Language

REFLECTIONS / Baby killed/baby found dead: On the use and abuse of language

To the politicians and their vetoes and dismissals of any proposals that might bring some change—what language do you use with them? What of their language that otherises an entire people to dehumanise them?

REFLECTIONS / Bangalis and the “cutification” of English

On a single visit to the Chadni Chowk gully at the Gawsia/New Market area, I had witnessed, store by store, the gradual devolvement of the name for Mysore cotton to Maisha cotton.

Poetry / Tongue

I heard myself speak today It made me want to Cut out my tongue.

Italicisation policing, penning with a colonised mind

When a foreign word—one that isn’t part of the language in which the text is being written—is highlighted in italics in a work of literature, it becomes “other.”

Of translation

The challenge of untranslatability is something that the translator has to contend with throughout the process of the enterprise.

India turns to AI to capture its 121 languages

There are more than 40 million native Kannada speakers in India, and it is one of the country's 22 official languages and one of over 121 languages spoken by 10,000 people or more in the world's most populous nation.

International Translation Day / The question of translation

There is no denying the truism that translation historically served the best interest of the colonisers.

The "original and thrilling": The Booker Prizes announces 2023 longlist

The novels are small revolutions, each seeking to energise and awaken the language. Together, they offer startling portraits of the current.

A personal quest to explore the core essence of ‘Bengaliness’

We Bengalis are very much part of a collectivist society, where ‘private’ matters are communal, and everyone can have some opinions about ‘other’s business. We describe that as our own unique way of looking after each other and maintaining ‘social well beings’.

March 1, 2024
March 1, 2024

Baby killed/baby found dead: On the use and abuse of language

To the politicians and their vetoes and dismissals of any proposals that might bring some change—what language do you use with them? What of their language that otherises an entire people to dehumanise them?

February 24, 2024
February 24, 2024

Tongue

I heard myself speak today It made me want to Cut out my tongue.

February 24, 2024
February 24, 2024

Bangalis and the “cutification” of English

On a single visit to the Chadni Chowk gully at the Gawsia/New Market area, I had witnessed, store by store, the gradual devolvement of the name for Mysore cotton to Maisha cotton.

February 21, 2024
February 21, 2024

Italicisation policing, penning with a colonised mind

When a foreign word—one that isn’t part of the language in which the text is being written—is highlighted in italics in a work of literature, it becomes “other.”

February 18, 2024
February 18, 2024

Of translation

The challenge of untranslatability is something that the translator has to contend with throughout the process of the enterprise.

December 4, 2023
December 4, 2023

India turns to AI to capture its 121 languages

There are more than 40 million native Kannada speakers in India, and it is one of the country's 22 official languages and one of over 121 languages spoken by 10,000 people or more in the world's most populous nation.

September 30, 2023
September 30, 2023

The question of translation

There is no denying the truism that translation historically served the best interest of the colonisers.

August 7, 2023
August 7, 2023

The "original and thrilling": The Booker Prizes announces 2023 longlist

The novels are small revolutions, each seeking to energise and awaken the language. Together, they offer startling portraits of the current.

June 8, 2023
June 8, 2023

A personal quest to explore the core essence of ‘Bengaliness’

We Bengalis are very much part of a collectivist society, where ‘private’ matters are communal, and everyone can have some opinions about ‘other’s business. We describe that as our own unique way of looking after each other and maintaining ‘social well beings’.

May 7, 2023
May 7, 2023

Bangladesh to digitally preserve 40 ethnic languages

The government's ICT department has initiated efforts to preserve and digitise 40 ethnic languages, including 14 endangered ones.

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