Aswin Kaushik
Bangalore, India
Abstract
This study investigates the role of Hindi–Urdu bilingualism in cultural identity in Northern India. Bilingualism in these two closely related languages, with common historical, literary, and sociopolitical nuances, not only influences communication and cognition patterns but also enhances a distinct cultural identity among the speakers.
Using a mixed-methods research design combining survey answers and qualitative in-depth interviews, this manuscript investigates how bilingual speakers negotiate language use in daily life, ceremonies, literature, and media. The results indicate that bilingualism produces a rich, multi-layered sense of cultural belongingness and also conveys language prestige and socio-political affiliations. The results have implications for language policy, teaching practice, and community identity programs to promote multicultural understanding in linguistically diverse regions.
Keywords
Hindi–Urdu bilingualism; cultural identity; Northern India; language policy; sociolinguistics
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