Punjabi language need not fear English, the language that its needs to be wary of is Hindi.

Expressing this Dr Sutinder Singh Noor, well known Punjabi critic and vice-president of Bhartiya Sahit Akademy, said, “ Hindi language has in the past too led to demise of many languages like Bundelkhandi, Rajasthani and Bhojpuri to name a few. Rajasthani and Bhojpuri are trying to make a come back but it was due to Hindi language which appropriated these languages as its dialects, these regional languages could not find their rightful space in the India constitution.”

Dr Noor was in town to attend a state-level convention on Punjabi language held at Punjabi Bhawan today. Talking to Ludhiana Newsline, Dr Noor said, “At present, Punjabi language does not need to be fearful of any language eating it up but yes the present times are a wake up call for in these times, the balance between tradition and modernism is lost. We as the older generation and then as intellectuals have failed to pass on this balance to our youth which does shirk from speaking Punjabi language or reading Punjabi literature.”

“From villages, the Punjabi language has now entered into international cities and towns. There are bound to be some issues that we need to address,” says Dr Noor.

Dr Noor added, “These are the times of transition and I can see the face of a new Punjabi language emerging very soon. But we need to regulate and mould this new face.”

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