Hello everyone!!! This blog is in response to the research paper named 'Teaching English as 'Second Language In India'. written by Kapil Kapoor, research scholar from JNU.
The very first line of abstract paper itself throws light upon the concept of paper.
"This paper argues that the concept of English as a 'second language' is not a purely pedagogic construct and has to be property understood in the larger historical, social and educational context."
- Kapil Kapoor.
We can see that language is not only the medium of communication but it also stands as cultural, social and historical document. The language carries its own costumes, traditions, manners and so on. Thus so many times, in order to understand the language, we have to understand the context in which the word is used. So, English or any other languages than our mother language, is more difficult to acquire.
English have taken the place on platform of world market. Thus it becomes very much important to learn the language. But Kapil Kapoor is also aware of the politics behind this. As he describes in his paper --
"The political purpose was clear in Macaulay's 1813 report - 'no Bengalee who undergoes this education has any respect left for anything Hindu."
-Kapil Kapoor.
Later in his paper, he describes the harm which was done to Hindi and Sanskrit as language because of English is taking place among us. We cannot surely say that by pointing out such realities he actually is favouring/defending anything or not.
At last he tries to define three term - L1, L2, & L3. And says that English actually is the Third language (L3) in India but now it have started taking place as Second Language (L2).
Thank you for reading my post carefully. :)
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