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1200 THE LEABEB. [No, 450, November 6, 1...
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INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS.
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THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN INDIA. In the ne...
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NOTES OX INDIAN P110GKE3S. It will take ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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1200 The Leabeb. [No, 450, November 6, 1...
1200 THE LEABEB . [ No , 450 , November 6 , 1858 .
India And Indian Progress.
INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS .
The English Language In India. In The Ne...
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN INDIA . In the new scheme of progress for India , which is now unfolding itself , the extended use of the English language and of Roman type arc advocated- by many of those most practically acquainted with the wants of India . To us the proposition seems less feasible and less promising than to those better acquainted with the history aud circumstances of the country , for it appears open to the primary objection that it is the imposition of foreign institutions
most displeasing to the native population . When we come to consider these two circumstances , which materially influence the judgment , one is that many of the tribes of India have no written language , that whole districts are without a vernacular literature other than the rituals , and that throughout India for a long period the learned , court , and law languages have been languages either foreign to the population , as Persian , or not understood by them , as Sanscrit and Hindostanee . It is further to be observed that the literature of science and of civilisation has still to be communicated to
the population , and that with the effective movement that is taking place for the unity of India there is not among such a diversity of languages and dialects even a common , scrip or type , much less a common language . With the development of the post-office , the electric telegraph , and the railway , the necessity of a common or standard language of intercourse becomes daily more essential , and in many districts the populations are so mixed up that a common language for the pleadings and records of the courts is required . The Government has attempted to supply this want , in its
tender conservation of native nationality and the fear o £ obtruding English nationality , by the use of Hindostanee , a language and scrip so little un ~ derstood . by the population , being a foreign jargon , that in a district and population as large as these islands , hardly one man in a village will be found who has any comprehension of it . It may be said further that Hindostauee has no proper literature , and that it leads to nothing . We believe that at this time Bengalee literature is more developed in consequence of the many valuable educational works which have been translated , and the
operation of the native press . In Bengal , for post-office purposes , Bengalee is substituted purposely for English in a fashion rather ludicrous . The following is the address of a newspaper , " Dhaka Bay-ank Xiu-ee-bray-recr Say-krayto-ree Mohasoy-Dluika . " JVIohasoy is supposed to stand for Monsieur , but the rest is English , and , as well observed by the Dacca News , would have been better understood by the post-office people if so written . The same publication , in reference to the law dialect of the local courts iu the district , that
it is a curious mixture of Bengaleo and Hirulcc , with English law terms thickly sprinkled through it . Thus , when a plaintiff who is called hadee , gets the defendant prUibpdee , punished , ho gets a digree , which , stands for " decroo , " When the charge is 11 false one , the decision is announced by tho word deesmees , for ' dismiss . " jSafeeiia is the vernacular for " subpoena , " but oven an Englishman who is a good Bengalee scholar has been Btaggercd by tho words Jastees ce / pdea JPeese , which are in no dictionary , and which figure in strange typo for Justice of tho Peace .
It often happens ni oases whore the parties understand English better than tho court languages , tho English magistrate has the whole rehearsed by the omlaU in the court jargon . Wo may observe that the same thing takes place on the Gold Goast , where , the magistrate being English and the parties speaking and , writing English , the proceedings aro interpreted into a local jargon , winch the court officers alone understand . The use of English in the post-office and telegraph , offiqes , and at the railway stations is essential , and it should at once bo made tho official languago ,
a priority should be given to letters and messages in English or English type , and for messages in other languages an extra charge should be made . The mercantile class , English and native , would prefer this . All Government notifications , railway notifications , and names of streets , should be in English , with the local name in Roman type , and where there is a neig hbouring population with its own language , likewise in that language in Roman type . Tims these great instruments of civilisation would assist in the further enlightenment of India . All Government school-books should be printed in lioman type , and Persian type should be as speedily as may be abolished . In no Government prmtiiig-olncc should there be any other type but the Roman , whereas now there are few collectorates whicli have
not at least two founts of type , and sometimes more , the native founts being very cumbrous . All the Government writing should at once be brought to Roman scrip . When we consider what great benefit has been conferred on Europe by the adoption of the Roman type and scrip , and the way in which it extends into the countries where other characters yet prevail , we cannot but be desirous that India should have the benefit of this great philological key , by which the study of the native languages would be rendered easier to the native , and ' the study of English likewise , by which the literature of ancient wisdom and of modern science would be opened to him . The teaching of Welsh reading in schools is found to prepare the way for English reading and writing ,
because , the lad who reads Welsh finds he has no Looks which will give him information , and hardly amusement , and for everything ¦ useful he must refer to -English . It was in this way once in . England , when the stores ' of ' -information not having been made accessible in the vernacular , and only attainable in Latin , the learner had to prosecute his studies in that language if he wished to become truly informed . With regard to type , we may mention that besides the progress of Roman type iu Germany and Scandiuavia , the patriots of Wallaehia , in their endeavours to create a llouman literature , finding that the Cyrillian type excluded them from a community of studies with the West , introduced the Roman type . The use of the English language as the language of the law courts is one of the most essential
iinthc Soihdec , the Canarese , and a little Teliii ^ ee in the South Mahratta countries . So abruptly ' . es one language cease and ' another begin that lie lias seen the line marked between them on the map like the course of a river , and between the rivers Kisna and JShecina he has left a village in which Mahratta was spoken , and after riding two miles only , reached a village in which Cauarcse was spoken , the two languages being as different as Greek and English . There are cases of this in Europe—there is a village on the French border where Trench is spoken at one end aud Flemish at the other , aud iu Wales , in Alsace , or in Jutland , the line of linguistic distinction will be found as abrupt as iu India .
