Jan 7
If that is the case, then why are people so hung up about language ? Every culture has their regiment of linguistic crusaders to raise a hue and cry ever so often for protecting the linguistic pristinity of their language. A 100% of the time, their current language is so beyond recognition from the original classical structure they so strive to protect, their efforts seem quite comical.As an example I will refer to my own native tongue - Marathi. There is an ongoing demand by proud right wing activists in my home state of Maha-Rashtra (meaning 'Great Nation' - we already have a chip on our shoulder), about 'protecting' the 'purity' of the language. Most of the discussion regarding this 'protection' is conducted in what can be only called as a babel of Marathi - English - Urdu and Hindi. Not one of them can conduct a lengthy conversation in classical or pure Marathi. In fact classical Marathi went out of circulation a few hundred years ago when the Persian and Arabic speaking armies conquered most of India, including Maharashtra, the bastion of Marathi speaking people. The most famous warrior in Maharashtrian history, King Shivaji, the heartbeat of the Marathas and the pride of the current right-wing activists spoke and wrote a Marathi that would be very objectionable today as it would be laced with so many Persian and Arabic words to render the whole point of classical Marathi, moot.So then why do we cling to this notion of 'classical' language ? Is it nostalgia or a misguided sense of seeking our tribal identity ? It's a quest we cannot win.Language has and will always be an ever evolving and dynamic entity. The very nature of our evolution dictates how we communicate. Every generation has their own 'language' and to try and claim adherence to generations prior seems foolish and hardly worth the effort. Imagine if we all spoke classical English. Ye wish'd thou hath not spake thus.Language evolution has accelerated within the last few generations at an exponential rate than in the Middle ages. We are borrowing and creating new words daily in every language. English now boasts of the most words in any language, almost triple that of it's nearest competitor.
Technological progress, especially in the ubiquitous availability of mobile phones in every metro and cave in the world has interjected foreign words at an alarming rate into local languages. And this is seen as a cause for concern by the linguistic police. I say, screw 'em.Creating language is one of the greatest and unique skill that humanity evolved. Just ask the Trekkies who spout Klingon. Arresting it and keeping it bound to ancient rules seems not only stupid but in fact detrimental to our progress. Just as it is important for us to progress technologically, politically, socially and physically - you cannot have any forward movement unless we also progress linguistically. We have to make up the words to discuss what we are about to invent or create else we would be stuck. We tweet, we paypal, we fly, we flash mob and Wii play.Sic transit gloria lingui !
Cling On...
What is the lifespan of a language ? Any language. Would our ancestors from say, two hundred years ago, understand us ? Either in written or oral form ? I seriously doubt it. That would be somewhat like a Marathi speaker chatting with a Gujarati speaker. Some words will be familiar and overall intent would be conveyed, but they are two separate languages.
Technological progress, especially in the ubiquitous availability of mobile phones in every metro and cave in the world has interjected foreign words at an alarming rate into local languages. And this is seen as a cause for concern by the linguistic police. I say, screw 'em.Creating language is one of the greatest and unique skill that humanity evolved. Just ask the Trekkies who spout Klingon. Arresting it and keeping it bound to ancient rules seems not only stupid but in fact detrimental to our progress. Just as it is important for us to progress technologically, politically, socially and physically - you cannot have any forward movement unless we also progress linguistically. We have to make up the words to discuss what we are about to invent or create else we would be stuck. We tweet, we paypal, we fly, we flash mob and Wii play.Sic transit gloria lingui !
