American Ambivalence on National Language

Dr. Tahir qazi Sahib:

Let me try one more time:

The topic is the national language of America. My intent to mention Bangla Desh was to illustrate that language became a sore problem in East Pakistan. In South India, the people claim that they are Indians and not Hindians. The intent was not to discuss the politics of the subcontinent in any detail. This would have been out of place anyhow. To clarify that language was an issue in East Pakistan, I quote as follows from Wikipedia:

``In 1948, Mohammad Ali Jinnah declared in Dhaka ...that `Urdu` and only `Urdu` would be the sole official language for all of Pakistan. This proved highly controversial, since Urdu was a language that was only spoken in the West by Nuhajir and in the East by Biharis. The majority groups in West Pakistan spoke Punjabi and Sindhi, while Bangla was spoken by the majority of East Pakistanis. The language controversy eventually reached a point where East Pakistan revolted. Several students and civilians lost their lives in a police crackdown on February 21, 1952. The day is revered in Bangladesh and in West Bengal as the Language Martyrs` Day. Later, in memory of the 1952 killings, UNESCO declared February 21 as the international Mother Language Day. The deaths led to ......``

Language issue in the U.S. is more than two centuries old. Americans have lived with this issue for so long; it wouldn`t become any serious problem in the future. And if it did, it would be resolved peacefully.

With regards,

Mohammad Gill

Re: Interact #6 by Mohammad Gill

>>”Those of you who picked up East Pakistan (Bangla Desh) and ran away with it, failed intentionally or unintentionally to focus on the topic of the article. The article is about the U.S. and its national language; it`s not about Bangla Desh and the politics which led to the break up of Pakistan”.

Kindly, refocus the argument to tell the readers why discussing East Pakistan (Bangladesh) was important while topic of the article was “American Ambivalence ….” And how break away of East Pakistan added to understanding American ambivalence on language issue?

Is author arguing if US chose to declare English as the national language, she should fear secession of some states? It is hard to find reasons for ambivalence of America in author’s argument from subcontinent.

With best regards.

Tahir Qazi

Re: Interact #6 by Mohammad Gill

>>”Those of you who picked up East Pakistan (Bangla Desh) and ran away with it, failed intentionally or unintentionally to focus on the topic of the article. The article is about the U.S. and its national language; it`s not about Bangla Desh and the politics which led to the break up of Pakistan”.

Kindly, refocus the argument to tell the readers why discussing East Pakistan (Bangladesh) was important while topic of the article was “American Ambivalence ….” And how break away of East Pakistan added to understanding American ambivalence on language issue?

Is author arguing if US chose to declare English as the national language, she should fear secession of some states? It is hard to find reasons for ambivalence of America in author’s argument from subcontinent.

With best regards.

Tahir Qazi

those who live by Spanish will die by Spanish -- exceptions: Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California......

in these places Spanish has to be second language because of Mexico`s proximity.

same way English is in New York, Michigan, North Dakota, Montana and Washington because of Canadian proximity.......

The Soviet Union was also very keen on promoting Russian language over its people and even people of the Warsaw Pact countries. It is that imperial instinct that is at play here. Yes, I know, I know, the barking pack will snap at my heels for using the horrid ``I`` word, but I don`t know what else to call it. The once Land of the Free has a strong trend that is turning into the United Soviet States of America (USSA). Don`t belive me... read the following article.

Homeland Security Contracts for Vast New Detention Camps

News Analysis/Commentary, Peter Dale Scott,

New America Media, Feb 08, 2006

Editor`s Note: A little-known $385 million contract for Halliburton subsidiary KBR to build detention facilities for ``an emergency influx of immigrants`` is another step down the Bush administration`s road toward martial law, the writer says.

For the full text of the article click here

...SR

As far as US goes.....Spanish is replacing English in many circles....it is eating at American mighty oak like termites from within.

School systems and malls are adopting Spanish only......at a local mall, at 2 dept stores, couldn`t find any English speaking cashier.....never went back.

Bangladeshis just followed Jinnah`s footstep and wanted a separate nation....ha ha.

