Language and identity: The case of kannada in Bengaluru

Abstract

English has always amalgamated with the local (language) despite its global status. It broadens its sphere of influence because it assimilates into the native space. In this article, we examine the specific ways in which English usage aids in the reconstruction of a new Kannadiga identity in Bengaluru. We analyse the role of new age media and its employment of the hashtag and rap cultures in producing norms of linguistic identity vis-a-vis English. We observe in the ‘outer circle’ of English that speakers and users of English do not take serious offence when their usage is questioned for its non-compliance with the standards set by the ‘inner circle’. In contrast, speakers and users of a language like Hindi are seriously offended upon similar questioning. In the same line of argument, we observe that English does not pose a threat to anybody’s linguistic identity at least in India. This assessment raises questions on the various ways in which English interacts with languages in the peripheries. Bengaluru, in particular, is a treat for observers of globalising trends as the city is an evolving example of the effects of globalisation and glocalisation. Along with an increase in intra-nation immigration, the IT sector boom of the 1990s created a space for a confrontation of multiple linguistic identities. While the economy of Bengaluru thrives on its cosmopolitan culture, calls for rooting the city in a homogeneous linguistic population have marked the rise of strong sub-nationalist sentiments. The recent pro-Kannada protests over Hindi signage in Bengaluru Metro witnessed an unprecedented coming together of organisations such as the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam which share a common suspicion against the hegemonising (nationalising) tendencies of Hindi. Over the years, attempts have been made to synonymise the Bengalurean identity with Kannadiga identity. In this process, little or no attention is drawn towards the penetrating presence of English as a language of technology, education and social mobility.