Can't English be considered an indigenous Indian language, asks Supreme Court

andsoitis 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

What are the positive practical (social and economic) implications of categorizing English as an indigenous language?

Any negative practical implications?

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	▲	nephihaha 8 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Most Indian English speakers have it as a second language, but one group would benefit and they are the Anglo-Indians. They are a Eurasian minority, so partly indigenous and have suffered some persecution. English is the native language of many of these people as well as a lingua franca. There are a number of decent Anglophone Indian writers and a considerable body of literature now. Some of it is extremely Indian, so it has effectively outgrown its colonial role.

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nephihaha 8 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Well, in one sense yes. There are a significant number of native speakers in India, as well as a distinct Indian variety of English. Most speakers are L2, but despite its colonial history, it has a neutrality that Hindi or Tamil hasn't been able to find, and also practical international uses. It has also established itself in a way that French and Portuguese failed to.

English is indeed colonial in origin, but it has been around in India for hundreds of years and outgrown that role.