LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 25:2 February 2025
ISSN 1930-2940

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         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
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         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

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Endangered Orality in Kinnaur: Linguistic and Cultural Interference

Harvinder Kumar Negi, Purnendu Bikash Debnath and Shrutika Badur

Abstract

This paper examines the decline of native languages and oral traditions among the Kannaura tribe in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, and the cultural consequences of such changes. Kinnaur, a linguistically diverse region, is home to both Sino-Tibetan and Indo-Aryan languages spoken by the Kannaura people. Despite being recognized as a Scheduled Tribe under the Indian Constitution, which has supported the preservation of its cultural identity, the tribe faces challenges from linguistic assimilation, urbanization, and technological advancements. The study identifies the key factors contributing to this decline and highlights the risks posed to the community’s heritage. It also proposes pragmatic strategies for revitalizing oral traditions, emphasizing their critical role in preserving the tribe’s unique cultural identity.

Keywords: Kinnaur, endangerment, vitality, indigenous, mother tongue, revitalization.

1. Introduction

The Kannaura people, residing primarily in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, India, are a tribe whose languages and oral traditions have long been central to their identity. They speak eight languages, including seven from the Tibeto-Burman family and one from the Indo-Aryan family (Negi 2023). Lacking a writing system, their languages serve not only as a means of communication but also as vital repositories of traditional knowledge and history.

The languages of Kinnaur are essential to the community’s identity, connecting people with their past, cultural values, and lived experiences. With no written tradition, these languages serve as a repository of knowledge, passing down stories about ancestors, gods, and nature. However, this heritage is under threat due to the dominance of languages like Hindi and English (Negi 2023). As younger generations shift to the “trendy” languages, they are also adopting new cultural practices that distance them from their traditions. This shift is leading to the decline of oral traditions—such as folk songs, rituals, and mythology—that have been central to Kinnauri culture (Negi 2021).

Linguistic interference from dominant languages like Hindi and English is altering the Kinnauri language, with changes in the indigenous lexicon, structure, and semantics. This shift is accompanied by broader cultural changes, such as shifts in social, economic, and political practices. As Hindi and English become more common in education and daily life, younger Kinnauri speakers increasingly use these languages, seeing them as markers of social mobility. This is causing a divide between generations, with younger people losing touch with traditional linguistic practices and oral customs (Negi 2021).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Harvinder Kumar Negi
Assistant Professor
GLA University Mathura
negi.harvinder@gmail.com

Purnendu Bikash Debnath
Research Assistant
GLA University Mathura
purnendueflu@gmail.com

Shrutika Badur
Field Investigator
GLA University Mathura
badurshrutika@gmail.com
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