3 ms·

>IIRC English - Indian English, not British or American - is the second language of the most people in India It isn't. According to 2011 census, 11% people in

>IIRC English - Indian English, not British or American - is the second language of the most people in India It isn't. According to 2011 census, 11% people in India can speak English (I suspect that the actual number is much lower). Hindi on the other hand is spoken by 57%. English is the language of elitism in India.

Taniwha 5y ago
I think the important idea is that with the British gone English is a neutral language not owned by any one group within India
- alex_smart 5y ago
  Except it is absolutely owned by people who can send their children to the very few good, usually private, usually expensive schools.
guiltygods 5y ago
> English is the language of elitism in India. English is lingua franca regardless of social or economic status. Every child gets to learn 3 languages : one local language, One regional elective (or Hindi), and English. English is now pervasive enough that transliterated words are common in all languages and are being used natively. People use English words and idioms without even realizing they are speaking English. You will find even in remotest corners someone who will understand and converse in rudimentary English (especially the youngsters).
- alex_smart 5y ago
  >regardless of social or economic status Absolute nonsense. Only 11% of Indians spoke English according to 2011 census. The ability to speak fluent English is the biggest marker of social and economic status after caste in India. This is not really some deep insight. Everybody in India knows this, especially the 89% who don't speak English. There are even bollywood movies even based on the concept (see Hindi Medium, English Vinglish). >Every child gets to learn 3 languages The quality of teaching of English in government schools especially state boards is abysmal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_KVFZPofQU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_KVFZPofQU [Govt school teachers fail to identify nouns in a sentence] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42xxu5HdJzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42xxu5HdJzc [Govt school teacher fails to read a primary school textbook] I also technically got to "learn" Sanskrit as my 3rd language in school. How many sentences of Sanskrit do you think I can utter now?

Taniwha 5y ago

I think the important idea is that with the British gone English is a neutral language not owned by any one group within India

alex_smart 5y ago
Except it is absolutely owned by people who can send their children to the very few good, usually private, usually expensive schools.

guiltygods 5y ago

> English is the language of elitism in India. English is lingua franca regardless of social or economic status. Every child gets to learn 3 languages : one local language, One regional elective (or Hindi), and English. English is now pervasive enough that transliterated words are common in all languages and are being used natively. People use English words and idioms without even realizing they are speaking English. You will find even in remotest corners someone who will understand and converse in rudimentary English (especially the youngsters).

alex_smart 5y ago
>regardless of social or economic status Absolute nonsense. Only 11% of Indians spoke English according to 2011 census. The ability to speak fluent English is the biggest marker of social and economic status after caste in India. This is not really some deep insight. Everybody in India knows this, especially the 89% who don't speak English. There are even bollywood movies even based on the concept (see Hindi Medium, English Vinglish). >Every child gets to learn 3 languages The quality of teaching of English in government schools especially state boards is abysmal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_KVFZPofQU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_KVFZPofQU [Govt school teachers fail to identify nouns in a sentence] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42xxu5HdJzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42xxu5HdJzc [Govt school teacher fails to read a primary school textbook] I also technically got to "learn" Sanskrit as my 3rd language in school. How many sentences of Sanskrit do you think I can utter now?