DEBATE ~
Suppose you are a traveler, and you aspire to wander through the romantic lanes of
paris or admire nature’s true beauty in the plains of machu picchu, and Im assuming
many of us are longing to do such things but what would make our journey truly safe
and much easier? If we got lost on our way, how would we even communicate with
the locals? That my friends, is where English becomes necessary.
Honourable members of the jury, Respected teachers, Esteemed colleagues, Good
morning.
The motion for today’s debate is
“English proficiency in India has become a marker of superiority than a necessary
tool for progress”
I strongly disagree with the motion.
English is the most widely spoken language in the world. It is the global language of
communication and English is likely to retain this position for the next decade and
beyond. The importance of such a language can hardly be overstated.
First off and the most obvious reason is the fact that it is a global language.
English has become the lingua franca of the modern world. It is the primary language
of international business, diplomacy, science, technology, and tourism. Proficiency in
English enables individuals from different linguistic backgrounds to communicate
effectively, fostering global understanding and cooperation.
There is a popular aphorism that depicts India’s linguistic diversity rather well: Kos-
kos par badle paani, chaar kos par baani (The language spoken in India changes
every few kilometres, just like the taste of the water). India’s diverse population of
1.3 billion are united by their shared use of the English language.
My worthy opponents might claim that English is the reason that our society is
divided into two - the poor and the privileged, but my dear, hasn’t india already
achieved that, thanks to our rigid and inflexible caste system. Not only that but
Smaller languages, hundreds of them, are slowly but surely silently subsumed by
their more influential neighbours. For eg, Maithili,
Magahi, Angika, Santhali, Awadhi, Braj, and a score of other languages are losing out
to Hindi in north India.
The mainstream languages of india are already threatening several endangered and
tribal languages. Where and why is English language to be blamed in all of this?
Those, from the small minority, who aren’t fluent in English still have a basic
understanding of the said language. English has aided in eradicating cultural
boundaries and promoting intercultural communication.
In the education sector of india, where English, often used as a medium of instruction
in schools and institutions, results in greater opportunity for students to pick up the
language and grow in proficiency. I’d like to ask my very knowledgeable opponents,
“if given a solid opportunity to study abroad from prestigious institutes, how many of
you would actually deny?” would you undermine the necessity of the English
language then?
English is the dominant language in international trade and business. The expansion
of globalisation and the opening up of the Indian economy has significantly increased
the demand for English-speaking expertise.
If you still aren’t convinced, I’d like to pose another question for my opponents.
Would you be able to pick out one, only one person in this room who hasn’t used
internet before?
you can’t!
not a single person in this room can admit that they haven’t used internet before.
English is the most widely used language on the internet since it makes up the lion’s
share of content there. It is impractical to overstate the importance of English in this
setting. Anybody who wants to succeed in the modern digital world needs to be able
to read, write, and speak English.
In conclusion, it is impossible to overestimate the value of English in India. If given
the opportunity to learn the said language, would we deny it? No, because the fact
still remains, English is a necessary tool for personal as well as professional progress
and we all know it.
