Hindi
Hindi is the world’s third language, in terms of the number of its speakers. Besides being the official language of many north Indian states, it is widely spoken throughout India as a link language, and is regarded by many Hindu emigrants from India to the UK as their chief cultural language. Hindi is very closely related to Urdu, from which it differs principally only in script and in higher vocabulary. Modern standard Hindi is the vehicle of an ever-growing body of writing and journalism, and has been taken far beyond its natural frontiers by the Hindi film industry. In its wider sense the name ‘Hindi’ embraces a number of the regional dialects of northern India, whose pre-modern literatures are particularly valuable sources for an understanding of north Indian Hinduism.
Map showing the Hindi-speaking states of India (shaded)
Courses:
A full range of courses at all levels is available, starting from Hindi Language 1. The BA degree includes a year spent studying in India. Various literature options are also available. Evening and intensive courses, from Beginners’ level upwards, are available in the Language Centre.
Contacts:
Dr Francesca Orsini (fo@soas.ac.uk), Mr Naresh Sharma (ns19@soas.ac.uk); Mr Rakesh Nautiyal (rn17@soas.ac.uk); or the Language Centre (languages@soas.ac.uk).
Suggested reading
- J.S.Hawley and Mark Juergensmeyer, Songs of the saints of India, New Delhi 2004.
- Francesca Orsini, The Hindi public sphere: language and literature in the age of nationalism, Oxford 2002.
- Lucy Rosenstein, Nayi kavita: new poetry in Hindi, Delhi/London 2003.
- C.Shackle and R.Snell, Hindi and Urdu since 1800, London 1990.
- Rupert Snell with Simon Weightman, Teach yourself Hindi, London (rev. edn) 2000.
- Rupert Snell, Teach yourself beginner’s Hindi script, London 2000.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, articles on Hindi literature (indexed in Micropaedia).
