Language Planning In Punjab

Language Planning In Punjabi –Status Perspectives Omkar N Koul Indian Institute of Language Studies

1.

Language Planning

The language planning denotes a deliberate attempt in resolving language related problems necessary for the development of a particular language. The term language planning as used by Haugen 1966 includes all societal attention towards languages problems. The approach has to be systematic and future oriented keeping in view the challenges. The term has been originally used to cover selection of form, codification, implementation, and elaboration (including cultivation). The term has been expanded to include evaluation (Rubin 1973).According to Neustupny (1983), correction or management of language is the widest frame of reference, language treatment covers organised societal attention to language problems and language planning refers to certain contemporary varieties of languages treatment which aim at being systematic and theoretical. After Kloss (1969) two types of language planning are distinguished: Status Planning and Corpus Planning. The Status Planning is concerned with the standing of one language in relation to others. In the Corpus Planning, the shape of a language is changed by proposing new technical terms, spelling reforms, a new script or even changes in morphology. The former is thus concerned with policy and the later with cultivation or development. The Status Planning is aimed at (a) developing a marker of national or regional identity, (b) spreading a language regionally, nationally, or internationally and giving rights to minority groups. The Corpus Planning aims at (a) designing a suitable script and carrying out spelling reforms, and (b) standardization of grammatical forms, and (c) developing terminology for scientific and technical purposes, (d) resolving issues of correctness, efficiency and stylistic levels, and (e) supporting an ideological cause by eliminating sexist and racist elements of language. Status and Corpus Planning have gone hand-in-hand in respect of several languages. The language planning has to be need-based and may include only those aspects which are identified as problems. Language planning takes place in main domains of education, administration and mass media. Language planning may also include domains of religion, work places or libraries etc. Whereas the Status Planning is usually the works of politician and bureaucrats, the Corpus Planning is carried out by linguists, language experts and by academies, institutions or by special interest groups under a well-defined charter. It is, therefore, important of identity the issues in Language Planning at both levels of Status and Corpus with special references to Punjabi and to review the steps undertaken. 2.

Punjabi Language Planning

Punjabi is one of the major Indian languages where serious efforts have been made and are continuing for its language planning at both levels of Status and Corpus planning.

2.1.

Status Planning

As a part of Status Planning, Punjabi has attained status of sole official language in the state of Punjab in India, and it is recognised as an associate or second official language in the states of Haryana and Delhi. Punjab is also recognised as one of major languages in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Punjabi is widely used in administration, education, and mass-media in its home state. Efforts are continuing for providing it appropriate roles in administration, education and mass-media in the states of Haryana and Delhi. The Status Planning of Punjabi and its implementation is primarily a task of politicians and bureaucrats. The Status Planning is a result of language movements in favour of the language, which has to be supported by people. There have been strong language movements in favour of Punjabi in Punjab, and its neighbouring states especially in Haryana and Delhi. The use and spread of Punjabi in its home state and other neighbouring states will depend largely on the continuation of language movements in favour of Punjabi and the political will and bureaucratic initiatives to be taken in this respect. At the status level, various government and voluntary organisations, autonomous institutions including universities are involved in ensuring its adequate use in administration, education and mass-media. The Language Department and Punjabi University have a special responsibility in the spread of the Punjabi language, its use in education, administration and massmedia at different levels. There is a strong political will for the development of Punjabi keeping n view the aspirations of people. The state government is also concerned with other minority languages. 2.2.

Corpus Planning

As far as Punjabi is concerned, the main issues of Corpus Planning are: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Script and Spelling reforms, Standardization of grammatical forms or variations, Modernisation (Development of scientific and technical terminology), Preparation of language education materials, Development of standard computer softwares.

2.2.1. Script and Spelling Reforms Punjabi is written in the Gurumukhi script in India and in Perso-Arabic script in Pakistan. There are certain inherent constraints or problems in the use of both Gurumukhi and Perso-Arabic scripts for Punjabi. For example, Punjabi is a tonal language, there are no separate symbols available to mark these tones. Both scripts use primarily alphabetical signs accompanied by secondary or orthographical signs. Both scripts have different types of problems. The use of Perso-Arabic script for Punjabi is considered more problematic than that of Gurumukhi due to inherent characteristics of the joining or combination of letters and non-standard use or omission of orthographical signs. Here we will indicate some issues related to Gurumukhi script only. In the use of Gurumukhi script for Punjabi, the use of orthographical signs has attained standardization. There are orthographical signs to mark nasalisation and gemination in the

