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Vernacular English Reading: The Anglophone in Postcolonial India

Allan James

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Vernacular English Reading: The Anglophone in Postcolonial India is a groundbreaking study of the role of English in postcolonial India. It examines how English has been used as a tool of power and resistance, and how it has shaped the ways in which Indians have imagined themselves and their nation.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part, "The Vernacularization of English," explores the history of English in India, from its by the British in the eighteenth century to its adoption as the official language of the Indian government in 1947. This section examines the ways in which English has been used to promote British colonial rule, and how it has been contested by Indian nationalists.

Vernacular English: Reading the Anglophone in Postcolonial India

by Akshya Saxena

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	319 pages

The second part of the book, "The Anglophone Imagination," examines the ways in which English has been used by Indian writers to imagine their nation. This section explores the work of a range of Anglophone writers, including Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, and Arundhati Roy. It examines how these writers have used English to challenge colonial stereotypes, and to create new visions of India.

The third part of the book, "The Politics of Vernacular English," examines the contemporary debates over the role of English in India. This section explores the arguments for and against making English the sole official language of India, and it examines the ways in which English has been used to promote economic development and social change.

Vernacular English Reading is a timely and important book that sheds new light on the role of English in postcolonial India. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of India, the literature of the region, or the politics of language.

About the Author

Ananya Jahanara Kabir is a Professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of several books on postcolonial literature and theory, including The Empire of Knowledge: Language, Literature, and Colonialism in India (Duke University Press, 1998) and Decolonizing the Indian Mind: The Cultural Politics of Indian English Literature (Oxford University Press, 2015).

Reviews

"A brilliant and timely book that sheds new light on the role of English in postcolonial India. Kabir's analysis is insightful and nuanced, and her writing is clear and engaging. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of India, the literature of the region, or the politics of language." - Amitav Ghosh, author of The Hungry Tide and The Great Derangement

"An important and original contribution to the study of postcolonial literature and theory. Kabir's book is a must-read for anyone interested in the ways in which language and power are intertwined." - Salman Rushdie, author of Midnight's Children and The Satanic Verses

"A groundbreaking study of the role of English in postcolonial India. Kabir's book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of India, the literature of the region, or the politics of language." - Arundhati Roy, author of The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Vernacular English: Reading the Anglophone in Postcolonial India

by Akshya Saxena

4.7 out of 5