Web talk on Plurality of Languages

Aligarh: “Multilingual phenomenon has always been an integral part of human society but the nature of plurality of language differs greatly,” said Prof E Annamalai, Visiting Professor, Department of South Asian Languages and Civilization, University of Chicago, USA.

He was delivering a web talk on ‘Plurality of Languages in the Post Liberal World’ organised by the Department of Linguistics, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The web talk was the second lecture in the series of ongoing online Web Talks.

Speaking on the role of social, political and economic factors for the promotion of multilingualism, Prof Annamalai gave an overview of multilingualism in society and education.

He delineated multilingualism in a historical context and also discussed how the challenges it poses are neither new nor insuperable.

Prof Annamalai stressed the social, political and economic factors for multilingualism promotion, while advocating that there have been various perspectives on ‘plurality of language’ in different periods.

Discussing the situation in the post-liberal World, he said that as colonisation ended; newly independent countries provided their citizens with constitutional rights for speaking their mother tongues, which eventually promoted multilingualism.

India as a rich linguistic country and freely represents the plurality and diversity in its society, said Prof M J Warsi, Chairman, Department of Linguistics.

Introducing the speaker to the participants, he spoke on Prof Annamalai’s scholarship, publications and academic contributions.

Prof S Imtiaz Hasnain presided over the web talk and moderated the question and answer session.

Dr Abdul Aziz Khan conducted the programme and Masood Ali Beg extended the vote of thanks.