<
https://theconversation.com/indian-matchmaking-english-can-be-a-valuable-asset-for-young-women-seeking-husbands-but-it-can-also-backfire-189505>
"After a popular and controversial first season, Netflix’s
Indian Matchmaking
is back with more Mumbai elites and American Desis (diasporic South Asians)
looking for love. The show offers a glimpse into matrimonial negotiations and
the arranged marriage process, guided by matchmaker Sima Taparia. Contestants
and their families outline their preferences – from values to profession,
hobbies to looks – and scrutinise potential partners.
While some criteria are more or less explicit (“must like dogs”), others, such
as “good education”, work as implicit references to social class. In India –
much like across the globe – good education is synonymous with an English
medium education.
This is where English is the language through which all subjects are taught – a
model favoured by fee-paying institutions. English speakers are widely assumed
to be more educated, more affluent, more modern.
August marked 75 years of Indian independence from British colonial rule. But
the English language has continued to play a key role in upholding inequality.
For years it remained accessible only to the wealthy.
Over the past two decades, as India’s economic policies shifted, English has
become more widely accessible and demand continues to increase. Part of this is
due to the longstanding prestige of speaking English, and the narrative that
investing in English can bring opportunity and success.
Young Indians are feeling pressure to speak English, both to boost their
chances of securing a professional job and to increase the probability of
finding a good match for marriage. Unmarried women aspiring to the middle
classes are bearing the brunt of the pressure.
In my ethnographic research, I looked at how English gets linked to social
mobility in India. I spent several months working alongside young adults at a
free English and employability training organisation on the outskirts of South
Delhi.
While most of the students enrolled had hopes of becoming socially mobile, many
of the young women were also aware that their newly acquired English skills
could benefit them in the search for a husband. But, as my interviews with
these young women showed, their association with English sometimes ended up
backfiring."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
