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Re: Administrivia : Language of Communication on SRH
On 3 Feb 1996 03:53:42 GMT, shrao@nyx10.cs.du.edu (Shrisha Rao) wrote
in soc.religion.hindu:
>In article <4eq44m$gb7@babbage.ece.uc.edu>,
>SRH Editor <srh@rbhatnagar.csm.uc.edu> wrote:
>
>>Namaskar,
>>
>>After posting an article which was primarily in Hindi, I have received
>>a comment that since this forum is of global nature, we ought to have a
>>uniform language for communications, so that most of the readers on the
>>net can participate.
>
>With due regards given to the moderator and to the others of that
>view, I beg to differ -- uniformity of language should not be
>_imposed_.
>
>>I tend to agree with this line on thinking. May I propose the following
>>policy, as seek your input before it becomes an official policy?
>>
>>1. The primary language of communication on SRH will be English
>>
>>2. Quotations from other languages will be allowed, but the posters are
>>urged to submit English translation along with the quotation.
>
>No problem so far. Most postings will continue to be in English, and
>it would be as well to request translations.
>
>>3. Posts that are primarily in other languages shall not be accepted.
>
>This is where the rub is. Precisely what is wrong with a Hindi posting
>that would cause it to be rejected? What charter provision (or the
>spirit behind it) is it violating?
>
>I was happy to see Sourav post in Hindi, and congratulate him for
>boldly doing what none of us did in all our combined man-years of
>posting to Hindu groups. It is without a doubt that Hindi is
>definitely more Hindu than English is, and it would amount to a
>rejection of the authentic in favor of the ersatz, if one were to
>claim loyalty to Hindu ideals and yet reject Hindi.
>
>Now, I am not one to normally give much credence to the "brown-sahib"
>theory that is often dismissive of any and all western influences, and
>looks down upon Hindus who speak and use English effectively. However,
>to any way prevent the use of the native language of the culture and
>impose a false uniformity reeks of such vainglory, and I would protest
>it.
Excuse me, but this is soc.religion.hindu, NOT soc.culture.hindu .
Hindi is a modern invention, from the 20th century, I believe.
If you want to make a case for posting in Sanskrit, that would be
debatable, but not Hindi.....
English is simply the only language common to all Hindus (mostly due
to the British conquest of all of India).
It's just a practical matter.
Namaskar,
Ken
kstuart@snowcrest.net
"The ego arises from the mistaken notion that the light of consciousness
reflected in the intellect and coloured by objectively perceived phenomena
is the true nature of the Self. Thus, the personal ego falsely identifies
the Self with that which is not the Self and vice versa." - Mark Dyczkowski
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