Talk English, Walk English

English was the language of power in the subcontinent. Anyone who wanted to be upwardly mobile needed it. Add to that the fact that Hindus wanted to rid themselves of persian and Muslims would be damned if they would take on the devnagri scripted sanskritised hindi. So English was the logical choice. Besides the English is a global language argument is not to be taken lightly. We are development wannabes - us Indians and Pakistanis - and we need that tool. Comparing us with Japan and France is a bit too harsh and quite unreasonable.

English was the language of power in the subcontinent. Anyone who wanted to be upwardly mobile needed it. Add to that the fact that Hindus wanted to rid themselves of persian and Muslims would be damned if they would take on the devnagri scripted sanskritised hindi. So English was the logical choice. Besides the English is a global language argument is not to be taken lightly. We are development wannabes - us Indians and Pakistanis - and we need that tool. Comparing us with Japan and France is a bit too harsh and quite unreasonable.

English was the language of power in the subcontinent. Anyone who wanted to be upwardly mobile needed it. Add to that the fact that Hindus wanted to rid themselves of persian and Muslims would be damned if they would take on the devnagri scripted sanskritised hindi. So English was the logical choice. Besides the English is a global language argument is not to be taken lightly. We are development wannabes - us Indians and Pakistanis - and we need that tool. Comparing us with Japan and France is a bit too harsh and quite unreasonable.

Samar,

cant we compare learning english as something like improving one's productivity in an industry by introducing better technology, skills, markiting etc etc.

As it is India has had a tough time teaching any sort skills to its citizens. Why burden the people with yet another skill to learn and a redundant one at that?

cant we compare learning english as something like improving one's productivity in an industry by introducing better technology, skills, markiting etc etc. if we do that this english verses vernacular will disappear. both will stay.