Hindi is the official language of India which is spoken by around 350 million of people in India. Hindi and English have an incestuous relationship ever since India became colonized. Since then, Hindi began to mix with English and became famous as ‘Hinglish’ in Indian society. ‘British-Raj’ is considered as the first Hinglish word which was used in the colonial period and now Hinglish has become a common phenomenon practice in India in day-to-day life. Due to the popularity of Hindi movies and television, Hinglish has been spread beyond the metropolitan areas in India. Therefore, it is expected to examine the impact of using Hinglish by Hindi speaking people in India on the existence of standard Hindi language. The language spoken in North India and the language used in media were utilized as primary resource. Books, magazines, journal articles related to Hindi language were used as secondary resources. This paper highlights that Hinglish has been acquired a big demand in Indian society and now it is hard to eliminate this trend which has largely affected the day-to-day communication of Indians. The extensive use of Hinglish by the Hindi speaking people in India has become a huge challenge for the existence and the values of standard the Hindi language.
Modern ‘HINDI’ language would definitely be regarded as the National Official language of 350 million Indian population. Due to misunderstanding of certain group of people on the issue of Official language, a solution was created by making 05 sub languages and 18 more provincial sublanguages in respect to usage by the civilians in India. Furthermore, English was given priority in government and commercial activities for an extra period of 15 years as the official communication language even after gaining Independence from the British on 15th August 1947.
Accordingly, when we recollect and consider the background status of languages, in the era of ‘colonial’ India, it is a well-known fact that Hindi language have had a close relationship, coordination and also had an impact too with English language, than almost all the other provincial languages, throughout Indian sub-continent. This detailed analysis is based and centered upon how Hinglish language certainly effect the nature of present standards on Hindi language.
Hinglish could be regarded, highlighted and well defined as a combination & mixture of both Hindi and English languages
The very first Hinglish word that is still supposed to have in Records could be termed as, ‘BRITISH RAJ’. British Raj is used to express the term for British Empire. From the Colonial era, up to today, the British period is being introduced by the term, British Raj.
At present, it is clearly visible and understood that almost all the popular mass media, including cinema, television, social websites and digital media with Indian urban society too have come to very close impact with modern Hinglish language. Within such a setting, it is clearly visible of the unfavorable and unethical impact on standard Hindi language by the modern and recently evolved Hinglish language.
The main reason behind the speedy propagation of Hinglish language among the Indian society could be its intimate affinity to English wordings which has paved the way towards English language and its culture.
This close affinity of Hinglish language towards English language and its culture, has the distinction being well respected towards the constant usage of Hinglish language with very much close connection to English language wordings.
The well observed ‘Trend’, towards close affinity with Hinglish language by majority number in Indian societies featured them easily, being well regarded and respected by the English-speaking generations in the last lap of Colonial era within India.
The popular usage of Hinglish language could easily be well heard and observed within common society throughout its professional advertising of distinct and vivid propaganda activities. In any country, their social language is directly and strongly related to professional advertising. It is very correct to pen it here that professional advertising is the key partner which symbolizes direct effect in usage of language.
Usage of Hinglish language could always be very well heard and observed in almost all print media, audio-visual media and professional propaganda advertising, specially due to its specific attractiveness towards consumers and customers of vivid items and articles.
Examples: Domino’s Pizza – Hungry kya
Pepsi – Ye dil maange more
Lays – Pal banaye magical
Hero MotoCorp – Hummein hai hero
Close up – Kya aap close up karte hain?
Sun Silk – Come on girls, waqt hai shine karne ka
Coca Cola – Life ho to aisi
Mac – What your bahana is?
Maggie – Taste bhi health bhi
ICICI banks – No chintaa only money
Accordingly, in one way, the usage of Hinglish language covering print media, audio-visual media and social websites in market advertising, has been a reason why the consumers are being attracted to mosaic items.
On the other hand, the members of present younger generation, who are being easily attracted to this Hinglish (HYBRID) language in brief, with the short messages which bring ample publicity for its communication via less complex simpler wordings. Everyone regards it as a convey of the fruitful message, with lesser amount of words and as an instant absorptive media too.
Assurance of critics with responsibility, the Internet and Hinglish language would be regarded as mutual friends who could never be separated. They are tightly bonded and mutually reinforced with broad inter-relationship too.
Hybrid Hinglish language has also entered into Indian literature with inclusion of Roman letterings as very well denoted above.
Other than that of the two Hinglish novels written with Roman letterings, a fabulous and awesome novel published, namely Midnight’s Children in 1981 by a British Indian author Salmon Rushdi was honored with Man Booker Prize too, which had a complex mixture of English and Hindi language letterings & wordings on. Furthermore, this award winning novel in 1981, did not contain any of the foot notes nor indices too.