Mr . Warden savs it is hopeless to expect that Englishmen should become , as a rule , sufficiently conversant with those four languages to administer justice in all . At Dharwar lie was liable to have persons appearing before him speaking one Canarese , a second . Mahratta , and a third Tehngee . The native officials turned these languages into liindostance . The judge , speaking ; in ; i foreign language with which lie is not thorou g hly familiar , is apt to make himself more or less ridiculous , as he has perceived , in court . Mr . Warden , ' of course , advocates the examination of every civil officer in the prevailing native lauaruagc-of the Prcsidencv .
Mr . " Warden not only does not consider the present Suddcr system effective , but he approves-of the Supreme Court , and recommends the . employment of English barristers practising at its bar as judges of the local courts . There is one measure Mr . Warden and the other witnesses have not propounded which is now practicable and desirable , and that is to send the judges of the Supreme Courts-on circuit , which would tend much to raisethe character of . the Sadder and local judiciary . Now that the railway affords communication , there is no reason that the English at Poonali and its ,
neighbourhood , and at Malherau , should not have . the " same privilege of the . Supreme Court as they would in Bombay . The Supremo Court of Calcutta can likewise extend its jurisdiction by the railway and bv steamboat , and the Supreme Court " of Madras by railway . The judges in Ceylon are provided with a colonial steamboat to go circuit , but then Ceylon is truly a colony , and India has hitherto been under a sham protective system . What is wanted is to raise India to the level ot Ceylon by the adoption of a like system of administration .
provements in administration , and has been most strongly brought before the Committee on English Settlement in India . It is to be hoped that , by next session Mr . Ewart will see his way to give decided prominence to this measure . We have now the evidence not only of English nobles but of judges who are conversant with the working of the present system , and they agree that the administration of justice will be much promoted by tho substitution of the English language for the court aud other languages , the proceedings being interpreted , where it is necessary , from the local languages direct into English . Now there are
sometimes two interpretations into the court language . Two objects are sought to bo attained—first , to get rid of tho omlali , tho great source of oppression and corruption , who pervert the course ol justice and defraud tho native under pretence of bribing the judge ; and , secondly , to enable tho judge to deal with tho case more independently by placing him in direct communication with the natives , without an omlali and court languago , and with tho faculty of considering his case on English materials and framing his decree in a language with which he is familiar , instead of being -embarrassed by the court language and its promulgators . What Mr . Yule
has efl ' eoted for tho SantliaU is what is advocated for the boncfit of tho more advanced populations . The ovidonoo of Mr . John Warden , who was senior member of tho Council of Bombay , chiuf judge of the Suddor Court , and president of tho JBoard of Education , states the oase vory dooidwdly . Mr . Warden ' s preposessions would naturally bo in favour of tho prosont " systom , but he could not blind , himself to its evils . Ho says it is a very common thing to talk of a person boing acquainted with " tho" nativo languago , but in , tho western part of India there are four or flvo native languages . There is the Hindostanee , which is the political and oolloquial languuge j tho Mahratta , tho Guzeiuteo ,
Notes Ox Indian P110gke3s. It Will Take ...
NOTES OX INDIAN P 110 GKE 3 S . It will take a long while to leaven the great mass of tho Indian populations , but meanwhile any little indications of progress are acceptable . Therefore we notice with pleasure that in Bengal there havo been scvcrul marriages of Brahmins' widows , and somo among tho highest circles . Female schools are extending . In Bombay a club has bed ; formed of Pursee gentlemen who meet in a garden near tho Gpwalia Tank . The condition of nioaiborship is that each member shall bring his wife , so as to allow tho latter tho opportunity of mixing in male society . conversation anil
The party qnjoys tho pleasures of , an evening repast closes tho day . The Pnraeos , able in their generation , boo that to maintain their influence under the expansion of tho English commuuity they must havo tho ad vantage of being ablo to introduce their wives into English society . Monnwhilo tho native press in Bombay has advanced so far as tho lowest stage of English journalism ; somo of tho editors having got into police rows , ami others hav . ing levied black mail on tho throat of libelling their native supporters and exposing thoir household affairs . The attention of tho Supremo Court is to bo invoked on behalf of one of thoso vagabond *
Tho superintendent of Caohnr lias reported that tho Btngnation of tnulo in that district is for wnnt of roads , and as a palliativo ho 1 mb determined on the ost / ioilshment of an'iinnunl fair As haa been done by the superintendent of Darjoolhig . Tho fair is to uo hold at Sllchar , tho judder station , and to lnst tot Hvo days . Most of tho native tribes lmvo had information .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 6, 1858, page 24, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_06111858/page/24/
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