English in the colonial university and the politics of language : the emergence of a public sphere in western India (1830-1880)
The introduction of English as 'high' language and the designs to reshape the 'native vernaculars' under its influence through colonial educational policy altered the universe of communicative and cultural practices on the subcontinent. Colonial bilingualism also introduced hierachical and ideological divisions between the newly-educated and 'illiterate', 'English-knowing' and 'vernacular-speaking' sections of native society. On the basis of an analysis of the possibilities for a laicised literate order opened up through the severely elitist project of colonial education, the thesis proposes an argument about the structural links between these crucial cultural shifts and the strategies adopted by the colonial intelligentsia in western India to achieve a hegemonic position. The main argument of my thesis is set against a discussion of the relations between linguistic hierarchies, textual practices and power in precolonial western India. My thesis is a study of the bilingual relation between English and Marathi and it traces the hierarchical relation between the English and vernacular spheres in the Bombay-Pune region between 1830-1880. The initiatives to establish the first native Marathi newspaper, the Bombay
Naregal, Veena
Colonial bilingualism; Marathi
English in the colonial university and the politics of language : the emergence of a public sphere in western India (1830-1880). The introduction of English as 'high' language and the designs to reshape the 'native vernaculars' under its influence through colonial educational policy altered the universe of communicative and cultural practices on the subcontinent. Colonial bilingualism also introduced hierachical and ideological divisions between the newly-educated and 'illiterate', 'English-knowing' and 'vernacular-speaking' sections of native society. On the basis of an analysis of the possibilities for a laicised literate order opened up through the severely elitist project of colonial education, the thesis proposes an argument about the structural links between these crucial cultural shifts and the strategies adopted by the colonial intelligentsia in western India to achieve a hegemonic position. The main argument of my thesis is set against a discussion of the relations between linguistic hierarchies, textual practices and power in precolonial western India. My thesis is a study of the bilingual relation between English and Marathi and it traces the hierarchical relation between the English and vernacular spheres in the Bombay-Pune region between 1830-1880. The initiatives to establish the first native Marathi newspaper, the Bombay
english colonial university politics language emergence public_sphere western india introduction english high language design reshape native vernacular influence colonial educational_policy alter universe communicative cultural_practice subcontinent colonial bilingualism also_introduce ideological division newly educated english knowing vernacular speaking section native society basis analysis possibility literate order open severely project colonial education propose argument structural link crucial cultural shift strategy_adopt colonial intelligentsia western india achieve hegemonic position main_argument set discussion relation linguistic hierarchy textual practice power western india study bilingual relation english trace hierarchical relation english vernacular spheres region initiative establish first native newspaper