The state of Hindi: at the cross-roads

Abstract

This article examines the current state of Hindi and the problems which it currently faces. It starts by laying out the ways in which conflicting demands are being made on Hindi in the Diaspora, to represent, tradition, modernity, identity and opportunities for commercial development. Each of these pressures on Hindi is assessed in relation to the ways in which they influence the current state of Hindi in Australia. It is argued that the desire to maintain Hindi as a vehicle for traditional cultural values is clearly of vital importance to Hindi speaking communities but it creates a tension with those who would want to use Hindi in order to address questions related to the current conditions of Hindi speaking communities in Australia. The pressure for Hindi to be used as a vehicle for modernity is also considered in relation to how this impacts on what is considered to be Hindi, and how it accommodates itself linguistically to the new circumstances of being one of Australia’s multi-cultural languages. The demands generated by commercial forces, such as the use of Hindi in advertising in newspapers and magazines are also considered and how this can be related to the desires of those who wish to preserve a traditional form of Hindi. Finally it is suggested that what is need is to acknowledge that in literature, stage plays, broadcasting and film making in Australia despite there being conflicting pressure groups seeking to assert that Hindi is particularly associated with only one view on its importance in reality it is becoming a medium through which Hindi speaking communities in Australia are engaging in debate about the issues surrounding the ways in which communities develop in a multi-cultural society. Show more