Book Brahma fest opens with conversation between languages
The Book Brahma Literature Festival opened with a panel discussion on the complexities of translation and the role of English in the Indian linguistic landscape. Experts debated whether English acts as a hegemonic force or a necessary tool for global connectivity.
Why it matters
It reflects the ongoing cultural and intellectual debate in India regarding the status of regional languages versus English.
“According to me, Akka Mahadevi is among the most modern writers in history. It is difficult to translate her works not because she belongs to another historical time, but because she is far ahead from us in her thoughts and ideology,” said M.S. Ashadevi, academic, writer, and translator.
She was speaking at a panel session, alongside writers O.L. Nagabhushana Swamy, Keshava Guha and N.S. Madhavan, in the session titled “Linguistic Hegemony: Indian Languages and the Federal Imagination” on the first day of Book Brahma Literature Festival that was inaugurated on Friday here.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in