Unit 1: English in Colonial India

The process of a language being introduced and evolving in a new society, moving from a tool of power to a part of the culture.

The act of a powerful outsider trying to control and impose its culture and language onto a community.

The first phase of English in India (1800-1857), characterized by British efforts to establish a policy framework for English education and create a compliant workforce.

The second phase of English in India (1857-1880), marked by the growing influence of English on Indian society, affecting ideas and values.

The third phase of English in India (1880-1947), marked by the struggle for independence and the rise of Indian national consciousness, leading to the marginalization of English in favor of Indian languages.

The fourth phase of English in India (1947-2004), characterized by the continued influence of English in education, media, and society, often seen as a marker of prestige and elitism.

The period in British history marked by a focus on poetry, individualism, and often critiquing bourgeois society.

Macaulay's 1835 Minute advocating the adoption of English as the medium of instruction in India. This aimed to create a class of Indians loyal to the British and spread Western knowledge.

The idea that European powers had a responsibility to bring civilization and progress to less developed nations.

The rejection of indigenous literatures and languages in favor of English, often based on the assumption of Western superiority. This practice is a hallmark of English colonialism.

The belief that English education would uplift Indian society by rooting out superstition and promoting rational thought.

The idea that the English language would become the language of commerce and administration in India, further securing British dominance.

The argument that the Indian people themselves preferred English education to native learning, providing a justification for the shift.

The perspective that views English as a language of oppression and imperialism, highlighting the negative consequences of its imposition.

A group of scholars in British India who favored the continued study of classical Indian languages like Sanskrit and Arabic. They argued against the shift towards English.

A group of British officials and intellectuals who advocated for English education in India. They believed in spreading Western knowledge and culture.

The argument that the Orientalists were driven by an academic interest in Eastern learning rather than political or social concerns.

The view that the Orientalists saw the potential for Indian culture to be enriched by Western knowledge without being entirely replaced.

The argument that the Orientalists saw English as a tool for maintaining British control and did not favor its imposition on the Indian people.

The view that the Anglicists saw Indian civilization as inherently flawed and needing replacement with Western civilization.

The argument that the Orientalists maintained a hierarchy by seeing traditional Indian knowledge as inferior to Western sciences.

The claim that the new English-based education system would only be effective if it was seen as a positive change, not a forced imposition.

The idea that English provided a gateway to Western liberal thought, contributing to the later anti-colonial movements.

A system of education that aimed to produce a class of Indians who would serve the British, loyal to the crown and adopting British values.

The tendency for English-speaking Indians to be alienated from the rural masses, leading to a social divide.

Trevelyan's vision of English education as a means to improve the moral and intellectual state of India, often viewing Indian culture with disdain.