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FEBRUARY/MARCH The Linguist 17
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LOCAL INFORMATION
The Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, where Gujarati is
the main language (above); and Lakshmi-Raj's
nephew in the region's traditional dress (right)
The failure to use
local languages
has led to dangerous
assumptions
about the virus
media is, perhaps, responsible for this, with
the constant repetition of English terms such
as 'social distancing' and 'lockdown'.
English is important in India not only as a
second language but also as a hybrid
language, as demonstrated by the growth of
Hinglish (a mix of Hindi and English). In a
similar way, some communities speak a mix
of their local language and English, and are
unable to speak one or the other exclusively.
This is why it is crucial to have information
available in all languages.
The assumptions associated with English-
language advice also need to be considered.
For instance, many of the World Health
Organization's guidelines failed to take into
account local contexts, conditions and
circumstances, including the fact that not
everyone has regular access to clean, running
water. Nevertheless, countries like India have
encouraged their citizens to implement such
advice. Translation is not always an easy
solution because, even when translated, the
guidance might be inapplicable or redundant.
Addressing multilingualism in India at a time
like this does not mean sacrificing English or
Hindi for the sake of local languages, or vice
versa, but rather recognising the importance
of all of India's languages and the power in
their combined use.
challenges for India's pandemic response
The production of information and guidance
related to Covid in local languages has not
been without its challenges. Many local
languages did not possess the vocabulary to
convey the significance and severity of the
pandemic. To overcome this, longer
definitions have been used. For instance, the
term 'social distancing' is absent in many local
languages, so translators have used phrases to
convey the exact distance required between
people, such as 'the length of two arms'.
Then there were practical challenges
involved in ensuring that any translated
materials reached people in rural and remote
areas. Although India's telecommunication
network is the second largest in the world,
with more WhatsApp users than any other
country, those in the most remote regions,
where the use of technology is not
supported, have not always been able to
access key information.
Hindi and English also had an important
role. When I spoke to relatives in Gujarat, they
understood English words such as 'quarantine'
better than the Gujarati equivalent. Global
2 tongues
©
SHUTTERSTOCK
