Linguistic Imperialism in Pakistan: The British Impact

Linguistic Imperialism in Pakistan: The British Impact

Nabeel Zubair
Roll #: 18-10854, Section: I
Forman Christian College
(A Chartered University)

Instructor:
M. Qasim
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Introduction:

Colonialism is the establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of

colony in one territory by a political power from another territory (Rashid, 2014). It seems that

the human race was created to face suppression at the hands of one thing or another. Whether it

be our own activities or some intervention by nature itself, every generation throughout history

has been keen and intent on finding ‘solutions’ to the troubles they encounter. One such instance

seen throughout history is the dark and murky past of the nations who had once been colonized

by another political power, an example of how humans subjugate humans. Despite the fact the

colonialism leaves key ideas for socio-economic development in the colonized territory, it cannot

be denied that the initial approach to try and dominate a nation is always plunder; seizing goods

through trade, exploiting labors or any such related aspect. Perhaps the most influential thing that

remains even after the colonizers have deserted a certain area is the use and impact of their

native language.

Since this research work required more of an insight of the whole matter, I preferred

using the qualitative method for analyzing the resources. The issue itself is a critical one; it has

not been addressed as many times as others and that is why there was a lack of definite, primary

resources on which to review.

The British abandoned the subcontinent back in 1947, creating two resource-rich and

self-dependent nations who have since then progressed into the modern era through the use of

very customs left behind by the Englishmen. Their language has been implemented on every

imaginable level in the whole country. From kindergarten to Post-graduate education, English

has not been left to the candidates as choice. A nation’s youth is its future; poisoning their minds

by making learning English a necessity not only distracts them from seeking knowledge, but also
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creates space for the implantation of western concepts and culture into their minds. Hence, I

derived the hypothesis that the vast use of English language has tampered the mindsets and

approaches of Pakistani citizens.

Since the arrival of the East India Company, the British had been exploiting and using

every resource in sight to their advantage. Historians referred to what occurred later as

‘Language contact’. In terms of sociolinguistics, it means "the use of more than one language in

the same place at the same time" (Thomasan, 2001). Language has always played a vital role in

how a colonizing body implements their culture into the lives of the local people. There are

evidences of this statement found in many pieces of literature written throughout the course of

history. One of most accurate descriptions of how the use of a certain language influences people

was given by Robert Phillipson. He says that, “Linguistic Imperialism is a sub-type of Cultural

Imperialism. Linguistic Imperialism permeates all the other types of imperialism, since language

is the means used to mediate and express them.” (Phillipson, 1992). This goes to show how the

British exploiting the subcontinent in the first place. They came in as merchants; trading goods

and promising benefits in return but in fact the local population’s intelligence was being

ridiculed at that very instant. The make matters worse, the East India Company was nationalized.

Eventually, the Company came into power thanks to the rebellious and aggressive leaders like

Robert Clive, who is seen as the hero who weaved the way for British Raj. Once the British had

established a firm ground in the subcontinent, they enforced their superiority over the locals by

depicting themselves as some sort of Godly figure and regarded the Indians as mediocre workers

only (Attenborough, 1982).

The English language became the medium for all educated people after the War of

Independence in 1857. Since then, there was an outbreak of a new class system; the Indians
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working under the British at clerical and managerial levels were those who had luxurious

lifestyles while labors and other low level employees suffered greatly. The latter class became

prominent in 1880 and had spread thinly across the country (Spear, 1972). The British rooted

their language deep into their core values so that they assumed that learning English was the

necessity for survival in British-controlled India. This mentality built up over time and had such

an impact till this day that it has molded our culture and traditions and convinced the rich of

today that adopting western values is the key to lead a luxurious and lavish life. Pakistan’s

independence came at a heavy price; lives were lost, homes destroyed and families were torn

apart. Since then, she has struggled to progress through the world filled with competition. In the

race for excellence, there has been one crucial element that has hovered over the country since

the time when British ruled the subcontinent; the imposition of English language. We find

instances of English being taught as compulsion from kindergarten to post-graduate levels. This

goes to show that somehow, after deserting this soil for more than sixty years, there is a certain

grasp the Englishmen have over the Pakistani population today.

