A Short Research

on
THE STATUS OF

RANGARHI/HARYANVI LANGUAGE IN URBAN SAHIWAL

MAINTAINED OR SHIFTED?

IN THE FAMILIES MIGRATED FROM HARYANA (INDIA) IN

1947.

(Short Research on the Linguistic Profile of Four Families)

Muhammad Bilal Ashraf Bajwa

M.Phil. Linguistics Semester I
Roll No. 18066

Submitted to:
Professor Mian Aamir Aziz

GOVT. COLLEGE UNIVERSITY FAISALABAD,

SAHIWAL CAMPUS

Muhammad Bilal Ashraf Bajwa

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 ABSTRACT

This short study aims at investigating the general trend towards the

issue of Language Shift or Maintenance in the community of

Rangarhi speaking Rajput families who migrated to Pakistani urban

Punjab especially Sahiwal. This ethnic group is remarkably different

from other vernacular languages of Punjab in its customs, language

and social behaviours. The same language is flourishing in Indian

states too. An attempt has been made to make a comparative analysis

of the status of Haryanvi language in two countries with a focus on

Pakistani Rangarhi community to understand whether this language

is maintained here or shifted or in the process of shifting.

KEYWORDS: Language Shift, Language Maintenance, Rangarhi, Haryanvi, Rohtaki,

Mother Tongue, Sociolinguistics, Partition 1947, Language Death, Language Loss

LANGUAGE SHIFT AND LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE

Languages, just like natural species of flora and fauna or animals, grow and develop

in a conducive environment that if disturbed results into Language Loss and even Language

Death. Languages, however, have a great adaptability too. They fight for the survival in the

discouraging circumstances and have a great ability to find the new means to grow but

sometimes there are absolutely no favourable circumstances in a given area and the speakers

of a language find no reason to stick to it.

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 From the social perspective, human beings sometimes change their language over a

period spanned over generations. This phenomenon has been termed as ‘Language Shift’ by

Sociolinguists. It is an interesting area of study because of its relevance to understanding

Man’s overall attitude towards language in general too. Generally, there is also an inherent

resistance towards the change of language. This resistance sometimes keeps a community or

family sticking to the language of ancestors over generations. This phenomenon is termed as

‘Language Maintenance’.

To have a scientific understanding of Man’s attitude (Shift or Maintenance) towards a

specific language over a period at a specific time, a sociolinguist takes following questions

into account:

- What is the present status of a particular language, in a particular area, and in a particular

community?

- Which factors led to the loss, death or maintenance of the language?

- In case of ‘shift’, what are the differences of former and latter languages in terms of

orthography, ethnicity, lexicography, phonology etc.?

- How much time did it take to replace the former language?

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study is to know the status of Rangarhi language in Sahiwal. The

attempt is made to find the answer of the following question:

Whether Rangarhi is being maintained or in a process of shifting by its users in Sahiwal?

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A brief introduction on the profile of Rangarhi is necessary before commenting on the

findings of investigation.

Haryanvi in India, Rangarhi in Pakistan – The same language

Haryanvi is the language of Rajputs and Jattu castes settled over centuries and even

millenniums in the neighbouring areas of Delhi towards west,north and north west. The main

districts are Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Hisar, Bhiwani and Jind. It is called Haryanvi because

of its nativity in the state of Haryana (Ethnologue 16th ed., 2009). The speakers of this

language are also present in South Punjab, Pakistan especially in the districts of Okara,

Pakpattan Sharif, Sahiwal, Multan and other districts along the border of Indian Punjab and

Rajasthan in Sindh Province.The common name for this language in Pakistan is ‘Rangarhi’.

The proof of ‘Rangarhi’ and ‘Haryanvi’ being the same language lies not only in the similar

lexical items and syntactic structures but also the similar geographical and ethnic origin

before partition.

There are more than 50 dialects of this language in India. The variety of dialects is

because of the natural environment where the evolution of the language has taken place. On

the other hand, in Pakistan we find only two dialects of Rangarhi i.e Haryanvi and Rohtaki.

