Advertisements
Advertisements
प्रश्न
“When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”
Can you think of examples in history where conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?
Advertisements
उत्तर १
Some examples of the native language taken away from its people and/or imposition of the language of the conqueror are:-
(a) Portuguese becoming the lingua franca of Angola.
(b) English imposed on the various Celtic peoples.
(c) Spanish imposed on the Basques and the Catalans.
(d) Turkish imposed on the Kurds.
उत्तर २
- Polish under Russian Rule: After Poland’s partition, Russia banned the Polish language in schools and offices, making it mandatory for Russians to repress Polish nationalism.
- Spanish in Latin America: The Spanish conquistadors pushed their language on indigenous civilizations such as the Aztecs and Incas, mainly replacing native languages with Spanish.
- Turkish in the Ottoman Empire: The native languages of the Balkans and the Middle East were impacted by the Ottoman authorities’ promotion of Turkish in several areas.
- Apartheid South Africa: The government tried to force black students to learn in Afrikaans, resulting in the famous Soweto Uprising, in which people struggled to preserve their own identity.
- Tibet under China: There have been continuous efforts to promote Mandarin Chinese in schools and government agencies, raising fears about the Tibetan language’s survival.
Notes
A few examples have been provided for students’ reference. It is strongly recommended that students develop the answer on their own.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Answer the following question in 120 – 150 words:
Our language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. Describe how regretful M. Hamel and the village elders are for having neglected their native language, French.
The Last Lesson shows that people suddenly realised how precious their language was to them.
Comment.
Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
- in great dread of
- counted on
- thumbed at the edges
- in unison
- a great bustle
- reproach ourselves with
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this mean?
What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive? For example:
Punjabis in Bangalore
Tamilians in Mumbai
Kannadigas in Delhi
Gujaratis in Kolkata
Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far?
Notice the underlined words in these sentences and choose the option that best explains their meanings.
“When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”
It is as if they have the key to the prison as long as they ______
Find out about the following (You may go to the internet, interview people, consult reference books or visit a library.)
- Linguistic human rights
- Constitutional guarantees for linguistic minorities in India
Given below is a survey form. Talk to at least five of your classmates and fill in the information you get in the form.
|
S. No. |
Languages |
Home |
Neighbourhood |
City/Town |
School |
| 1. | |||||
| 2. | |||||
| 3. | |||||
| 4. | |||||
| 5. |
Have you ever changed your opinion about someone or something that you had earlier liked or disliked? Narrate what led you to change your mind.
Read the given extract and answer the questions.
| Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was. |
- List any two sensory details present in this extract. (1)
- Why does the protagonist feel anxious about entering the classroom on this particular day? (1)
- The classmates have started the lesson
- The teacher is in a bad mood
- The classroom is too quiet
- The protagonist is running late
- Complete the sentence appropriately. (1)
The phrase "as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that ______. - Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that this was not the protagonist’s first time being late to school. (1)
- What does the term 'terrible iron ruler' indicate about M. Hamel? (1)
- Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract? (1)
- The Fears of a Latecomer
- The Importance of Punctuality
- The Rigidity of the School System
- The Anxiety of a Young Student
Answer the following question in about 40-50 words.
What were Franz's feelings as he set out for school and why?
Form groups of three. Write three sentences of three words each.
Form groups of four. Write four sentences of four words each.
Try to write phrases with each word beginning with the same letter.
Who is M. Hamel?
Find the explanation for ‘participles’ given in the book.
Why is the iron ruler said to be ‘terrible’?
How did M. Hamel dress up on special occasions?
Think and answer:
Is the school closing down?
Think and answer:
Why is it the last lesson?
According to M. Hamel, who are the people that did not take education seriously? What examples does he give to support his view?
Why does Franz understand his lesson well?
Where does M. Hamel live? Who lived with him?
List the people and their occupations mentioned in the story.
Find five examples of commonly used past participles from the story. For example, said, learnt.
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ was in great dread of
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ did not know the first word about them
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
Terrible iron ruler
What is the meaning of the following words and phrases in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ got a little over my fright
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
What a thunderclap these words were to me!
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ She put off learning tomorrow
Why was Franz sad?
See if you can make a sentence with as many words in it as there are students in your classroom.
Write the sentence in big letters on chart paper and display it in the classroom.