Urdu remains the official language of the state, as of now. Despite the fact that it itself is

comprised of different dialects such as Persian and Arabic, it holds a key symbolic value for

Pakistan since it defined the movement for a separate Muslim state during the struggle for

independence. Even then, there was a chapter in history that resulted in the conclusion that

English should be the medium of instruction for educational purposes. The medium of

instruction controversy can thus be understood in the light of the power struggles between the

sections of salariat (Rahman, 1999:92). The term salariat is used for the class of wage earners. In

India, the upper salariat was a select privileged class to acquire education through English

medium. This trend divided the masses into the upper and lower salariat.
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In Pakistan, there is a myth that learning English and implementing it into our own lives

is all that is needed for success. These assumptions are driven further by the fact that there have

been foreign bodies set up to ensure that candidates pass specifically set criteria for being

eligible for certain things. From graduating from high school to getting acceptance at a foreign

university, language tests such as TOFEL and IELTS are to be passed. Bodies such as the British

Council Pakistan are making sure that the language is prioritized significantly at schools,

colleges and even universities.

British goals both in the colonial period and today are primarily political and commercial.

The British Council's Annual Report 2009-10 states that for the equivalent of every $1.60 of

taxpayer's money it receives, it earns $4 through its English teaching and examining worldwide.

ELT is of massive importance for the British economy (Phillipson, The Guardian, 2012). The

fact that there is still such an influence of the British culture almost six decades after

independence is indeed an outrageous fact itself.

Given the above reasons and arguments, let us investigate ways in which English is

discursively constructed in the most recent national education policy. It declares English as a

subject from class one onwards, and as a medium of instruction for science and mathematics

from class four onwards. (Draft NEP 2008:30). The vision of the draft was set out in a 62-page

document.

“Education is a categorical imperative for individual, social and national development

that should enable all individuals to reach their maximum human potential. The system should

produce responsible, enlightened citizens to integrate Pakistan in the global framework of human

centered development.”
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In Zia’s Islamisation of Pakistan, in 1979, he declared Urdu to be the medium of

instruction for all examinations starting in 1989, but the decision was reversed. In a similar

context, the question of Urdu to be the medium of instruction in the higher education is finally

sealed in the draft NEP 2008. The said policy also declares English as the medium for all

sciences. This has in fact bridged the gap between the English and Urdu medium schools, with

the only difference between the initial three years of schooling.

Apart from education, other inspirations of the western culture can also be seen in the

Pakistani society nowadays. For instance, use of English as a medium of communication is

regarded as a privilege and is seemingly associated with the elite members of the community. A

person who can string together a few sentences using the said language is deemed as well

educated and is seen as somebody inspirational; others would try and imitate them as much as

possible. The use of English ultimately promotes the western media within the community as

well. People inclined towards it are naturally motivated to adopt their lifestyles and implement

that into their own lives. News channels broadcasted from within the country itself are also

offered in multiple languages, primarily focusing on provision in English. Hence, it is clear from

the popularity of foreign media and the abundance of ‘western enthusiasts’ here in Pakistan that

the core principle which has led the nation to this situation is the use of English language

excessively and on every social and economic level.

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Conclusion:
According to my evaluation, the British have imprinted their moral values into our minds

in such manner that after almost seven decades of gaining independence from their rule, we have

stuck to their customs and values through the use of English language on every level in the

community. The fact that the youth nowadays regards this as something worthy of appreciation

and they intend to adopt all sorts of habits and values that they see on the foreign media is even

more worrisome. I believe that the best way to make or break a nation is to exploit their young

generation. The future of the country lies in their hands and if they are taught to value English as

a lingua franca rather than their own national language, then the fate of country becomes very

uncertain indeed. The British have ensured, to this day, that they have this firm grasp over how

children are educated and brought up in Pakistan due to their strong influence over the education

system. The disregard for candidates who have followed the Pakistani curriculum when they

apply to foreign universities is the clear evidence that they have no interest whatsoever what

level of education has been accomplished by that candidate until or unless they have passed

‘their’ criteria for acceptance. Given these arguments, it can be clearly seen that till this day, long

after deserting the subcontinent, the British continue to impact the lives of citizens in Pakistan to

this day.
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References:

Attenborough, R. (Director). (1982). Gandhi [Motion Picture].

Foster, E. (1984). A Passage to India. Oxford University Press.
Government of Pakistan. (2008). Draft National Education Policy. Pakistan. Retrieved
from http://www.moe.gov.pk/
Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford Univeristy Press.
Phillipson, R. (2012, March Tuesday). Retrieved from The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/mar/13/linguistic-imperialism-english-
language-teaching
Rashid, N. (2014). British colonialism in East-Africa during nineteenth century. IOSR
Journal Of Humanities And Social Science, 19(3).
Spear, P. (1972). India: A Modern Histroy. University of Michigan Press.
Thomasan, S. G. (2001). Language Contact. Edinburgh University Press.