The Aphasia Syndrome: The Language of Colonialism in Postcolonial English Writings

Abstract

This paper is an examination of how colonial language and its (after) effects are represented in postcolonial English literature. Two literary works are examined: the Indian diplomat and novelist Vikas Swarups Slumdog Millionaire and the Haitian-American writer Edwidge Danticats short story Children of the Sea. Through close reading and comparative analysis, the paper concludes that there are three main symptoms of language abuse in the colonial context, which it labels as The Aphasia Syndrome (TAS). Briefly, the TAS includes (1) the imitation (parrot-talk) of the colonizers language as a means of accessing its power and resources; (2) the silencing or suppression of all colonized speech; and (3) the colonys nonsensical ravings, which include the use of indigenous words and expressions without providing translations, as well as the reorganization and reappropriation of signifiers in the privileged language to create indecipherable expressions. By diagnosing TAS and its historical affections on colonized peoples, the paper hopes to excavate the anti-colonial potential inherent in indigenous languages and speech, while advocating a more promising prospect for reconciliation, communication, and healing.