Is the Dogri language losing resonance in India?, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• UNESCO reports India has the highest number of dialects facing extinction.
• India has lost over 220 languages in the last 50 years according to the former Director of the Central Institute of Languages.
• The J&K Official Languages Bill, 2020 recognized Dogri as one of the Union Territory’s five official languages.
• A recent survey indicates that 48% of respondents in the Jammu region feel the government hasn't adequately supported Dogri.
• Only 45% of urban respondents speak Dogri, with a mere 4% able to write it, contrasting with higher proficiency in rural areas.

Detailed Insights:

• Dogri's decline is attributed to globalization, migration, and prioritization of widely used languages for economic opportunities.
• The absence of sustained government support and delayed constitutional recognition until 2003 contributed to Dogri's lagging institutional backing.
• Generational perspectives reveal a decline in Dogri proficiency, with younger respondents showing 0% proficiency in reading and writing.
• The rural-urban divide highlights that 56% of rural respondents actively speak Dogri, while only 45% of urban respondents do so.
• Addressing India's linguistic crisis requires updated data from the 2021 Census to identify endangered languages and areas needing urgent intervention.
• Decolonizing linguistics involves shedding the mindset that equates English with progress and promoting regional languages.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Linguistic Heritage: The range of languages, including their grammar, vocabulary, and cultural significance, inherited and passed down through generations.
• Language Endangerment: A situation where a language is at risk of falling out of use as its speakers die out or shift to speaking other languages.
• Official Language: A language designated by law to be used in a country's governmental and administrative functions.