, that spelling doesn’t count, and
foolish folk say) like wildebeest into the crocodile-
that English classes are valuably spent in composing rap
infested
lyrics. These
shallows of the
politically correct
latest wrong
forces are
turning of the
equivalent to
English
Indian
language. This
Nationalists who
is of more than
wouldn’t dream of
amateur
calling the Indian
interest.
Mutiny anything
Untouchables in
but the First War
India, as we
of Independence.
reported
On the other side
yesterday, are
are teachers,
to open a
employers and
temple to the Goddess English. It will contain an idol of
media columnists who agree with the Untouchables
Lord Macaulay. This has put the cat among the pigeons,
(whom we must call Dalits today). They know that a child
for Macaulay, when he went t o India in 1834, took no
in Bradford or Southwark will never get a good job
interest in Indian literature or antiquities except as
unless he spells the words in a letter of application
evidence of the superiority of all things European.
correctly, can string two sentences together in an
His Minute on Indian Education urged upon the colonial
interview without lapsing into: “It was, like, massive.” (By
administration the wisdom of establishing “a class of
he, they mean “he or she”, to the rage of those for whom
persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste,
so-called inclusive language is to be as inviolable as the
in opinions, in morals, and in intellect” to be made fit for
virtue of a Victorian maiden.)
“conveying knowledge to the great mass of the
Which side of the argument, then, is supported by these
population”.
typical hip-hop lyrics from the song Take Me Back by the
No wonder many Indian nationalists revile the name of
popular Tinchy Stryder? “Look I know you got played
Thomas Babington Macaulay. Yet the argument put
and that, /And it’s only right you ain’t feeling let alone
forward by his nephew George Trevelyan in The
rating that, / But babe it’s a fact you on with the latest
Competition Wallah (1864) is the same as that of one of