BACKGROUND

2.1 Post Partition Milieu of Vernacular Indus Languages in Pakistani Punjab

The land of Pakistan provides an ideal opportunity to understand the phenomena of

human behaviour towards language over generations because of the large-scale migration

taken place in 1947 from different areas of India. A many ethnic groups migrated in families

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and tribes and settled in different areas of Pakistan. Most of the migrations were from Indian

Punjab, Rajasthan and central province. The speakers settled in the areas where mostly

Punjabi or Sindhi languages were spoken. The new population comprised of different ethnic

groups with their distinct vernacular languages. Hence, they needed some lingua franca for

communication. Urdu later on declared the national language of Pakistan because it offered a

platform for communication among the speakers of different local languages.

One thing however is interesting to note that the guest languages were by no means

foreign to the host languages because of their geographical nearness. There were certain

notable similarities among all of them like vocabulary overlapped to a certain extent, and the

syntactic order was almost same in all the languages. Dialectal differences diffused in a

couple of generations forming new set of speech habits in new sociolinguistic contexts, but

the more radical differences not only stayed but also contrasted in some cases.

2.2 Haryanvi/Rangarhi Language in Pakistani Punjab

There are significant number of families settled sporadically in south Punjab

especially in the districts of Okara, Pakpattan Sharif, Sahiwal, Multan and other districts

along the border of Indian Punjab and Rajasthan in Sindh Province. Haryanvi language is one

of those migrated mediums of communication that have shown resistance against changes

caused by new sociolinguistic context of Pakistani areas. Its speakers maintained their

separate dialectal identity more resiliently than other contemporary migrated languages.

However, this resistance is limited to the spoken corpus of the language alone. Known as

‘Rangarhi’ in Pakistan, Haryanvi Language is considered to have only two dialects whose

roots are claimed to have been in India. These dialects are called ‘Rohtaki’ and ‘Haryanvi’.

The common name for this language is ‘Rangarhi’. It is restricted to everyday domestic

conversation because there are not many opportunities or domains where the speakers have a
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choice to use it except the intra-communal marriages or funerals etc. There are literally no

literary attempts in Rangarhi from Pakistani Punjab with the exception of few amateur

humorous pieces of poetry or jokes that travel through texting on cell phones. Moreover, the

orthography of Rangarhi is Persian.

2.3 The Status of Haryanvi Language in India

With the present number of speakers exceeding 13 million, Haryanvi language is

considered one of the most ancient languages of India. Its rudiments date back to the Aryan

era of 1500 B.C. according to The World Ethnological Forum. Despite this ancient history,

Haryanvi Language never prospered to the level of other big languages of history like

Sanskrit, Hindi, Persian or Urdu. Haryanvi language has a great affinity to other native

languages of India so much that it can serve, and is partially served as lingua franca among

the speakers of neighbour dialects. It is widely spoken in Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.

There are more than 50 dialects of Haryanvi Language in India. Haryanvi language in

India is fighting for its status as a separate language. There are a majority of people in power,

who believe it to be only a dialect of either Hindi or Urdu. The practical struggle for its being

a separate language dates back to the British colonial times when E. Joseph compiled first

Dictionary of Haryanvi language which contains not only a comprehensive stock of Haryanvi

vocabulary but also starts with the author’s grammatical notes and well used proverbs.

2.4 The Difference of Environment between the Haryanvi Speakers of India and

Pakistan

Despite the similarity of language, the approach and domains associated in both

countries are quite opposing to each other. The Haryanvis of India are in a natural free

environment where they are less insecure in terms of maintaining their language because they
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have enough domains and communities where can communicate in this language. On the

other hand, in Pakistan, many known and unknown pressures restrict the speakers of

Haryanvi language. Practically they interact in Haryanvi only at home or with relatives.

The Haryanvi speakers of India have some cultural platforms like movies and literary

forums where they can participate for their satisfaction. On the other side of the border,

METHODOLOGY

The methodology to conduct this study was compound in nature. Not only was the

quantitative data observed from different sources like census results of India, district wise

detail of migration of 1947 to the targeted areas of Pakistan, a thorough study of the available

literature of Haryanvi available online has also been made to have a proper understanding of

the profile of this language on both sides of the border.

Four families settled in Urban Sahiwal were selected for investigation. For

convenience and anonymity they are named as Family W, Family X, Family Y and Family Z.

Out of them, 3 families have been here for more than two decades. One family recently

migrated from Saraiki belt because of job in Public Sector educational institution.

The interviews conducted were qualitative in nature and mostly unstructured with

only general objectives in mind. The unstructured interviews aimed at finding the answers of

these questions:

Basic questions:

How long have you been here in Urban area?

