Overwhelming Support For Fiji Hindi Over Hindi

A random survey of Indo-Fijians clearly shows that there is overwhelming support for Fiji Hindi over Hindi.

Several language experts also back Fiji Hindi.

In the debate over Fiji Hindi and Hindi, there is no contest.  Fiji Hindi is the preferred conversational language. It has evolved since the arrival of the first Indian indentured labourers.

Those who are linking the debate to religion are doing it for political reasons.

Here are the views of some experts:

Mohit Prasad

Mohit Prasad

Nikhat Shameem. Has a doctorate in applied linguistics from Victoria University of Wellington. She has published widely in applied linguistics, her most recent publication being “Fiji Hindi in Fiji”, a chapter in the book ‘Heritage language policies around the World’ by Seal and Shah (Routledge, 2018).

Fiji Hindi as the mother tongue

Fiji Hindi is the mother tongue of the descendants of the Girmitya that arrived in Fiji 1879-1920 and of the later emigrants from India who came in various capacities. Fiji Hindi is an informally standardized language because it is spoken uniformly by all who use it as mother tongue. This is very important in linguistics where language, identity and culture are strongly linked and languages which are informal, and pre-literate are likely to shift faster than those which are standardized, have specific writing systems and are supported in a range of domains such as media (written and spoken), education (playground and instructional language) and not just in people’s homes. Consistent use in the community and among family members also ensures the survival and transmission of a language. Unfortunately, this domain is easily influenced by other languages, especially English. All the diasporic Hindis formed during indenture in Guyana, South Africa, Mauritius, and Trinidad are now dead. In Surinam, the current young generation no longer speaks Surinami Hindi as a lingua franca.

Fiji Hindi remains a viable language

In Fiji, Fiji Hindi remains a viable language with strong ethnolinguistic vitality. That means the continued use of the language is helping it to survive and thrive.  We do have to be careful though as my research into language proficiency and use of Fiji Hindi in eight Fiji schools showed that the use of Fiji Hindi as a playground language was shifting in urban areas, even in predominantly Fiji Hindi speaking schools. Children also showed a higher proficiency in English than in Fiji Hindi in urban schools and this imbalance grew as children progressed to higher levels. In rural schools, children showed equal proficiency in Fiji Hindi and English. Proficiency in Shudh Hindi and Urdu which were subjects of study was extremely low in all primary schools studied. Children were opting not to take it in higher levels because it was a ‘difficult’ subject.

It is important to remember that all languages have their role in community. This must never come at the cost of language shift and loss of any language, however, especially in the place of origin of a language. When language is lost in the place of origin of a language this is called language death. Fiji Hindi is the only diasporic Hindi which will survive into the next generation. It needs all the help it can get.

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