Kannada Kannada ‘Endangerment’:‘Endangerment’:What is meant by this term for this What is meant by this term for this language?language?

Harold F. SchiffmanHarold F. SchiffmanSouth Asia StudiesSouth Asia StudiesU. Of PennsylvaniaU. Of PennsylvaniaGURT 2006GURT 2006

Is Kannada endangered?Is Kannada endangered?

•August 18, 2005: President of All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelan cites UNESCO list of ‘endangered’

languages• Claims Kannada is ‘endangered’•Blames

•‘excessive love of English’•Influence of ‘other languages’ and•Government ‘indifference’

Excessive love of English:Excessive love of English:

Karnataka government wants to Karnataka government wants to introduce English from first standard introduce English from first standard instead of waiting until 3instead of waiting until 3rdrd or 4 or 4thth standard. standard.

Central government had been asked to Central government had been asked to accord accord classicalclassical status to Kannada status to Kannada

Funding from classical status could be Funding from classical status could be used to help ‘rescue’ Kannada from used to help ‘rescue’ Kannada from extinction.extinction.

Who is doing more for Who is doing more for Kannada?Kannada?

PaPu: Kannada has won many awardsPaPu: Kannada has won many awards Kannada is ‘one of the oldest historical Kannada is ‘one of the oldest historical

languages in the world’languages in the world’ State government is doing more for State government is doing more for

English than for Kannada!English than for Kannada!

Criteria for Criteria for Endangerment:Endangerment:

The language in question is not being The language in question is not being transmitted intergenerationally, i.e. has transmitted intergenerationally, i.e. has no young speakers no young speakers

Where language censuses exist, mother-Where language censuses exist, mother-tongue declarations of the language tongue declarations of the language have been decreasing have been decreasing

Literacy in the language in question is Literacy in the language in question is minimal, if it exists at allminimal, if it exists at all

Mother-tongue speakers are all agedMother-tongue speakers are all aged

The 9 factors listed in UNESCO’s The 9 factors listed in UNESCO’s Language Vitality and Endangerment Language Vitality and Endangerment paper:paper:

1.1. Intergenerational language transmission Intergenerational language transmission 2.2. Absolute number of speakers Absolute number of speakers 3.3. Proportion of speakers within the total population Proportion of speakers within the total population 4.4. Shifts in domains of language use Shifts in domains of language use 5.5. Response to new domains and media Response to new domains and media 6.6. Materials for language education and literacy Materials for language education and literacy 7.7. Governmental and institutional language attitudes and Governmental and institutional language attitudes and

policies, policies, 8.8. Community member’s attitudes towards their own Community member’s attitudes towards their own

language language 9.9. Type and quality of documentationType and quality of documentation

Kannada and the 9 Kannada and the 9 factors:factors:

1.1. Intergenerational language Intergenerational language transmission: transmission:

2.2. Absolute number of speakers:Absolute number of speakers:3.3. Proportion of speakers within the Proportion of speakers within the

total population: total population: 4.4. Shifts in domains of language Shifts in domains of language

use: use: 5.5. Response to new domains and Response to new domains and

media: media: 6.6. Materials for language education Materials for language education

and literacy: and literacy: 7.7. Governmental and institutional Governmental and institutional

language attitudes and policies: language attitudes and policies: 8.8. Community member’s attitudes Community member’s attitudes

towards their own language: towards their own language: 9.9. Type and quality of Type and quality of

documentation:documentation:

1.1. No problemNo problem 2. 2001 census: 52,850,562 2. 2001 census: 52,850,562 3. Percentage: 66.2%3. Percentage: 66.2%4. English in the higher registers?4. English in the higher registers?

