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Chapter Five - Languages

The document discusses the role and development of various regional languages in Pakistan such as Urdu, Sindhi, Balochi and Punjabi. It provides details on how each language originated and evolved over time, with influences from other languages. It also discusses the literature produced in these languages and efforts made to promote them.

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Shayna Butt
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316 views

Chapter Five - Languages

The document discusses the role and development of various regional languages in Pakistan such as Urdu, Sindhi, Balochi and Punjabi. It provides details on how each language originated and evolved over time, with influences from other languages. It also discusses the literature produced in these languages and efforts made to promote them.

Uploaded by

Shayna Butt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 5 — To what Extent have Urdu and Regional Languages contributed to the Cultural

Development of Pakistan?

1. Introduction and History.

- national language = brings about uniformity and cultural identity, increases understanding of what a nation
believes in
- many languages are spoken in Pakistan, but Urdu is the national language
- since Islam spread to the subcontinent = many different languages have been used, i.e. Arabian, Turkish…
- Persian = greatest impact; used to be the official language in the court of Delhi; SWU translated the
Quran into Persian; most books were in Persian (Amir Khusrau, etc.); used widely by poets and writers;
Sanskrit books translated into Persian; used for day-to-day communication; even Hindus used it.

2. Urdu.

• why was Urdu chosen as the national language?


- considered the language of Muslims in South Asia
- combination of Persian, Turkish and Arabic with the local dialects of Delhi
- started in the North-West of India, but spread all across the subcontinent
- end of 13th century = used uniformly by Muslim armies, as it was easily understood
- went through many stages of development to become what it is today, and spread as Muslims travelled.
—————————
- rich literary background = poetry in Urdu was prevalent
- Amir Khusrau (1253-1325) = played an important role in its development
- Emperor Muhammad Shah and Bahadur Shah Zafar promoted it
- famous poets then = Mir, Sauda, Dard and Ghalib
- Aligarh Muslim University (center for Urdu edu.) = talented poets = Hasrat Mohani, Majaz, Jazbi…
- famous poets now = Allama Iqbal, Nazir Ahmad, Muhammad Hussain Azad, Allama Shibli…
——————————
- linked to Islam = spread Urdu even more
- translation of the Holy Quran into Urdu by Shah Abdul Qadir (son of SWU)
- many religious books were translated into Urdu = further developed unity amongst Muslims
——————————
- 20th century = Urdu helped in the struggle for Independence
- Muslim League = aimed to protect the rights of Muslims, but also Urdu as a language for Muslim unity
- British = made English the official language in administration and education, but some schools still
promoted Urdu and showed active interest in the language
——————————
- 1857 = British stopped promoting Urdu and instead turned towards Hindi
- Urdu = main language in Muslim-dominated provinces, but Hindus protested to make Hindi the main one
- SAK = set up a society to protect Urdu
- Hindi-Urdu controversy = strongly damaged Hindu-Muslim relations
——————————
- showed how Urdu was disregarded by non-Muslims
- not all Muslims supported Urdu either
- Bengal = some people wanted to make Bengali the national language, as Bengal made up most of
Pakistan’s population until 1971
- 1948 = protests in Dhaka led to arrests || 1952 = use of tear gas to scatter student protesters
- led to the civil war in 1971 = establishment of Bangladesh.
——————————
- Urdu = officially recognized as the National Language of Pakistan, though Punjabi is used the most
- Urdu survived, and was later promoted by Quaid-e-Azam = link language between provinces
- government = started moving away from English and incorporating Urdu more in daily elements, i.e.
medium of language in Matric, radios, dictionaries, TV, plays, films, novels, poetry, magazines,
newspapers…

3. Sindhi.

- ancient language, goes back to the 12th century


- before the arrival of Muslims = written in ‘Marwari’ and ‘Arz Nagari’
- once Arabs settled = Arab words got incorporated into Sindhi, which was now written in the Arabic script
- 8th century = Muslims settled in Sindh, where Sindhi (ppl) & Arabic (admin.) were both active languages
- continued until Turkish tribes brought Persian
- Sindhi = combination of Arabic and Persian
- famous poets = Makhdum Nuh of Hala, Qazi Qazan of Thatta
- Sindh literature peaked = b/w 1050-1300, and b/w 1685-1783
- famous poets (2) = Sachal Sarmast and Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai
- Ta’alim Alkhashaf-o-Tauheed = journal that helped the development of Sindhi
- 1948 = Sindhi Literature Board = printed and promoted books and magazines in Sindhi
- important authors = Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi, Faqir Nabi Bux and G. Allana
- Sarmast Academy, Sindhiology department, books on Sindhi folk literature, Bazm-e-Talib-ul-Muala, etc.

4. Balochi.

- spoken in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province || two main kinds = Sulemanki and Mekrani
- Balochi brought by tribes from North-West Iran, who were Nomadic
- little development in Balochi development; mainly an oral language
- poet = Jam Darang || early Balochi poetry abundant with folk songs
- 1830 = Balochi became known through the “Journal of Asiatic Society” of the British traveller, W. Leech
- before partition = very few books and magazines in Balochi; Balochi Gazetteer was published in English
- after partition = broadcasts, magazines, TV shows in Balochi; better literature (Atta Shad, Ishaq Shamin)

5. Punjabi.

- spoken in Punjab, the most populated province of Pakistan + Azad Kashmir and KPK
- easily understood language; used to be called “Masoodi”, “Al-Hindi” and “Hindko”
- 1080 = called Punjabi by Hafiz Barkhurdar
- originally written in Gurmukhi script, but switched to Arabic script after the Mughals
- combination of Persian, Arabic, Hindi, Turkish and English
- different Punjabi dialects; Punjabi influenced by Sindhi and Pashto in the West of Punjab
- early literature = folk tales, mystic literature, Sufi poets (Heer-Ranjha, Sassi-Punnu, Sohni-Mahiwal, etc.)
- 20th century = novels, short stories, dramas; books on Academic subjects (Law, Medicine, History,
Philosophy…)
- Punjabi poetry = ghazal, nazam, etc
- translation of the Quran into Punjabi by M. Ali Faiq
- literature expanding, both in terms of content and form
- Punjabi is now taught up to MA level at the University of Punjab
- famous poets now = Bullay Shah, Waris Shah, Baba Farid, Ganj Shakar…
- famously writers = Munir Niazi, Sharif Kunjahi, Ahmed Rahi…
- music = Noor Jahan, Arif Lohar

6. Pashto.

- spoken in KPK, northern Balochistan and FATA; Karachi has 7 million Pashtun
- combination of Arabic, Persian and Greek
- first period of Pashto literature = 2nd-13th century; Amir Khan & Bayazid Ansari; Kahir-ul-Bian (sufism)
- second period = 13th-14th century; Mughal invasions; peak of Pashto prose; Hazrat Mian Umar, Saadat
Ali Khan, Amir Muhammad Ansari
- third period = establishment of British rule; golden age of Pashto lit. ; Akhund Dardeeza & Rehman Baba
- Pashto literature = important role in the struggle against the British and for Independence
- Sahibzada Abdul Qayum = strived to bring political awareness in NWFP and set up the Islamia College
- Islamia College = study of Pashto; united people; became the center of the Freedom Movement in KPK
- after Independence = Peshawar University established + academy for Pashto literature (1954) headed by
Maulana Abdul Qadir + Pashto dictionary
- to this day = post-graduate classes of Pashto literature; compulsory in all KPK gov. schools + exams

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