Vocabulary, Not Language, May Drive Resistance to Hindi: Governor Arlekar

Thiruvananthapuram: Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said that resistance to Hindi in some parts of India may stem more from vocabulary barriers than from opposition to the language itself. He was speaking at the centenary celebrations of renowned linguist V. I. Subramoniam held at the International School of Dravidian Linguistics in Thiruvananthapuram .

Addressing the gathering, the Governor observed that many words used in contemporary Hindi are borrowed from Urdu or Persian, which, he said, may make the language less accessible to speakers of South Indian languages. He suggested that wider use of Sanskrit-based vocabulary — which he described as “Sanskrit-prachur Hindi” — could make the language easier to understand across different regions of the country.

According to Arlekar, linguistic challenges often arise from everyday usage rather than structural aspects of a language. He argued that many Indian languages share deep historical and cultural connections through Sanskrit influence, and that emphasizing such shared roots could help bridge linguistic divides.

“If we incorporate more Sanskrit-derived words while speaking Hindi, many people in South India may understand it better than they do today,” he said, adding that this approach would encourage inclusiveness rather than impose uniformity.

The Governor highlighted India’s linguistic diversity as a source of strength, describing regional languages as varied expressions of a common civilizational heritage. He urged scholars and researchers to focus on identifying links among languages and promoting mutual understanding instead of emphasizing differences.

Governor emphasized that understanding one another’s languages is essential to building an inclusive and united India.