Importance of English
I entirely agree with the writer on this topic (11 July) that English is now a matter ofRuti-Rujiand its learning must not be discouraged. Perhaps those who discourage this are still living in the colonial past where English was the language of the ruling class. The British empire is gone and useful English for ruti -ruji abroad is now American English or technical English for industrial workers seeking to work abroad. Getting a working knowledge of such a language is an enjoyable process and not difficult at all like the learning of the classical stuff with its grammar, spelling constraints, and literature and poetical treasures.
In addition to schools, colleges and universities teaching the standard English, there should be private language labs teaching working English (and common manners as they are inter related)) for which a vocabulary of about a thousand words should suffice. Phonetic use of vowels, compound vowels (diphthongs), consonants and how to use a dictionary oneself (for meaning and pronunciation) by guessing the spelling or asking someone must be part of such teaching. Audio visual aids along with written texts and question and answer sessions should also form important components of such training.
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