English in India

Question 1

Describe the English in settler colonies vs English in exploitation colonies.

Answer 1

SETTLER: New English dialect is a product of mixing British dialects. Dialect becomes associated with that territory and nation. Indigenous population forced to speak English, but not through intense contact

EXPLOITATION: Sparser colonial settlements maintained the pre-colonial population in subjection and allowed a proportion of them access to learning English as a second language. English has developed new grammatical patterns and phonology (nativisation) - CONTACT ENGLISH

Question 2

During early colonial contact with India, who would colonialists have had actual contact with from India?

Answer 2

Powerful local Indian merchant intermediaries (brokers, interpreters, attorneys)

Question 3

Describe the colonial imposition of English.

Answer 3

Colonial policy supported vernacular education - English should only be learned by a small group.
Too many English educated natives creates false expectations of employment.

Limited investment in English education from colonialist government, the greatest threat to the British empire was rhe uncontrolled spread of English.

Around the year 1900, English speakers in India still less that 1%