<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail-container"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col"><div class="gmail-article-detail-headline"><h1 class="gmail-article-detail_title">Why language is a source of pride for Singaporean Indian millennials</h1><div class="gmail-article-detail-headline_byline"><div class="gmail-article-detail_bylineauthor"><span class="gmail-article-by">By </span><span class="gmail-today-author"><span><span>Shanthini Selvarajan</span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail-container"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col"><div class="gmail-today-hero gmail-article-detail_featuredimage"><div class="gmail-today-hero-photo"><div class="gmail-today-photo gmail-article-detail_imagefull"><figure><img alt="Indian millennials between the ages of 18 and 35 define “Indianness” a little differently from their elders, note the author. TODAY file photo" class="gmail-img-fluid gmail-bg-red" src="http://www.todayonline.com/sites/default/files/styles/new_app_article_detail/public/photos/43_images/31642131.JPG?itok=pDAmz3cS"><figcaption>Indian
millennials between the ages of 18 and 35 define “Indianness” a little
differently from their elders, note the author. TODAY file photo</figcaption></figure></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail-container"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col"><div class="gmail-article-detail-published-social gmail-article-detail_byline"><div class="gmail-row gmail-align-items-center"><div class="gmail-col"><div class="gmail-article-detail_bylinepublish"><span>Published</span>19 December, 2017</div><div class="gmail-article-detail_bylineupdate">Updated 19 December, 2017</div></div><div class="gmail-col-md-auto"><ul class="gmail-social-list gmail-addthis_toolbox"><li class="gmail-social-item"><p>2 Shares</p></li><li class="gmail-social-item"><br></li><li class="gmail-social-item"><br></li><li class="gmail-social-item"><br></li><li class="gmail-social-item"><br></li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div><p>This
year’s Singapore Writers Festival, organised annually by the National
Arts Council, chose as its theme, aram, the Tamil word for goodness.</p>
<p>The line-up included Tamil millennial poets such as Harini, and the
screening of a short Tamil film, Between Pudukottai and Singapore: Poems
by N. Rengarajan.</p>
<p>They touched on the social issues of our time, and drew in many of my young Indian friends, and non-Indian ones.</p>
<p>An Indian Singaporean millennial —what comes to mind? Would they be
donning high-waist denims and crop-tops, or traditional, intricately
embroidered sarees? Would they prefer ravishing bowls of flaming hot
curry and crisp sheets of prata, or eggs benedict at fancy cafés?</p><aside class="gmail-today-ad-imu gmail-ad-imu gmail-ad-bg"> <h6>Advertisement</h6> </aside>
<p>Would they converse more in their ethnic language, English or some amalgamation of both?</p>
<p>And how does Singapore embrace and nurture a citizenry of diverse identities, which in turn enrich and strengthen our nation?</p>
<p>Indians form 9.1 per cent of our resident population.</p>
<p>Of these, Tamils make up 54.17 per cent and Malayalees 6.71 per cent,
with smaller groups like the Punjabis, Telugus, Sindhis and Gujaratis
making up the rest.</p>
<p>Indian millennials between the ages of 18 and 35 might just be defining “Indianness” a little differently from their elders.</p>
<p>It is a more fluid concept for them, not restricted to cultural markers like food, art, or ethnic wear.</p>
<p>Yet, language remains a great source of pride for them. In fact, the
biggest misperception of Indian millennials involves language.</p>
<p>There is a looming fear amongst older Indians, of a gradual decline
in ethnic language capabilities within the Indian community, which in
turn suggests an erosion of an ethnic identity amongst its youths. This
fear is overhyped.</p>
<p>A recent Channel News Asia-Institute of Policy Studies survey on
ethnic identity found that 81.3 per cent of Indians aged 21 to 25 regard
speaking, writing and reading in Tamil and other Indian languages such
as Hindi and Malayalam to be important Indian identity markers.</p>
<p>Even more, at 84.4 per cent, find it important to transmit skills of
writing and reading in their ethnic language to their children.</p>
<p>Language is important to the young, as it is to older Indians (94.6
