English Hegemony and Regional Language Resistance: Examining Linguistic Identity, Power, and Cultural Nationalism in India

Abstract

This paper examines the complex interplay between English globalization and Indian regional languages through dual lenses of linguistic hegemony and resistance. While English's dominance creates hierarchies affecting education, media, and social mobility, regional language communities have mounted sustained resistance through cultural nationalism, language devotion movements, and policy advocacy. Drawing on postcolonial theory, language ecology frameworks, and sociolinguistic analysis, this study explores how English simultaneously functions as an instrument of opportunity and a force contributing to language shift. The research examines multiple dimensions: educational policies and their stratifying effects, digital divides and technological inequalities, economic gatekeeping through language requirements, and crucially, the resistance movements that have shaped language politics in India. Special attention is given to Tamil language devotion movements, anti-Hindi agitations, and the role of linguistic identity in regional political mobilization. Findings reveal that while English proficiency correlates with socioeconomic advancement, regional languages maintain vitality through deliberate acts of cultural assertion, institutional support, and grassroots mobilization. The study concludes that India's linguistic future depends on recognizing both the pragmatic value of English and the cultural-political significance of regional language movements in preserving multilingual democracy.