The Status of the English Language in India today

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India as a country is a land of different languages and dialects spread across an area big enough to be called a sub-continent. There are 22 official state languages in India. It seems unlikely that it would be possible for all these regions to co-exist under one single administration and still be able to function effectively. The connecting link comes not from any indigenous heritage but from the influence of over 200 years of the British rule. Despite all animosity towards the British Empire, India has adopted the English language as an official language for communication, with its usage now giving us an advantage in the Global scenario today.

English is today spoken by the professional class all over the country. After the US, India has the largest number of English speakers in the world. It is the language of government. In urban areas, even those who cannot speak the language have a rudimentary understanding of it. English speakers dominate India’s professional, industrial, economic, social and political spheres. For many, English is the passport to a better job and a better life.

English Education

As a language English is taught in schools throughout India. While in urban areas English forms the first language, regional and vernacular medium schools often have English as the second language. As a result the standard of English teaching differs over various regions. In some areas, especially the urban centers, the education system tends to produce people with a high proficiency level in English. However there is also the other extreme as observed in many rural areas and vernacular mediums. The result in such schools happens to be a very limited proficiency in English. The proficiency is higher for professionals of medicine, law and business executives. There is also a tendency to have a regional accent based on the regional accent.

Both the British and the American form of writing are acceptable in India. This results in the same expression or word written in different ways by different people.

English in Print Media

In any nation across the world, newspapers and magazines form the intrinsic part of a person’s life. Very few people begin their day without the newspaper. Thus the trend observed in newspapers is usually reflective of the culture of the region.

The Times of India (all editions), English daily happens to be the most widely circulated English newspaper in the world. However prominent newspapers like the Dainik Jagran and the Rajasthan Patrika have approximately 3 times more reader base than the Times of India. Hindi readership far outstrips the English readership in India.
India also has a myriad of magazines focusing on affairs like sports, entertainment, business, electronics etc. The language of these magazines is again in English, Hindi and a number of regional languages.

English in Television

Satellite television has brought the penetration of television into a large number of houses in India. Most channels happen to be in Hindi or Regional languages. American sitcoms are very popular with the youth in India. Indian versions of TV shows like Big Brother, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader attract a substantial viewer ship

English Movies in India today

As in print media, movies form an intrinsic part of a culture. Often movies are a reflection of the society they are based on. Most of the population in India watches Hindi movies, often termed as Bollywood movies. Regional language movies are also popular. However their popularity is limited to regions where it is the first language. Many of the Hindi and regional films are often based on scripts of Hollywood movies. English movies are seen by less than 10% of the population. This audience is concentrated only in the urban areas. However the number is rapidly growing thanks to the influx of multiplexes as well as better distribution and promotion of English movies in India. Infact Avatar, an English movie, turned out to be one of the biggest grosser in the Indian box office for the year 2009.

A new genre of Films called “Hinglish” films is evolving in India. In these movies, the dialogues switch between Hindi and English. It is targeted at multiplex audiences, i.e. well to do urban audiences.

English Books in India today

If one only considers size, the market size of the English book publishing industry in India comes second only after US and the UK. Reading is widely encouraged among the youth. However book sales are low by western standards. As of late, chain book stores are mushrooming in metros around India giving more penetration and providing ample marketing and distribution opportunities. Most of these book stores have a separate section for books in regional languages. Popular English books can often be found in translated versions in either Hindi or other regional languages. Also pushing the growth of English language readership is the norm that imported books and magazines are exempt from customs duty.

Indian English Authors

As of late there has been a huge spurt in the popularity of Indian writers who write in English. Some Indian writers like Vikram Seth, Jhumpa Lehri, Deepak Chopra and Arundhati Roy are now World renowned. Their writing has attracted appreciation all around the globe. There are many more authors who are domestically popular. Most of their books are rooted in modern India and targeted at the urban Indian reader.

English at the Work Place

English is the professional language of interaction at the work place. Except for regional marketing effort every other interaction is in English. The number of graduates with English speaking abilities is increasing. However the Indian English speakers are not comfortable communicating globally.

The Need to improve

With a spurt in foreign investors and outsourcing to India, English plays a major role in professional relationships. Companies increasingly understand the need to improve communication standards. There are a number of institutes which churn out standardized English speakers. While the standards and results of these institutes vary there is definitely positive progress towards reaching global standards of English in India.

For more detailed information on the use of English in India please refer to:

http://www.india-reports.com/summary/English-Ind.aspx

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