Author: Dr. MasadulIslam
Abstract: There is no denying that the hegemonic diffusion of American soft power and linguistic imperialism across the globe have exerted a formidable influence in the last few decades. AmericanEnglishhasbecomeaglobalvernacular.Thisphenomenonhasprecipitatedprofound socio-linguistic transformations and challenges across diverse linguistic landscapes. While India continues to bear the historical legacy of the colonial variety of British English, the pervasive infiltration of American English into the realm of pragmatic usages is beyond anyone’sdoubt.Thisincursionisfuelledbythepersuasivelinguisticstylesembeddedindigital platforms, pop culture, social media, imperatives of prosaic communication in the corporate world, software interfaces, and the broader internet discourse, which collectively channelize for (rather ‘impose’) the dissemination of American linguistic norms and cultural paradigms. It has redefined linguistic preferences, particularly among younger generations who are more exposedtoglobalizedsocialmediaandprioritizeproficiencyinAmericanEnglish.Italsohas introduced a palpable tension and a cognitive dissonance between the deep-rooted British linguistic traditions and the emerging Americanized linguistic norms.
Thispaperinvestigatesthesocio-culturalandlinguisticcolonizationofAmericanEnglishover Indian English during the last twenty-five years, resulting in the linguistic transformation, identity crisis and dilemmas in English use. Ultimately, the Indian English users are in a hangoutwhethertopreservetheIndianEnglishoradoptAmericanEnglishasastatussymbol of modernity and to take advantage of and be a part of the digital revolution. The paper also examinesthestylisticchangeslikelexical,phonological,grammaticalandsyntacticshiftingin IndianEnglishresultingfromlinguisticaggressionoftheAmericancounterpart,andthesocio- culturalimplicationsofthistransformation.ItwillfocusonthedistinctivenatureofAmerican English from vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, and idiomatic perspectives and how it has permeatedtheyoungergeneration,urban,anddigitallyconsciouspeople.Throughtheanalysis of these dynamics, the study foregrounds the challenging issues arising to the Indian English teachers and learners in balancing this linguistic duality.
Keywords: American English, encroachment, British English, linguistic transformation, digital media, colonization.
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