language. The nasality is marked by two signs: Tippii and bindii Gemination is indicated by addak written above and before the consonantal letter which is to be germinated. Three types of conjunct consonants are written in which the modified form of the second consonant is subjoined to the first unaltered consonantal letter. There are separate signs for numerals. The abbreviations are marked by the sign colon or a single dot. The Gurumukhi script and orthographical signs have been studied from various points of view (Koul and Madhubala 1992: 97-101). Most of the studies are related to the origin and development of the script. It is believed that the script has originated from Brahmi and is closely related to Sharada, Landa and Tankri scripts. Some studies are concerned with the use of orthographical signs and their standardization. The use of Gurumukhi script for Punjabi and problems of spelling system has attracted maximum attention of language planner. Punjabi has borrowed a large number of lexical items from Sanskrit and Perso-Arabic sources. Most of the problems regarding the spelling system are related to the writing of the borrowed vocabulary. The Punjabi University has made a significant contribution in the area of resolving the problems related to spellings and have suggested spelling reforms. The Punjabi University has prepared and published Punjabi Shabd te Shabd joR kosh in several volumes suggesting uniformity in the spelling system. This is the first serious exercise in Language Planning as far as the spelling system is concerned. The dictionary has been widely circulated for the implementation of recommendations and inviting other suggestions. Keeping in view the suggestions from different quarters, the Punjabi University at a later date (in 1994) formed a committee of language experts, linguists and other scholars to make final recommendations for spelling reforms. This committee has made recommendations keeping in view the grammatical characteristics, derivations, tradition and meaning of lexical items. The committee has provided rules of Punjabi spellings in respect of different types of lexical items. Recommendations along with rules for the spellings have been provided in respect of the following types of words and the use of orthographical signs: 1. Six types of words using /h/ `` ``. 2. Words using /j/ `` ``and /y/ `` ``. 3. Words using /v/`` ``and/b/ `` ``. 4. Words using /n/`` ``. 5. Words using /sh//x/ /G/ /z/ and /f/. 6. Words using retroflex /L/. 7. Words with nasalised sounds. 8. Words using short vowels. 9. Words using Geminated consonants. 10.Words using a hypen. 11.The use of long vowels in the word initial position. 12.Some special prefixes (like anu-, arti-, adhi-,and prati ~ parti-. 13.The use of addak. 14.The use of short vowel letter /a/ at the word final position. 15.The abbreviations of words. 16.The Perso-Arabic and English borrowed words. The recommendations made in the document are to be approved by the Punjabi University Syndicate standing committee for the Development of Punjabi Language. The

recommendations made in the document need to be implemented in the main domains of education, administration and mass-media. The recommendations with modifications, if any, will go a long way in the standardization of spelling system. Of course, there is bound to be some resentment in its implementation at various levels. 2.2.2. Standardization Language standardization is a process by which a deliberate choice is made in favour of the use of certain forms against other variations. The standardization may take place at phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic and lexical levels. Punjabi like other Indian languages has a number of regional and social dialects. These are marked by certain linguistic characteristics. Though the Majhe dialect (spoken in and around Amritsar) is considered the standard variety, but the spoken as well as written varieties of Punjabi are not following the Majhe dialect strictly. The standardization is usually achieved by the use of a particular variety of the language in education, administration and mass-media. There is a scope for standardization at different levels both in spoken as well as written Punjabi. The main levels are phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic and logical. Punjabi has borrowed vocabulary from Perso-Arabic sources. The speech sounds /z/ and /j/ are in free variation in such terms: kamzor ~ kamjor mazduur ~ majduur zaruurii ~ jaruurii

‘weak’ ‘labourer’ ‘important’

Similarly, the Perso-Arabic fricatives /f/, /g/, /x/ are in free variation with /ph/, /g/ and /kh/ respectively: fauran ~ phauran faaltuu ~ phaaltuu barf ~ barph Gariib ~ gariib Gam ~ gam Gazal ~ gazal Xatraa ~ khatraa buxaar ~ bukhaar axbaar ~ akhbaar

‘quickly’ ‘extra’ ‘snow’ ‘poor’ ‘worry’ ‘Gazal’ ‘danger’ ‘fever’ ‘newspaper’

Only some educated native speaker maintain the original sounds in these examples. In some speech the distinction in /sh/ and /ch/ is not maintained: chaknaa ~ shaknaa chaal ~ shaal etc

‘to eat’ ‘shwal’

