Socio-cultural Dimensions of English as a Second Language

Assignment Paper14-E-C-304

Topic- Socio-cultural Dimensions of English as a Second Language

Dabhi Ashvin P

M.A. Part – II

SEM- III

Roll No -06

Year – 2011-12

Department of English

Submitted to Mr. Devarshi Mehta

Department of English,

Bhavnagar University

ABSTRACT: -

              

The researcher has attempted to explore the creative dimension of English, second language in India. There is a link the social structure and cultural concept of Indian culture. This paper shows how English is made to attain the role of a second language. This concept is shown with examples in this paper.

Introduction: -

                

We use English but our requirements are behind English. English people and it is just created by English people. They are the first who used English as a language. English is not become our need but it is just medium and it is not our goal. For us English is not very important because without speaking English we can communicate with other peoples in India so it is not our need but for English people it is their need because without speaking English they can not speak or display their ideas and they can not communicate with other peoples in their country. There are so many factors which are related to English and social and cultural dimensions are among them.

                   

Nowadays we need English because our higher education is not in our mother tongue (Gujarati) but it is in English. English becomes a compulsory subject. All the higher education is in English so we need to learn English and it is become our need. We have not genuine interest in English. English is not boring but our teacher makes it boring so we have not interest in learning English as a subject because teacher have not any special method for teaching English as a language. If English is taught in a particular way or in a effective method, we can learn it very easily. The rules and methods are not used in classroom for teaching English as a subject so student cannot learn it easily or he can not use it in day to day life. These all things are flexible and the main reason of behind them is socio cultural dimensions of English.

                    

 All the rules are not conditions. India has two official languages Hindi and English at the national level. In state we have three official languages Guajarati, English, and Hindi. If we talk about the states like Nagaland, Uttaranchal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur English is their medium but for us English is not our medium for learning. If we talk about Bengal there is economical revolution. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a social worker. He tried to remove female problems like Sati Pratha. For these Bengali people it was the first college of post graduation is established in Bengali. All these things there are some social dimensions which we can not translate in English and if it is possible, the real tone or effect does not remain in it.

            

 We do not translate the and that is why we use conceptualize theory. There are no English words of these types of Gujarati words like Bhagvan, Ishwar, Dev, Mama, Bhano, Gharelu etc. If there are some words for them, they do not show the real effect or idea of these types of real words. When foreigners come in India, at that time they do not know or understand the basic concept of our sentence like Ganga is a holy river. They do not get the real meaning of these types of sentences. They try to understand but they can not get the appropriate tone or meaning of sentences. For getting real tone or meaning they have to refer our culture or our history sometimes. They have to study our culture and get the understanding of these types of sentences.

            

`        Our belief system is different. It is always our mythology. We can not translate our ethos, mythology and our cultural ideas in English. We can see that our belief system is totally different from English. We have long mythology and we cannot translate them in English. There are not transited words or names for our great mythical characters. We have not particular words for Ram, Shiva, Vishnu etc. we can not translate lord Hanuman as lord Monkey. We have not any specific words for these mythical characters in English. We have many communities and in all these communities there are different traditions, manners and views to celebrate any festivals. We have long culture and there are so many things which can not translate into English. In short our belief values are different. Our geography has different parts. Our code is different from their code and also our way of thinking is different. If we talk about the words like spicy, chilly, very hot, our food is not from spicy. There is a word ‘copy case’ and we had coin this word.

       

 In India there are so many languages spoken by the people, so we can say that India is multi language country. In different states the people speak different languages. Every state has its own culture and society and these things can not be translated in English. When language is contract or interest at that time they suffer a lot. In our Gujarati never observe Vrata. There are two culture automatically interact with each other. Our culture is different from the culture is different from the culture of English our culture is first barrier and Indian culture is second barrier. First we are Gujarati and then we are Indian. Here I would like to write a good sentence like if you do not love your family, you never love your country or world. First we have to love our family member. We have to help them. We have to understand their problems and give solutions of their problems and then you can love your country and then you can love your world’s people.

       

 We are Gujarati. We can not support Gujarati because Gujarati is suffering itself. Our Gujarati is not so as itself. We have neglected Gujarati for many years. We do not have a command over our mother tongue. There are many sections in our mother tongue Gujarati. So we do not have a good command over our language. If they know any language, they can learn English. Thinking is closely connected with language. You have to love any language. If someone does not know the difference between English and mother tongue, He or she can not learn language. If we know any language then we can learn easily other language. All languages are some how inter connected with each other.

         

Indian people have neglected the Gujarati language and we want to learn English as a second language. All languages have something in common. People do not have thoughts to express. Thinking is closely connected with language learning. We do not love English that is why we can not learn English language. We have to put interest in learning any language. We have to love of our target language language; we can not learn it very easily or in a proper way. We have not used the language in analyzing a poem. We should learn language. In language teaching students should use their language and thinking combing efforts with thinking. Language in action means a language in use.

         

 Language grows never be a static. It changes in different contexts and interaction. Every person socially is a bundle of personae, a bundle of parts and each part having its line means language. English can not be a medium of instruction but as a second language not a subject. Slang or taboo wards are rely on outside and we use it in our education. Second language can never take place of our mother tongue. Learning culture of Gujarati is not possible in second language. Reflection of culture is in our mother tongue, Gujarati.

          

We can not impart our mother tongue in our target level. If we do not that, we can not learn our target level. Though it is link language, English is not our link language; it is not our link language. When we come across with society, we do not come across English. We do not use the Gujarati word like maze but we use table. When you think it is your second language but you can not study it. You can not relate the language with the culture while you are learning in English. We can not translate our culture in English so while you are learning English, you can not relate it with your culture. Language is a system and society is a system. Your culture and language are system. Language is the reflection of your society. We can see the real social status through language. Language refers to a particular image of society. If we want to know society, we have to learn language. Society and language are related with each other. We can see the real situation of any particular society with the help of society. Every social state has its words and such phrases are always there in the social state. Every society has its words and concept of the language. Here we can see how socio- cultural dimensions affect with language.

         

We can not translate real Indian identity in English. We can not translate ethos, characteristics, spirit of a culture, era or community. If we try to translate the character of Hanuman in English, We can say that he was the servant of Rama.  He can fly. He was celibacy. He could eat moon. There is no specific word for ‘Das’. Here we can use the word servant for it but the real meaning is in the word ‘Das. He was Kapi not Monkey or ape. In the Ramayana Hanumanji used Awadhi language when he met Sita so that Ravan can not understand the concept of Hanumanji.

          

A writer may use a native word with the meaning in the translation or explanation. There are so many words which are used and accepted as such like ‘Sari’ the dress of the female and ‘Dhoti’ the dress of the male. These types of words are using because now a days the increasing popularity of Indian literature in English is more. Native words find their way in English because of the lack of a particular way. There are some words which are so deep rooted in the Indian culture, religion and philosophy and they are a part of the these types of words like ‘kum kum’ which means re powder used as a beauty mark by women. Another word is ‘Namaskar’ which means a greeting or salutation, ’Nani’ which means mother’s mother, ‘Mami’ which means mother’s brother’s wife.

Conclusion: -

Here I have tried to explore the creative dimension of English, second language in India. There are still a lot of dimensions that need detailed work. This paper helps you to see how the socio-cultural reality displayed at many levels of language organization.                                   

Work cited

Aslam,Rekha. “Socio-Cultural Dimensions of English as Second Language”.English in India.Ed.Omkar N. Koul.Creative Pub.:New Delhi.Cha.XIII.1^sted.1992.print