Sindhi Language in India- An Analysis of the effect of Homogenous Community on Language Maintenance in 3rd Generation Sindhi Speakers in North- West India

Authors: Juhi Rajwani (Deemed University, India)
Speakers: Juhi Rajwani
Strand: Language, Community, Ethicity
Session Type: General Session

Abstract

Potowski has identified basic factors that abet the maintenance of language. This correlation includes individual, family, community, and larger societal factors. (Potowski, 2013, p. 1) .
Considering the multilingual propensity of Indian Sindhis, their uniqueness lies in the fact that, unlike any other regional linguistic group, Sindhis do not have a specific geographical region. (Daswani, 1989, p. 3). According to Fishman, the passing of language across generations is important for language maintenance. Alba et all study find a significant impact of community on language maintenance. This paper aims to study the comparative intergenerational passing of Sindhi language in homogenous Sindhi Communities as found in post-partition settlements and in heterogeneous communities with Sindhi as a minority population in Bhopal, Jaipur, and Ahmadabad. The study uses in-depth interviews of third-generation Sindhi speakers as tools to analyze language attitudes and questionnaires to assess language use across localities like Bairagarh in Bhopal, Kuber Nagar in Ahemdabad and Basant Bahar and Sindhi Camp in Jaipur. The aim is to substantiate the suggestion that an assigned geographical region will result in Sindhi language maintenance as given by Daswani and Parchani in the Sociolinguistic Survey of Indian Sindhi.

Keywords: Language Attrition, Community Identity, Homogeneous Community, Multilingual, Sindhi