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Do you have a joint family system? If no, how long have you been separate?

Where have you or your recent ancestors come from? And what precisely was the intention

behind this migration?

What was the L1 of your parents? Your L1? If different what were the factors in your opinion

behind this change?

What is your Children’s L1? If different from you, why?

In what domains and with whom they speak Haryanvi? How often they get this opportunity?

Add-on Questions:

Have they or their parents ever been to their primitive native land in India after migration?

Have they ever read any literature in Haryanvi or watched any movie?

How much do you and your children mix the words of other languages in Rangarhi?

The selection of families is random. The rule of ease of access and availability is kept in

mind. There is however a pattern in choice of generations from each family. The generations

questioned about are those who lived over the span of partition towards post partition. For

example the elderly Rao of Family Y is 84 years old so he was asked chiefly about his

children and grandsons. On the other hand, the interviewee of Family Z is 32 years old so he

was questioned about his parents and grandparents.

LIMITATIONS

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 No generalisations are possible because the number of respondents is too small. The

non availability of previous academic research in this field has curtailed the claims of the

authenticity of the findings.

DATA, RESULT AND ANALYSIS

As mentioned earlier, four randomly selected families were interviewed. They are

named as Family W, Family X, Family Y and Family Z. The findings of the interviews are as

follows:

Family W

The interviewee from Family W works in the District Courts of Sahiwal. On the

appointed date and time, he was there in his office and was free because the

Civil Judge under whom he served was on leave. Aged nearly 50, the respondent offered me

a cigarette while I was introducing the purpose of my visit. The notable thing however is that

we have been intimate friends for last two decades. The information sought after followed as

follows.

Dialect: Rohtaki

Parents: Migrated from Rohtak India in 1947, Both Rohtaki, Children also spoke Rohtaki as

L1

Interviewee: Third child of Rohtaki speaking Parents, Age 50, L1 Rohtaki, Wife Punjabi,

Remained in joint family of his parents even after he was married.

Children: six children, Rohtaki L1

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Result: Language maintained

The respondent has a fair knowledge about the dialects of Rangarhi Language. He

finds no awkwardness or difficulty in securing his ethnic language. He finds joint family even

after one is married, helps in maintaining the ethnic identity. He and his family have a

proficiency in other languages related with different domains. They know Urdu, Punjabi and

English. The children mix the words of other languages in Rangarhi frequently.

Family X

The interviewee from Family Y is a grain merchant in the grain Market. I had to get

an appointment before reaching him for an interview. I repeated the purpose of my visit

before questioning him, and he was all set for a detailed talk. during 20 minutes of our talk

whatever he told is as follows:

Dialect: Haryanvi

Grandparents: migrated from Haryana in 1947, already married, husband and wife both

spoke Haryanvi, 6 children, Children’s L1 Haryanvi

Parents: Eldest child married to Haryanvi speaking Wife who is a teacher by profession, 3

Children, the Couple communicate with each other in Rangarhi but they speak Urdu with

children, hence children’s L1 is Urdu.

Interviewee: unmarried, did not know about Haryanvi rather called his parents’ language as

Rangarhi, considered it nicer to speak Urdu.

Result: Language Shifted

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 Family X showed a comprehensive shift from Haryanvi Language to Urdu. The

interesting point to note is that the interview told me about a monthly journal of Rajput

Community. Their family were a regular purchaser.

Family Y

The interviewee from family Y is the head of family, a senior citizen at the age of 84,

a retired Director from the Department of family and Planning. The respondent is a real uncle

of our Interviewee of Family W. The respondent spends most of his time either in his

drawing room or in the mosque that is a few paces away from his house. A jovial fellow, very

composed and hospitable, enjoyed talking about past. He refers most of the facts given in the

caption of ‘Introduction’ and ‘Background’. His account is detailed here:

Dialect: Rohtaki

Interviewee: migrated from Rohtak at the age of 14, Urdu speaking Spouse from Delhi, 4

children,

Children: 4 children, Urdu as L1, understand Rohtaki fairly well; communicate in Urdu as

well as Rohtaki

Grandchildren: all the grandchildren of the respondent are Urdu speaking; understood

Rohtaki too.

Result:Language Shifted from Rohtaki to Urdu.

The respondent considers it quite natural to change the language in the changed

environment. He feels proud to have come of Rajput Family. He is of the opinion speaking

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Rohtaki does not mean you are Rajput because it is the language of a territory not of a

race.His knowledge about Indian Rangarhi speaking areas is very deep.