per cent). While Singapore’s bilingual policy might be a key driver of
this attitude, another substantial reason for this love of language
amongst youths might be the sense of belonging that speaking a common
ethnic language offers.</p>
<p>The percentages are much lower for giving their child an Indian name
(59.4 per cent), donning ethnic wear (65.6 per cent) or enjoying ethnic
cuisine (45.2 per cent) as ethnic identity markers.</p>
<p>In contrast, older Indians register 93.4 per cent, 81.3 per cent and
81.4 per cent for the respective markers. Older Indians also feel that
avoiding beef (79.7 per cent) and wearing pottus (77.3 per cent) - a dot
worn by women on the centre of their foreheads, often to signify
marital status or to ward off evil - are important Indian identity
markers.</p>
<p>Indian millennials do not agree, registering 43.7 per cent and 46.9 per cent for the respective markers.</p>
<p>At the same time, the extent of our ethnic pride is evident in the
aforementioned CNA-IPS survey: 81.3 per cent of Indians aged 21 to 25
find it important to take pride in being considered Indian.</p>
<p>LANUAGE AS A SOURCE OF ETHNIC PRIDE</p>
<p>As an Indian, I see countless reasons to be proud of my heritage:
from the visual prowess of Indian art forms such as Bharatanatyam and
Kathak, to the achievements of many prominent Indian figures such as
Thamizhavel G. Sarangapani (a Tamil writer and publisher who had a huge
part to play in the inception of the Tamil language in the Singapore
parliament), to the flavourful richness of Indian cuisine.</p>
<p>However, the most influential of these, for me, is language.</p>
<p>Given Tamil’s status as one of the oldest, richest and most
unmodified languages of all time, it offers me a sense of solidarity
with other Tamil-speaking Indians, across space and time.</p>
<p>The knowledge of speaking, writing and reading this language (albeit at a mediocre level for me), anchors my ethnic pride.</p>
<p>Tamil unites the young and old in my community; it serves as a medium
through which the young communicate with our predominantly
Tamil-speaking elders.</p>
<p>We most definitely care about preserving it.</p>
<p>Similar sentiments are held by other groups towards their language. A
common language offers a sense of belonging for ethnic groups,
particularly among the minorities, a point of unique differentiation
from dominant cultures. It carves, sustains and reinforces a confident
sense of identity.</p>
<p>While the majority of Indian youths care about their ethnic language,
Singapore must guard against the possibility that such an attitude will
change in the future.</p>
<p>For example, the growing number of interracial marriages and
marriages between locals and foreigners in Singapore may lead to greater
complacency amongst Indian youths to preserve their ethnic language.</p>
<p>How do we sustain this love for our language?</p>
<p>First, Indian youths must remain cautious of cultural erosion and in a
pre-emptive move, must channel greater effort into participating in
Indian culture.</p>
<p>This has to be a national effort. Ethnic languages are more likely to
survive and flourish in Singapore if they have the ardent support of
their respective ethnic groups, and the respect and understanding of the
broader society.</p>
<p>For the Indian community, there are traditional events organised by
and for us. There are also national events like the Singapore Writers
Festival, which offer a space for the major groups in Singapore to enjoy
and share the beauty of their respective mother tongues.</p>
<p>They are opportunities for Indians and non-Indians to learn about the
languages through art, and in the process, help to preserve them in the
Singapore space.</p>
<p>In sum, while young Indians such as myself, may be Westernised in
some aspects, such as in the clothing we don or the media we consume,
our ethnic pride stands as ardent as ever.</p>
<p>As may be expected in Singapore, I can have my prata, and my friend
her prata with eggs benedict, at a prata place off Upper Thomson Road.</p>
<p>I remain Singaporean, Indian, young and proud.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>ABOUT THE AUTHOR:</p>
<p>Shanthini Selvarajan is a Research Assistant at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore.</p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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