What is language?

Language and the Paradox of Linguistic Diversity in India

Language is a vehicle of human culture. It is a living organism, constantly evolving and accommodating coinages from sister languages. The mother tongue holds a unique place, standing as a witness to the passage of time, while other languages serve as windows through which we perceive the world.

In India, we have been burdened by the paradox of language. English, in particular, has become a segregating force. Surprisingly, a rickshaw driver is considered literate if he can read and write in any language mentioned in constitution but that wouldn't help him getting done his insurance paperwork, he will have to consult someone who is proficient in English, leading to a disparity in opportunities. While linguistic diversity enriches Indian culture, it can also foster linguistic elitism and create an inferiority gap.

If a person speaks something, he has certain pictures in his mind related to the words he is speaking. The listener also has pictures related to those words. But the images in the speaker's mind may differ from the images in the listener's mind. It means the meaning of the same word is different for different people. We can conclude that everyone has a distinct language of their own because the visuals in everyone's head are different. However, we have common images regards almost all of the things that makes it easy to communicate. 

In conclusion, language serves as a remarkable tool to comprehend human thought processes, yet the more we explore its intricacies, the more we encounter confusion. Embracing linguistic diversity can enhance our understanding of one another while fostering a harmonious coexistence.

Aashi Gupta

(Language puzzles me more than space.)