Manvir Singh's essay explores the relationship between language and thought, particularly how the English language has formed unique perceptions of time. Citing Shakespeare's unusual temporal language, Singh illustrates how past and future concepts have historically shifted meanings. The article expands on personal reflections of the author, who recalls growing up in a South Indian household where English was the primary tongue, allowing opportunities but also leading to a longing for untranslatable expressions in native languages. It concludes with concerns about Hindi's dominance in India and hopes for maintaining linguistic diversity alongside English.
Singh argues that the way we talk about time shapes our understanding of it, highlighting that language evolution demonstrates the flexibility of thought and expression.
In Shakespeare's time, 'behind' referred to the future, illustrating how language can shift in meaning and how English adapted without losing its vocabulary.
Growing up in a bilingual household allowed for opportunities, yet some emotions and concepts were lost in translation, illustrating the nuances of language access.
While there is concern over pushing Hindi as a national language, there is hope that Indians can embrace English opportunities without losing their native languages.
Collection
[
|
...
]