Journal of English Language Teaching

The Phenomenon of Hinglish

V G Sadh

IPS Academy, Institute of Engineering and Science, Knowledge Village, Rajendra Nagar, Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Keywords: Hinglish, Indianness of Indian English, Indian writing in English

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Abstract

English has become a global lingua franca, but new contestants are emerging to shake English, particularly in rich multilingual contexts such as India. Classicists contend that language skills must meet international criteria, but experience suggests that addition of local languages gives unprecedented results. One of the most interesting aspects of creative writers in Indian English is their use of English language with the texture of Indianness. The influence of mother tongue on authors who use English as second language for their creative endeavour is considerable, particularly in India where the influence of ancient culture, religion and tradition among the intelligentsia is great. Indians continue to present a great diversity in their spoken form of English. But acquiring fluent English involves consistent and rich language exposure. In India, this is chiefly restricted to the urban upper classes. Together, two influences like limited English access and the desirability of becoming an English speaker could mean that a form of English which is more easily accessible to the masses, such as Hinglish, grows faster than English.

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