Family Z

The interviewee from Family Z is the youngest of the lot. Recently migrated to

Sahiwal city from Jahanian District Khanewal; serving as a Lecturer of English in Public

sector College. It was a routine meeting in the staff room where he was casually asked about

the details of language status of his family. He had no objection and was quite excited about

the outcome of this study.

Grandparents: Died in 1948 just after the Partition 1947, migrated from Jamalpur, District

Hisar, three wives, the youngest wife Haryanvi speaking having 4 sons and 2 daughters

Parents: Youngest child of the migrated family, 1 year old at the time of Partition 1947,

Haryanvi as L1, married to a Haryanvi speaking wife, 8 children

Interviewee: 4th child, Haryanvi as L1, speaks Urdu and Punjabi too, married to a Haryanvi

speaking wife, speaks to his only son in Urdu, does not know why.

Result: Language Maintained

The respondent’s given lineage is pure Haryanvi from paternal as well as maternal

sides, but speaks to his only child in Urdu unconsciously. He speaks to his wife in Haryanvi

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mostly but also communicates in Urdu. He says that too much of Urdu in other domains is

changing his Language Choice.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE DATA

Although no generalizations possible on the basis of this data collected from only four

families, there are a few notable facts about them which give overall probabilities about the

attitude of local public towards Rangarhi Language.

It can be safely said that till now Rangarhi Language survives in Pakistani Punjabi

Population in the generations migrated from Haryana, Rohtak and neighbouring areas of

India in 1947. This vernacular language is also passed on to the coming generations but has

suffered a serious Loss. Out of the four randomly selected families, two have shifted their

language. It implies that in an already minor ethnic group the shift of two means further

decrease in the coming generations. Even the families and individual who are prone to the

Language Shift, have not freed themselves from the accent and phonological features of

Rangarhi Language.

Code mixing and switching is a common feature of Rangarhi speakers.Rangarhi

language is gradually borrowing lexical and grammatical features of other languages

available in the sociolinguistic repertoire. Even the families and individuals wwho are a

having a conscious hold of this language are using the words of Urdu and Punjabi in their

Rangarhi.

However, the vulnerability it faces is not less threatening either. Following are the

grave facts threatening its survival:

Fewer Domains:
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 This language is strictly limited in use. There are not many platforms and domains of

its use in Pakistani community. It is mainly because the descendants of its die-hard users are,

consciously or unconsciously, leaving this language. Religion, office or education do not

allow the use of Rangarhi anywhere in Pakistan. There are only familial or ethnic gatherings

like marriages, funerals afford the possibility of a Rangarh’s meeting with other Rangarh.

With the advent of fast means of communication and machinery modern is busy in fight for

his economic survival, therefore, he avoids such gatherings.

No Literature and Orthography:

No language can ensure its survival without a proper writing system of its own. The

writers are the major contributors of any language. Rangarhi language in Pakistan is limited

to the colloquial use alone. There are a few literary commonplace pieces in India but the

problem is that they are written in Devnagri Script that is alien to Pakistani academic

environment.

No Cultural Activities:

There are not any cultural activities for the speakers of Rangarh community in

Pakistan. There is no doubt they have a separate culture of their own affecting their customs,

dresses and all other lifestyles but their sporadic settlement is the main reason of their cultural

mutation. They have no territory of their majority like their ethnic brethren in Haryana in

India.

CONCLUSION

Rangarhi Language is facing serious threats to its survival in Pakistani urban society.

It has survived in a somewhat changed shape because of intra-communal marriages over

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initial two generations after Partition 1947. The recent change of role of females from

housewives to working women is catalysing the Language Shift that can reach an absolute

stage within next two generations.

REFERENCES

- ‘Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues – 2000, Census of

India, 2001
- Bhatia, Tej K and William C. Ritchie. (2006) Bilingualism in South Asia. In:
Handbook of Bilingualism, pp. 780-807. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
- Handbook of Bilingualism, pp. 780-807. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
- Ishtiaq, M. (1999). Language Shifts Among the Scheduled Tribes in India: A Geographical Study. Delhi:
Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. pp. 26–27. ISBN9788120816176. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
- Henry Scholberg (1970). The District Gazetteers of British India: A Bibliography. Zug,
Switzerland: Inter Documentation Company.

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