5. Attempts to control media, e.g. 5. Attempts to control media, e.g. language in cinemalanguage in cinema

6. No problem6. No problem

7. Karnataka government seen as 7. Karnataka government seen as indifferent?indifferent?

8. Attitudes seen as problem, 8. Attitudes seen as problem, especially of especially of women.women.

9 Census data are not suspect9 Census data are not suspect

Distribution of 10,000 speakers Distribution of 10,000 speakers by Languages (Karnataka):by Languages (Karnataka):

Bengali: 5Bengali: 5 Gujarati: 12Gujarati: 12 Hindi: 197Hindi: 197 Kannada:Kannada: 6,6226,622 Konkani: 157Konkani: 157 Malayalam: 169Malayalam: 169 Nepali: 1Nepali: 1

Oriya: 1Oriya: 1 Punjabi: 3Punjabi: 3 Sindhi: 3Sindhi: 3 Tamil: Tamil: 384384 Telugu: Telugu: 739739 Urdu: Urdu: 996996

(Source: 2001 census)(Source: 2001 census)

Languages not Languages not Mentioned:Mentioned:

Previous table gives all-India ‘official’ Previous table gives all-India ‘official’ languageslanguages

Karnataka is home to a number of Karnataka is home to a number of smaller languages:smaller languages: Tulu: 1.9 million speakersTulu: 1.9 million speakers Kodagu: 120,000Kodagu: 120,000 Konkani: 4,000,000 (not all in Karnataka)Konkani: 4,000,000 (not all in Karnataka) Other tribal languages: Other tribal languages: Badaga: 245,374; Betta Badaga: 245,374; Betta

Kurumba: 32,000; Sholaga: 24,000Kurumba: 32,000; Sholaga: 24,000

Where is the concern for Where is the concern for these languages? these languages?

Literacy and education in Karnataka is Literacy and education in Karnataka is usually in Kannada, unless facilities are usually in Kannada, unless facilities are provided by another state (Andhra for provided by another state (Andhra for Telugu, Tamilnadu for Tamil, etc.)Telugu, Tamilnadu for Tamil, etc.)

Kodagus, Tulus and others have Kodagus, Tulus and others have historically been content to receive their historically been content to receive their education and literacy in education and literacy in KannadaKannada. .

Why isn’t somebody worried about Why isn’t somebody worried about themthem??

1991 Totals and Percentages:1991 Totals and Percentages:(remain stable in 2001)(remain stable in 2001)

KannadaKannada:: 29,785,004 speakers29,785,004 speakers 66.266.2% of the population% of the population

UrduUrdu: : 4,480,038 declarations* (cf. Khubchandani)4,480,038 declarations* (cf. Khubchandani) 10%10% of the population of the population

TeluguTelugu:: 3,325.062 speakers3,325.062 speakers 7.4%7.4% of the population of the population

Compare with Kerala: Compare with Kerala: highest mother-tongue highest mother-tongue percentages percentages of any state in Indiaof any state in India

Malayalam: Malayalam: 28,096,376 28,096,376 96.6%96.6%

Tamil: Tamil: 616,010616,010 2.12.1%%

Kannada: Kannada: 75,57175,571 0.3%0.3%

Karnataka is the Indian state Karnataka is the Indian state with the with the lowestlowest percentage of percentage of titular speakers, and with its titular speakers, and with its sizable percentages of speakers sizable percentages of speakers of other languages, a perception of other languages, a perception of of quasi-minorityquasi-minority status status seems seems to be widespreadto be widespread

Tamil in Karnataka:Tamil in Karnataka:

Fourth largest minority, after Telugu and Fourth largest minority, after Telugu and Urdu: 3.84%Urdu: 3.84%

But perceived as But perceived as largerlarger threat! threat! Historical reasons:Historical reasons:

British did not incorporate Mysore into the RajBritish did not incorporate Mysore into the Raj Established a ‘cantonment’ at BangaloreEstablished a ‘cantonment’ at Bangalore Brought Tamils from Madras Presidency to Brought Tamils from Madras Presidency to

be its civil servantsbe its civil servants

Post-Independence:Post-Independence: States Reorganization in States Reorganization in 1950’s: 1950’s:

Karnataka (Mysore State) acquired territory from Karnataka (Mysore State) acquired territory from Bombay and MadrasBombay and Madras

Name changed from Mysore to Karnataka in 1973Name changed from Mysore to Karnataka in 1973 Capital moved from Mysore City to BangaloreCapital moved from Mysore City to Bangalore But Cantonment with its Tamil population was still But Cantonment with its Tamil population was still

‘a thorn in its side’‘a thorn in its side’ With development of Bangalore as IT capital, With development of Bangalore as IT capital,

more non-Kannada speakers moving in—live in more non-Kannada speakers moving in—live in enclaves, isolated from Karnataka and Kannadaenclaves, isolated from Karnataka and Kannada

Proximity of Bangalore to Proximity of Bangalore to TamilnaduTamilnadu

Tamil still seen as major Tamil still seen as major threatthreat

English is also seen as threat: resistance English is also seen as threat: resistance to teaching it from first standardto teaching it from first standard

Boycott of movies with non-Kannada Boycott of movies with non-Kannada soundtracks (Hindi? Tamil? English?)soundtracks (Hindi? Tamil? English?)

