LOSING THE IDENTITY OF VERNACULAR LANGUAGE: AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY IN TO THE NYISHI TRIBES OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH AND LINGUISTIC MINORITIES

Abstract

Language is the most important link between an individual and the society. Currently approximately 6000 languages and dialects are being spoken all over the world. Unfortunately, many languages are on the verge of extinction. Every language works under certain policy and every society or community have a certain way of addressing the problems and prospects of language either in oral tradition or by constitutional means. In India, the constitution laid emphasis on the provision of language and yet the plurality of languages in India brought about linguistic issues that affect the social framework of the country. Through this study, the researcher tries to explore in to the nature of existence of vernacular languages with a special reference to Nyishi language spoken by the Nyishi tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. The researcher also attempts to analyze the influence of government policies and programmes in the integration and disintegration of Nyishi language. The researcher employed PRISMA method for gathering and analyzing the data, mainly depending upon the online journals and articles. Following are some findings that are collected through the secondary sources: The primary aim is to promote multilingualism and national harmony. After facing lots of resentment and controversies on the issue of making Hindi as the national language, the Constitution dropped this term national and adopted official which was acceptable to all. Thus on Sept. 14th, 1949, the Constituent Assembly passed the Constitutional provision regarding the Official Languages. Hindi was made an official language instead of national language. So the Constitution nowhere mentions or describes the term “national”. With Hindi, the Constitution permitted the use of English for fifteen years from the date of promulgation of the Constitution. India has 114 languages in its Census records. Out of those only 22 languages have got place in the Eighth Schedule and the original purpose is stated in the Article 351 and 344 . The provisions enshrined in Article 371H are aimed at “protecting the economic and cultural interests” of Arunachal Pradesh. Even the Article 29(1) deals with the protection of interests of minorities in terms of cultural rights. Recently, Arunachal Pradesh held 12th general conference cum election of Nyishi Elite Society for conserving the language and many more association such as SCERT, CIL etc. is helping in the same thing. From the studies and articles reviewed, the researcher articulated the following suggestions: Teachers must be appointed by conducting interview. In teacher interview, due importance should be given to efficiency in mother tongue. In addition, a Competency Certificate to be acquired from respective Tribal Literary Society. Writers in local language engaged in promoting mother tongue should be given incentives by way of awarding honorarium.