English as a language has grown exponentially over the past many decades. Since the Britishers left India in 1947, English has become the second official language of India. It is being used in all official government work and being used as a medium of teaching in schools and colleges. The southern states of India do not speak Hindi and prefer the use of English. When the Nehru government tried to impose Hindi nation-wide, the southern states were the ones who opposed the use of Hindi, and that’s how English came to stay in India.[1]
Importance of English in life
English as a language has a lot of importance in our lives. By having a decent knowledge of the language, we can get better at our studies and excel in our careers. English is the common language all around the world because all understand it. English is mostly used in all walks of life, whether it be medicine, business, restaurants, hotels, shopping arcades etc. As a global language, it is understood by everyone and is a very convenient language for all. Thus, the importance of English cannot be overlooked in today’s society and times.
Position of English language in Indian society
English as a language has captured the hearts and minds of Indians all over India. Previously, only India’s southern states spoke English as they weren’t comfortable with Hindi and disallowed its use after Independence; but, now we can see that almost every other person, whether it be an urban population small-town population, speaking in English. English has got a mighty grasp on Indian society since the times of the Britishers. Everyone now wants to speak only English as they think that the language will get them much more ahead in life than their mother tongue or Hindi. They feel that Hindi will make them appear cheap and unwelcome in society. That’s why more and more Indians are adopting English as a medium of communication and completely discarding the use of Hindi, the national language of India. It is sporadic nowadays that a person is speaking in Hindi.
Our authors also are adopting English for writing novels and other pieces of prose and writing poetry. English newspapers are more in abundance than Hindi ones. This shows that how English and Western culture has completely changed the outlook of Indian in India. Western culture is thought of as correct by youngsters in India, and they aren’t interested in learning anything about the Indian culture at all. If this process goes on, then sooner than later, the Indian culture will be quickly forgotten by the upcoming generations. This poses a serious problem for India. On the one hand, it is good to adopt the English language, but at the same time, we must be fully aware of our country and culture as well. We must keep in mind that English was not our original language, and it was imposed upon us by Britishers.
Advantages of English Language in India
The advantages of English are immense in India. Whoever speaks the language easily lands a job in every powerful organization. English is a powerful language that can make or break careers for millions in India. If you have good English speaking skills, then chances are you will be selected by major companies in India and all around the world. That’s why the increasing numbers of spoken English institutes in India are paving the way for this very change for millions of people who wish to work in multinational companies and make a better life for themselves.
Having a good knowledge of English gives us many opportunities for entertainment such as movies, music, novels, web-series etc. We can watch, listen, read and do much more just with knowing English.
English has been one of the world’s most dominating languages because it is spoken as an official language in 53 countries around the world. So, this gives us a major advantage of learning English over other foreign languages.
When we use the internet, then also we encounter English. Whether it be coaching classes online or buying products, English has been prevalent on the internet as it helps us efficiently access the world wide web. Nowadays, one cannot imagine one’s life without the internet, as everything happens on the internet itself. And we want such a language which is understandable by one and all. That’s where English comes into the foray and allows us to read all the content on various websites. We can book tickets, plan our meetings, do and write all our word documents, presentations etc. and present them at our meetings all through the internet. The internet even gives us a vast amount of career opportunities, which is all possible because of English only.
Because of English, travelling is a lot easier as English can help us communicate with people worldwide wherever we go. We might face problems in the remote areas, but mostly we can get through by speaking English.
When we learn English from a very young age, our brain undergoes electrical activity, and studies have proved it.
Our memories become sharper when learning languages, especially short-term memory. The brain can now retain a lot of information when learning a new language like English.
Learning English also keeps our mental state agile and flexible and gives it the ‘exercise’ it needs to keep functioning. So, we should work upon our vocabulary so that our brains remain healthy and disease-free.
Problem-solving also increases when learning languages as it filters out all the distractions and keeps us focused solely on the task at hand.
English also helps us enhance our comprehension skills, and we come to know how the language works and functions.
English also helps us become better writers as well. Through learning the language, we become better at expressing our thoughts which ultimately lead to creativity and thus, we can start writing our blogs as well.
So in this way, we see how important and beneficial English is for us and the world. Speaking English gives us confidence and helps us to communicate our ideas to other people better.