Veerappan (a Tamil smuggler and Veerappan (a Tamil smuggler and ‘brigand’) kidnaps a Karnataka minister, ‘brigand’) kidnaps a Karnataka minister, who dies.who dies.

Kidnaps a Kannada movie star, demands Kidnaps a Kannada movie star, demands a ransom:a ransom:

Ransom conditions:Ransom conditions:

Make Tamil a co-official language of Make Tamil a co-official language of Karnataka!Karnataka!

State agrees to do so, then reneges State agrees to do so, then reneges when Veerappan is caught (and killed)when Veerappan is caught (and killed)

Immediate danger of Tamil ‘takeover’ is Immediate danger of Tamil ‘takeover’ is avoided, but… avoided, but…

Perception of endangerment remains.Perception of endangerment remains.

How to represent How to represent multilingualism and its multilingualism and its domains in India:domains in India:

Languages and their Languages and their domains:domains:

Concentric circle diagram allows for Concentric circle diagram allows for representation of early childhood language in representation of early childhood language in monolingual settingmonolingual setting

As maturation proceeds, schooling introduces As maturation proceeds, schooling introduces restricted domains for other languages, restricted domains for other languages, including Literary variety of Mother Tongueincluding Literary variety of Mother Tongue

Other languages (Hindi, English) are Other languages (Hindi, English) are introduced gradually, but are intended to introduced gradually, but are intended to remain in OUTER circles onlyremain in OUTER circles only

India post-1968: India post-1968: Three-language formulaThree-language formula

L-variety used in L-variety used in the home, locallythe home, locally

Hindi and English Hindi and English introduced at introduced at schoolschool

Other languages Other languages may dominate may dominate restrictedrestricted domains of outer domains of outer circle onlycircle only

Perception of Perception of Endangerment:Endangerment:

Endangerment is perceived if some non-mother Endangerment is perceived if some non-mother tongue language is seen to invade tongue language is seen to invade inner circlesinner circles

Metaphor of theMetaphor of the VirusVirus: a killer language : a killer language invades inner domains, kills the mother tongue, invades inner domains, kills the mother tongue, replicates itself!replicates itself!

Such languages must be kept in the OUTER Such languages must be kept in the OUTER CIRCLE where they can do no damage.CIRCLE where they can do no damage.

Inner ‘sanctum’ is protected, mother-tongue Inner ‘sanctum’ is protected, mother-tongue remains safe. remains safe.

Why is Tamil so feared?Why is Tamil so feared?

Tamil is perceived to dominate Bangalore cantonment Tamil is perceived to dominate Bangalore cantonment and the IT sectorand the IT sector

Tamilnadu is contiguous to Bangalore Urban, and Tamilnadu is contiguous to Bangalore Urban, and could be incorporated into Tamilnadu Statecould be incorporated into Tamilnadu State

Territorial issues have plagued Karnataka since States Territorial issues have plagued Karnataka since States Reorganization. Reorganization.

Kannada is seen as a ‘minority’ in its own stateKannada is seen as a ‘minority’ in its own state Tamils are ‘arrogant’ and ‘domineeringTamils are ‘arrogant’ and ‘domineering ‘‘Endangerment’ issue seen as a way to sound alarm Endangerment’ issue seen as a way to sound alarm

bells, get actionbells, get action

Conclusion:Conclusion:

Endangerment is in the eye of the Endangerment is in the eye of the beholderbeholder

Endangerment calls up ‘life or death’ Endangerment calls up ‘life or death’ metaphorsmetaphors

In a nation with over one billion In a nation with over one billion inhabitants, 52 million speakers is only inhabitants, 52 million speakers is only 55% of the population% of the population