Page 47 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

global language. So, communication in English guage. And, different states in India have dif-
is essential to us as global citizens. ferent languages as their mother tongue as well
as official language - like Malayalam in Kerala,
Let us consider an instance. In our day to Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Assamese in Assam,
day life, we depend on the internet for many Telugu in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarati in Gujarat,
things. Whenever we need help in understand- Punjabi in Punjab, etc. Living in a country with
ing anything, we seek the help of the internet. such a huge variety of languages is not easy.
When you open your laptop or mobile phone When you have to travel from one part of the
and use the internet, which is the language that country to another, you will face the problem
you find there? Most of the time, it is English. of communicating. How can this problem be
Why is it so? The simple reason for it is the addressed? Here is the need for a common lan-
global language status of English. The Internet guage. Hindi is the language that is spoken by
can provide us with information in our mother the majority in India. But when it comes to a
tongue or any of the regional languages. But common language for all, English is preferred
most of the information will be available in by people across the country. People belonging
English. Most of the data stored in the internet to the south Indian states prefer English over
is in English. Once we know English language, Hindi when they need a common language to
the scope for getting information on any topic communicate. This can be seen as the effect
on the internet expands. of India being a colony of the British before

Now, consider another instance. When you gaining independence. We have already seen
buy a product from the market, for example, the role colonisation had in spreading English
a mobile phone, you will get a user manual language across the world. During the British
along with it. This provides us with the instruc- rule, English was used for official purposes and
tions regarding how to use the mobile phone. was also taught as a second language in Indian
Have you ever paid attention to the instructions schools. As a result, English language became
given in such a user guide? In which language familiar to the people of India. Now, English
are they given? Most of the time, it will again is the official language of Indian judiciary as
be in English. Even when it is given in other well as some of the States and Union Territo-
languages, it is certain that it will be given in ries in India.
English too. The official status of English in India can be

From the above discussed situations, the seen as the effect of colonialism but the adop-
need to be equipped with communication skills tion of English as a common language is more
in English is clear. Since it is the language or less the effect of globalisation. Since glo-
widely accepted across the world, communica- balisation, people across nations started inter-
tion in English becomes essential. Even within acting with each other. In the case of India,
India, English stands as a common language the strength of the Indian Diaspora expands
for people who belong to different states. every day. People from India, travel to English
speaking countries for better job and educa-
1�4�3 English in India tional opportunities. People who take travel as

In a multilingual country like India, lan- a profession acquire proficiency in English so
guage becomes a barrier to communication. that communication becomes easier for them
When India got independence in 1947, the anywhere in the world.
country was divided into states based on lan- We have already learned about bilingualism

SGOU - FYUGP - SLM - English for Communication 41