Language Debate
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‘No such thing as Mumbai theatre’: Writer Shanta Gokhale on the language divide on the stage
‘The fact remains then, that Mumbai’s theatre and literature are not one, but four. I do not say this with regret. I am only stating a fact.’
Shanta Gokhale
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Can Rabindranath Tagore be called a nativist?
The Nobel Laureate preferred his mother tongue, Bengali, and was a reluctant poet in English. But he was by no means an aggressive nationalist.
R Raj Rao
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Hindi Day: The many, varying ideas of India’s ‘national’ language
Even supporters of Hindi lacked consensus about the idea of the language and the role it was to play as the ‘national’ language.
Prachi Gupta
Trending
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The real reason why Modi says what he does – Hindu India accepts it
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The Assam voter who no longer supports the BJP because of the CAA
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BJP’s street-fighters in coastal Karnataka want a share in power
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Lok Sabha polls: Ladakh MP rallies supporters after BJP drops him from candidate list
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For better or for worse? Shifts in gender norms in India – in 12 charts
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Hindi is national language, witnesses from Bengal must use it in UP tribunal, says SC judge
India does not have a national language, according to the Constitution.
Scroll Staff
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Whether in Hindi or Hungarian, swear words have similar sound patterns
The idea that a particular sound can contribute to the offensiveness of an expletive regardless of the language challenges some basic principles of linguistics.
Ryan McKay, The Conversation & Shiri Lev-Ari, The Conversation
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Plea to make Hindi the official language of J&K and Ladakh dismissed
The High Court noted that it fell within powers of the executive to designate official languages.
Scroll Staff
Video
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Watch: K-Pop singer Aoora sings in Assamese as he collaborates with Nilotpal Bora in a new folk song
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Watch Anu Malik and Sonu Nigam’s impromptu performance of ‘Main Hoon Na’ at Farah Khan’s home
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Watch: Doordarshan newsreader faints on live TV in Kolkata owing to severe heat
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Watch: Spice Girls sing ‘Stop’ as bandmates reunite to celebrate Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday
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Watch: Over 350 ballerinas come together to break the world record for standing on tip toes
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Interview: Why medical courses in non-English languages will burden students and create barriers
With India’s linguistic diversity as well as the global dominance of English, teaching in medicine in Hindi or regional languages will serve little purpose.
Smitha Nair
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Amit Shah releases MBBS textbooks in Hindi, praises Modi for promoting the language globally
The home minister claimed that the prime minister turned the ‘brain drain’ theory into ‘brain gain’ by promoting education in Hindi and other languages.
Scroll Staff
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The gender-neutral word ‘Latinx’ is gaining ground in the US – but it isn’t really inclusive
A Mexican-born scholar explains why it isn’t a good replacement for ‘Latino’.
Melissa K Ochoa, The Conversation
The Reel
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Watch: In ‘The Big Cigar’, the Black Panther founder flees America through a fake movie
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‘Dil Dosti Dilemma’ review: A feelgood entertainer about young love and old ties
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In ‘Tahader Katha’, the many partitions endured by a freedom fighter
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Watch: Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ trailer
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Start the week with a film: A legend returns in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’
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BJP should not attempt to ‘turn India into Hindia’, says MK Stalin
He made the statement in response to a speech by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Hindi Day.
Scroll Staff
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The ‘rashtrapatni’ row should make us rethink the everyday bias against women in our languages
It is important for our languages to evolve to be inclusive and encourage equality.
Rohan Banerjee
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‘Rashtrapatni’ row is a reminder of the sexist roots of language – and a suggestion by Bal Thackeray
The debate reiterates how the words we use perpetuate biases and skewed power relations.
Bijayani Mishra & Harsh Vardhan
The Field
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Watch, highlights ISL 2023-24: Mumbai City win dramatic semi-final first leg against FC Goa
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Athletics, Asian U20 C’ships: India clinch medals in men’s javelin, discus and 1500m on opening day
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Boundaries and impact: The imbalance in IPL 2024 shows it is not a good time to be a bowler
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IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals hold their nerve to beat Gujarat Titans in a high-scoring thriller
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Boxing: Preeti to headline India’s 50-member squad for Asian U-22 & Youth Boxing Championship