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Why the study of English by Indians serves the purpose of a window of the World?
The study of English by Indians serves the purpose of a window. Just as we can, deep through the window and see what is happening all around us. In the same way, by the study of English we can come to know the progress being made by the people of different nations of the world in the different areas of life F.G. French rightly observed. “A traveller who can speak English will find somebody who. can understand him wherever he may go: anyone who can read English can keep in touch with the whole world without leaving his own house.” In fact, in Pt. Nehru’s words “Our major window on the modern world” regarding the English language are quite apt. Radhakrishnan University Education Commission remarked, “It (English) is a language which is rich in literature-humanistic, scientific and technical. If under sentimental urges we give up English, we would cut ourselves off from the living stream of ever-growing knowledge. Unable to have access to this knowledge, our standards of scholarship would fast deteriorate and our participation in the world movements of thought would become negligible. Its effects would be disastrous for our political life, for living nations must move with the items and must respond quickly to the challenges to their surroundings. English is the only means of preventing our isolation from the world and will act unwisely if we allow ourselves to be enveloped in the fold of a dark curtain of ignorance. Our students who are undergoing training at schools, which will admit them, either to university or to vocation must acquire sufficient mastery of English to give them access to the treasures of knowledge and in the universities, no student should be allowed to take a degree who does not acquire the ability to read with facility and understanding works of English authors.”
Thus we find that English informs us about the advancement and progress having taken place or taking place throughout the world. It m be the field of science technology or medicines or it may be a human activity we come to know about it through this language. It is a highly developed language and it mirrors everything to us in the true sense.
Our country cannot afford to close the window because it gives us a true picture of the various facets of life-political social, religious cultural, agricultural etc. Here the words of Mr Nehru, our late Prime Minister are worth quoting. He said, “All regional languages must be developed and promoted. But that did not mean that English should be discarded.
To do that will amount to closing a window on the world of technology foreign languages served as window on the world of technology.
Foreign languages serve as a window on it and to suppose that translation could take their place was a mistake. It was no use getting into an intellectual prison after achieving political independence.
