Walking together: Hindi and English

Language conundrum

This piece appears in The Hindu. Thanks to the team there.

Can two languages walk the road together – hold each other’s hands and grow? Can we begin with our schools?

Two colleagues recently went for some workshops. The organisations they applied to sent not only the application forms but also the follow-up emails in multiple languages. The entire communication was in two languages — English and Hindi. This set me thinking. Is this the way out of the Hindi-English conundrum?

We are part of a Hindi-medium school in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and like many other schools in the landscape, we are grappling with the conundrum. Over the years we have either pitched one language against the other or as an alternative to the other, and, as a corollary, have been left struggling at both.

I talk about Hindi, but I would hazard a guess that the scenario is not very different with other regional languages and dialects as well. In other words, ‘Hindi’ can well be replaced with ‘regional language’.

Today, we have many English-medium schools — by name or claim or registration with authorities. In most of these schools, teachers struggle with English. They primarily teach in Hindi. Those who teach English as a language, invest time in talking about the rules of English grammar with children. English writing, more often than not, remains on the planning board. English speaking, if at all, is rare. These rules, therefore, are seldom used. These teachers get little support at the school.

Some of the younger teachers study English to prepare for examinations that will help them secure a government job. English for them seldom evolves into a language they enjoy; it remains a forced task. Among the senior teachers, there are many who scorn at English. They pride themselves in Hindi, a language which is closer to their culture. Hindi for them is the proverbial ‘us’, and English ‘them’. But, for some reason, most of them send their children to English-medium schools.

My focus is on the schools meant for those not financially well-off; read the majority of our schools. Most of the children at these schools engage with English only during the school hours. And, in many cases, only during the English periods. When the English teacher or the child is away from school or during the holidays, there are long stretches when there is no exposure to the language. This does not help. The children struggle with English. The ASER 2023 report too states that of the children in the 14–18 age group, only a little over half can read sentences in English.

The scenario, of course, is one that is changing, and changing quickly. To begin with, we have ‘Hinglish’ today. The Collins Dictionary defines it as a variety of English incorporating elements of Hindi. Publishers of children books are increasingly bringing out bilingual books, besides, of course, the translations. The Oxford English Dictionary too has transliterated Hindi words now, and the list is increasing each year. Some States have also introduced ‘mirror image’ textbooks, with one page in the regional language and the facing page with the same content in English. To add to all this, the Hindi that we read today, unlike not long ago, is not very different from the Hindi that we speak!

We have noticed these changes play out at our school as well. During the language sessions for teachers, we have noticed increased use of English words in passages in Hindi, especially in the recently published texts. On similar lines when we read English, especially children’s books, we come across more Hindi words than earlier. These terms help make the writing relatable. They also raise questions. Would it augur well to have such words in both languages, as and when they occur, in the school textbooks? Would the teachers too need to use both these languages — on the blackboard, during the examinations, in their conversations? Do we need our teachers to be proficient in both English and Hindi? Is this a realistic ask?

In a linguistically rich country like ours — the People’s Linguistic Survey of India documented 780 languages — it may not be a great idea to learn just one language. And given where we are today, the growth of English is dependent on Hindi and vice versa. Writer Frank Smith puts it better: one language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.

Can we recall the doyens of Hindi poetry like Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Firaq Gorakhpuri who taught English in universities? People have achieved a lot by walking together. Can two languages walk the road together, holding each other’s hands, and grow? Can we begin with our schools?

I am reminded of Kedar Nath Singh, our poet of hope, one of his poems begins thus - हिंदी मेरा देश है, भोजपुरी मेरा घर.