(Examples – Arre Baap, ekdam, nasbandi, phu-a-phut, dhoabn, rakshasha, fauz, jailkhana, badmaash, baap-re-baap, pyar kiya to darna kya, zenana, sarpach, bhel-puri)
Educated critics do state as their viewpoints, that the author Rushdi had definitely opened and well cleared up a new avenue for this popular Hybrid Hinglish language. This again, has made the present Indian generation stepping into and promote this Hybrid – Hinglish language with proper lively nature and sensible feelings too.
From the decades of 70s and 80s, Hindi cinema [Bollywood cinema], has certainly accepted the usage of Hinglish language which is functioning as its sole art media within the sub-continent of India. Throughout a Bollywood film, commencing from its titles via dialogues in the script and up to its music, each and every part is happened to be either in pure Hinglish language or a deviation of its hybrid nature. The effects of it are clearly visible in usage of languages which are remarkably prominent. In almost all the films in Bollywood cinema, nomenclature in its titling had permanently transformed into this Hybrid Hinglish language too.
Examples: English Vinglish, Dear Zindgi, Apna Sapna Money Money, Jab We Met, Love Aajkal, Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, Desi Boys, Pyar Mein Twist, Shadi Ke Side Effects, Shuddha Desi Romance, Raincoat, Pink
Really, when we do consider and have a close observation on parts of songs, common usage of this extra popular Hinglish language with hybrid nature throughout the songs are clearly visible.
Saree ke fall sa kabhi match kiya re – Kabhi chhod diya dil kabhi catch kiya re – R. Rajkumar (2013)
Ladki beautifull kar gai chull – Kapoor and Sons Since 1921 (2016)
But pappu can’t dance saala – Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008)
Tere Liye hi toh signal tod tad ke, aaya dilli wali girlfriend chod chad ke – Ye Jawani Hai Divani (2013)
Golmaal, golmaal, everything’s gonna be golmaal – Golmaal Returns (2008)
Why and how this was possible and happened in India?
It is very well understood that in the recent past, within a society in India which Likes or Dislikes and Comments were the only mode of communication in social media, a very high propagation of Hinglish language comparatively had been with so much of ease and could not have been avoided too. This is more evident, observed, heard and prevailing in almost all the mass media, cinema, all sectors in sales and marketing, education, politics and in the field of governance. Currently, Hinglish language has been an essential device throughout Indian sub-continent in all of the above mentioned spheres.
More than the self-mother tongue, a way and obvious means to be mixed with an internationally acclaimed language as English, have made it clear to be more popular and relevant in usage of Hinglish language in regard for the protection and safe-guarding themselves within the more elaborated present generation.
This is definitely a modern way of concepts and thoughts which have been created in the minds with developing attitudes towards a longevity within the society of present generation itself. Within this actual mode of background, widely spread Hinglish language will be a ‘Great Challenge’ in the near future to the survival of present standard HINDI LANGUAGE throughout Indian-subcontinent.
Problems [or difficulties] could be listed, which are being created by consistent usage of Hinglish language in different communities within the Hindi speaking society.
It seems to be very unfortunate to neglect the valued mother Hindi language, in most of the common and popular usage of almost all the communicative activities of Hinglish language. Comparatively, very correct grammar and pronunciation of standard Hindi language are being automatically pushed aside and retarded with the introduction of popular Hinglish language replacing the noble status of standard Hindi language which was strictly ‘grammar-conscious’ for more than thousand years or so.
There are many assumptions and views about this matter as being listed above. However, as a person who represents a non-Hindi speaking society where Hindi is taught and learned as a Foreign language, my strict conclusion is that there seems to be direct and indirect effects which degrade the sustainability of pure Hindi language. We mainly do study and educate ourselves with historical, modern standard Hindi language and its related noble literature. Hinglish language is concerned only with the purposes of communication, coordination and other necessities in Internet facilities. Language related conditions are combined with structural Hindi language. However, at present, Hinglish language is empowering its sovereignty to each and every division among the different communities of present generation. As a distinct result, in near future modern standard Hindi language would only be limited to Higher Educational institutions surrounding Indian sub-continent. We cannot come to a firm conclusion with the statement mentioning its origin either by concept or usage but we definitely can confirm its bad effects towards the sustainability of modern standard Hindi language.
Even before Hinglish language had approached to this scene of languages in India, we had observed two types of communicative Hindi languages, namely ‘pure’ Hindi and Hindustani. In Hindustani language there were simple Arabic-Persian mode and Sanskrit-Tadbhava (derivatives) mode, but there was no considerable language diglossia or difference as such. But, when we do analyze the language structure and vocabulary of Hindi language and Hinglish language, we can observe the difference of language diglossia as communicative Hinglish language and written Hindi language.
Dr. A. N. Salwathura
Senior Lecturer I
Department of Hindi,
University of Kelaniya