EVERY language changes over the centuries — phonologically, lexically and grammatically — and the process is natural. But language reform differs from linguistic change, as change is natural but reform is intentional.

Linguistic reform is quite an old phenomenon. For instance, the 12th century monk named Orm wrote an exegesis of Bible. Known as The Ormulum, the work is considered a sample of early Middle English prose. But Orm used a unique spelling system, based on phonetic orthography, and wrote in a poetic metre to ensure correct pronunciation. Linguist David Crystal says in his Evolving English: One Language, Many Voices that it was the first attempt to reform English spelling rules as Orm tried to systematise variant English spelling rules prevalent at that time.

One of the factors working as a catalyst for language reforms is the desire to simplify the language. Aside from simplification, standardisation and linguistic purism, too, have always played a part in language reformation movements. The linguistic snobbery — or rather chauvinism -- has also been a factor when it comes to Urdu as writers and scholars from UP used to criticise writers belonging to Punjab for their Urdu usage. Even Iqbal could not escape their wrath for his supposedly incorrect Urdu usage, albeit unjustifiably.

Language reforms can in fact be part of language policy and planning. Totalitarian regimes who wish to change political, social and cultural values use language policy as an effective tool. In George Orwell’s Nineteen-Eighty Four, dystopian government tries to control the thoughts of the public by introducing a new language, named Newspeak, which has simple grammar and a limited vocabulary.

In Pakistan, General Ayub Khan’s government was bent upon replacing Urdu’s Perso-Arabic script with Roman alphabet, with an unknown, hidden agenda. Thanks to a very hostile reaction from intellectuals the unscrupulous attempt to impose Roman Urdu was thwarted.

As for Urdu, Sirajuddin Ali Khan Aarzoo (1687/88-1756) was the first scholar who wrote on language reform. His criticism on Gharaaeb-ul-Lughaat, Urdu’s first ever dictionary, discusses the rules governing ‘standard’ and ‘correct’ Urdu, thereby setting the parameters for ‘polished’ and eloquent usage.

From Aarzoo to Rasheed Hasan Khan (1925-2006) and from Fort William College to Muqtadira Qaumi Zaban, Urdu has a long history of reformatory attempts made to either ‘correct’ it or ‘standardise’ its orthography, usage and vocabulary. Now this long history has been captured in a book titled Urdu Mein Islaah-e-Zaban Ki Rivayet, or the tradition of language reform in Urdu. Published by Faisalabad’s Misaal Publishers and penned by Maqbool Nisar Malik, it is in fact a doctoral dissertation

The dissertation has six chapters, a concluding chapter and a bibliography. The first chapter discusses what language is and what purposes language reforms aim to accomplish. The second chapter analyses language reforms made by South Indian authors, such as Vali Dakkani, as well as reforms by the authors of North India in early 15th and early 16th centuries.

The following chapters prove that the researcher has thoroughly sifted through the work on the subject and mentions all the major and even some minor reformists: Sirajuddin Aarzoo, Mubarak Aabroo, Mazhar Jan-e-Janan, Hatim, Mir Taqi Mir, Sauda, Insha Allah Khan Insha, Naasikh, Ali Ausat Rashk, Imdad Ali Bahr, Kalb-e-Husain Nadir, Agha Hajju Ashraf, Mazaffar Ali Aseer, Ameer Meenai, Ishrat Lakhnavi, Jalal Lakhnavi, Ghalib, Abdul Ghafoor Nassaakh, Shauq Neemvi, Hali, Syed Ahmed Dehlvi, Moulvi Abdul Haq, Abdus Sattar Siddiqi, Ehsan Danish, Ahmed Ali Adeeb, Rasheed Hasan Khan and some others.

It also covers institutions that worked on language reforms including Fort William College, Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu, Usmania University, Urdu Dictionary Board, Urdu Encyclopaedia of Islam (Lahore) and Muqtadira or National Language Authority (renamed as National Language Promotion Department).

It is a labour of love, but it is lacking in some aspects when it comes to modern research methodology. For example, it is a thick tome and its length might have been curtailed at least by a hundred pages as it includes biographical details of every language reformist of Urdu -- something already available elsewhere — and the author could have avoided this duplication by just referring to the sources that have already mentioned such details.

Though the work has compiled essential points presented by almost all the prominent reformist, it largely depends on the views of other critics and researchers. On some issues, the author’s own views and verdicts are missing, though he has been able to give his own critical conclusions at several places. On many critical issues, the author has mentioned the gist of what reformists have said, but at times he could not give the specific reference to the works from which this information was extracted. Though a long list of works cited is annexed at the end, some primary sources, and even some secondary sources, which the writer mentions in the text, are altogether missing.

drraufparekh@yahoo.com

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2021

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