At the morphological level there are problems related to the use of number, gender, and case in certain constructions. Assigning of gender and the use of case markers are not standardised. At the syntactic level the use of passive constructions and embedded clauses are influenced by the English constructions especially in translations. The forms of some borrowed vocabulary from Perso-Arabic and English sources has not been standardization yet. 2.2.3.. Modernisation Language modernisation is a continuous process which enables a particular language to be a successful medium for scientific technology, commerce, politics and other areas of knowledge. The language has to develop need based specific registers of new terminolgy, phrases and styles to keep pace with fast development of science, technology and other branches of modern knowledge. The terminology is usually coined using borrowed terms with or without modifications, loan-translations, formation based on existing words and semantic extensions. Punjabi is used as a medium of instruction right from the primary to the university level in certain subjects. The Language Department of the Govt. of Punjab has prepared and published about 30 glossaries of technical terms in various disciplines so far. These glossaries are meant to be used for the preparation of school, college and university level textbooks in different subjects. The Punjab State Textbook Board, Punjabi University and other institutions have published textbooks in Punjabi in various subjects to facilitate the medium switchover from English to Punjabi. It is seen that the Textbook Board and other institutions, which are involved in the preparation of the textbooks are not following the glossaries strictly due to various reasons. The main reason being the artificial coinage of technical terms. Some textbook writers or subject experts coin their own terms which they consider appropriate for the explanation of scientific and technical concepts. There is a lack of co-ordination between the lexicographers and subject experts. Instead of artificially coining terms, it would be better in many cases to gather terms actually used by the people. This largely applies to the terms related to agriculture, folk arts and crafts. The scientific and technical glossaries in Punjabi need a revision and updating on continuous basis. A large number of the terms have also not been standardized yet. The terms should be tried out at various levels before they are finalised. Besides standard sets of technical terms, modernization of language requires scientific and technical phrases and well-defined styles of expression. The language planners in Punjabi working in the area of language modernisation have to make special efforts in co-ordinating the task of the coinage of technical terms and their use in text or research materials. The terms, phrases and styles need to be tried out at different levels and finalized. The terms have to use standard spellings and hints for pronunciation, wherever required. 2.2.4. Language in Education Language has two roles in Education: language as a subject of study, and language as a medium of instruction. The language used in both roles needs to be planned. This involves preparation and use of instructional materials including multi-media materials. Instructional materials are of two types:

(a) Text, and (b)supplementary materials. The multi-media materials include (a) audio-video cassettes, (b) computer-aided language learning (CAAL) materials. Punjabi is taught in different situations: mother tongue (first language), second language and foreign language. The mother tongue or first language teaching situation currently emphasises on written skills - reading and writing, and the oral skills - understanding and speaking are ignored. There has to be emphasis on oral skills to ensure standard pronunciation. In second and foreign language situations, there has to be stress on all the four skills. The design of text and supplementary materials will require the gradation of the language structures and communicative skills. There is a need to make use of audio-video cassettes and CALL materials in language teaching/learning. These materials need to be designed to make them user friendly and effective. 2.2.5. Computer Softwares The Corpus Planning has to be done in the area of the developing of Spell Checks, which would help in the uniformity of spellings. Similarly, Grammar Checkers can also be developed to ensure standardization at the grammatical level. There is a need to prepare Fog Index for checking the length of sentences in different types of writings. There is a need to prepare the CALL (Computer Aided Language Learning) packages to facilitate different language skills in Punjabi at different levels. Keeping in view the growing impact of internet in the information sector, it is important to develop translation tools which would help in automatic translation from English and other international and major languages into Punjabi. This would help the translation of the reports related to new innovations in technology, industry, agriculture etc. into Punjabi so that the latest information is disseminated at the faster pace. Information is power and the people who cannot access to it thru English or other international languages should be able to access to it through their mother tongue i.e., Punjabi. The computer science departments of various universities and other institutions in Punjab can develop these translation tools 3.

Conclusion

Punjabi is one of the major languages of India and it is spoken by a substantial number of its mother tongue speakers in Pakistan. It is also spoken by a large number of its speakers who are settled in different countries all around the world. Punjabi has an important place in the communication network not only in the South Asia, but in other countries too where its mother tongue speakers are settled. There is an urgent need to take steps for Punjabi language planning. This would ensure its use in different domains more effectively. Efforts made in this direction need to be strengthened, and current issues in its corpus planning need to be identified and resolved by various agencies jointly.

REFERENCES Annamalai, E. et al. (Eds.) 1986.Language Planning. Mysore: CIIL. Dua, Hans R. 1985. Language Planning in India, New Delhi: Harnam Dulai, Narender K. 1989. A Pedagogical Grammar of Punjabi. Patiala: IILS. Gill, H.S. and H.A. Gleason 1969. University.

A Reference Grammar of Punjabi. Patiala: Punjabi

Koul, Omkar N. 1983. Punjabi pasha daa adhyaapan. Amritsar: Ravi Sahit Prakashan. Koul, Omkar N and Madhubala 1989. Modes of Address and Pronominal Usage in Punjabi. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages. Koul, Omkar N and Madhubala 1992. Punjabi Language and Linguistics: An Annotated Bibliography. Patiala: Indian Institute of Language Studies