Those of you who picked up East Pakistan (Bangla Desh) and ran away with it, failed intentionally or unintentionally to focus on the topic of the article. The article is about the U.S. and its national language; it`s not about Bangla Desh and the politics which led to the break up of Pakistan.
``While in many countries of the world, a national language is perceived to be crucially important (it is considered as the emblem of the national culture), it however has been played down in the multicultural milieu of the United States. East Pakistan broke away from Pakistan and one of the prominent reasons of its secession was the language. The East Pakistanis wouldn’t accept Urdu as the national language; they preferred their native language, Bengali. In south India, there was (and probably still is) bitterness among many people regarding Hindi. Hindi is the de facto national language although officially, English is its national language. The south Indians declared that they were Indians and not Hindians.``
The above text was used to make a point regarding linguistic issues. Language was only one of the reasons albeit prominent for the break up. To discuss politics of the break up would have been out of place in this article. hamidm2`s comments were appropriate to the subject matter of the article.
Mohammad Gill

Re: # 3
TahirQazi :
Any person who has observed the political picture from pre-1947 to 1971 when Bangla Desh was created would agree with you. The two-nations theory as propounded by Jinnah and his followers is flawed. The idiots like General Yahya, and others who came after him never understood the vast complexities in historyand culture, that existed between Bengalis and say Punjabis. All these are the contributors to the breakup of Pakistan.

Then which insane ``East Pakistani`` would remain part of Pakistan after the murderous, genocidal, killing and rapine by West Pakistani Army in the East?

Mohammad Gill in his zeal to ``write`` has obviously makes few mistakes here and there. Let us foreget it . Who does not make mistakes? Remember Chowk is just a Cyber Paper!

Kamath

Re: # 2


sigh ! ........... talk about a one track mind

......... anyway, i think it is totally unnecessary and divisive to officially make english the `national language` - it is all about scoring points in an election year and will fizzle out soon ....

>>”East Pakistan broke away from Pakistan and one of the prominent reasons of its secession was the language. The East Pakistanis wouldn’t accept Urdu as the national language; they preferred their native language, Bengali”.

Respectfully, this is one of the most superficial explanations whether it is intended to explain break away or to describe the folly of Mr. Jinnah and Bengalis to join in with Pakistan in the first place . East Pakistan and rightly now Bangladesh, is a complex historical issue that I believe Mr. Gill does fully appreciate.

With regard to the US to move legalizing English as the national language, I think it is in the making. The reasons are that a great deal of business in the world is conducted in English whether we like it or not.

Multiculturalism does not mean that unifying cultural denominators cannot be defined at some point even when forefathers did not define it in the first place. I am saying this with the understanding that culture and language are not static but dynamic pillars of a society. I guess there is nothing wrong if language of the majority of Americans democratically chooses to make any language as the working language of the state.

By the way, I am a big fan of the president’s ideas on teaching language because he pronounces “Nuclear” just perfectly. Isn`t it kinda cute!

Ama Gillster, English is THE language of course – whatever designation or label one attaches to it – however, every time there is massive immigration, there are pockets of population which lag in catching up – especially the old folks in your age group! It takes approximately three generations for individuals to get fully integrated. Politicians will make hay under the shine of any issue – no matter how trivial.

It is worthwhile noting that all the American jihadis arrested in the recent times certainly don’t have a language problem! The green bug bite does not affect one’s speech, it looks like! Darn the politicians!

At least they are not lawyers, too!

Wait, actually about a third of US senators have some legal background!

Darn!

I think we are in deep trouble!

[East Pakistan broke away from Pakistan and one of the prominent reasons of its secession was the language.]

Ama janab, language it was only in a superficial way! Save that one for the birds. The hypocrites here who never tire of shouting themselves hoarse today over Kashmir were doing double duty as deaf-mutes when it came to the citizens of the eastern half – themselves being “superior” being “closer” to the Mecca, and all that! They treated those folks as their doormats, they relieved themselves all over them and killed and raped that population at the time of separation – and still haven’t gotten the guts to admit their sodid deeds.

Yes, the real problem was that the Pakistanis in the west did not know the language of humanity – like Jinnah, they only talked the language of dominance – and based on the shining examples here – they haven’t learnt too many lessons and in fact, have not gotten as far as the alphabet!

The language of heart is the only language that matters when it comes to dealings among individuals! Gandhi spoke that language better than anybody else.

Ever!

The language of money is the only one which matters when there is impersonal commercial transaction. Controlled economies – like the commies – are accordingly bound to fail.

Not having a national language imposed on people is wise....but if its not legally a national language.....hoe come its sucha common perception that english is the first and spanish is the second language of US?
ty for ur perspective...