Language And Culture Analysis

Literature is the articulation of emotions. The language used in different genres communicates the writers’ own experiences, their thoughts and feelings. When literary works are analysed one can perceive that the literary outputs and culture are interrelated. The beliefs, values, lifestyles, habits all can manipulate ones culture. This paper tries to explore the relationship between language and culture in a subalternist perspective, taking into consideration Dalit literature, especially Tamil Dalit Literature. The humiliating experiences the Dalits face from the domineering class, the brutalities they have to endure under the clutches of Caste Hindus, all forced these subalterns to form their own literary movement. The lack of education, and

Interestingly ones language and culture have a crucial part in defining ones identity. Language when simply defined is a group of words which are articulated to communicate, but it is a sign of our social identity. It helps to share thoughts, emotions and opinions. Culture on the other hand grooms the language we use. Ones culture is greatly influenced by ones social background, likes, dislikes, habits, believes etc. It is built upon the ways of living and is transmitted from one generation to another. It is often cited that Culture is that complicated totality, in which are included knowledge, confidence, art, moralities, laws, customs and all other efficiencies which a man is forever striving to achieve as member of a community. The shared aspects of culture are language, religion, celebrations, food, clothing, all which are part of one’s heritage. Among these aspects the most intrinsic factor is language. Language is the best means by which one can convey and preserve ones tradition and shared

A lexicon rich in community dialects, slang and rarely known usages and sayings made bizarre feeling to the so called elite group. Dalit writers of fiction and autobiography have redrawn the entire scenario of Indian literature and discovered and explored many so far unlit areas of experience. They rewrote everything in the marginalized character’s perspective, forcing the rest of the society to look critically at their own traditions and practices. “The lack of art and artifice in Dalit literature compensated for by the lived reality and candid expression directed at the polite conscience of high society, high literature and high theory (Abedi 140)”. Dalit literature is based on anubhava and not anumana. Dalit writing which reflects the outrage of the down trodden, who is fed up with the humiliation and debasements from the society may appear to be full of negative energy. But on the other hand it is a positive symbol of revolt and protest of a bold uprising. It shows the birth of a new being who was reduced to animal servility by the so called upper class who handles the power strata. In other words it is breaking the silence