Correct me if I am wrong but I think that late Generation Y (1985-1995) and early Generation Z (1996-2010) can recall the decline of Urdu when “Alif Sey Anaar, Bey Sey bail” started to count its days with the onset of “A for Apple B for Bus” in early and mid-1990’s. With the beginning of a new century, this generation was successful in speaking and understanding English and as they were probably in their 8th 9th or 10th standard at that time, then took pride in reading Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. Romeo and Juliet replaced Laila and Majnu. Those who could speak English were depicted as being educated and Civilised. Even an English Sweeper was mistakenly considered to have a PhD because of his fluency.
Then by 2010, this generation successfully transformed not only its language but also its culture, food, clothes, lifestyle, everything and after struggling for nearly two decades invented a new language of “what’s up man” and “you know what tumhy pata hai”. They were now ready to add their share to English literature and outrun even Shakespeare but unfortunately the hard work didn’t seemed to pay off as policy took a sharp turn. We befriend China and Mandarin (Standard Chinese Language) wage a war on English. Those who spent two decades to learn and absorb English, and in the process shifted their mouths to the extremes of their faces eventually lost their minds.
We would use to take communication skills classes under different banners at schools and college levels which were entirely focused on improving English; thus fostered the impression of English being the only civilized language to communicate in. As being the kids of 1990, who are trapped in a quagmire, writing this post in English is necessary because we cannot let our skill-which we have been trying for two decades to master-go disregarded. Whether you accept it or not but we are programmed to believe that our National language and local languages are not trendy to communicate in. We were repeatedly told to adopt the trends and by doing so we lost our morals and adopted English cultural, food, clothing trends.
Now after this recent policy shift, nothing will change. We will be told to adopt trends as usual but this time Chinese trends, Chinese language, food and clothing. So this policy change marks the decline of ” what’s up man” and ” you know what” and loudly broadcast the advent of “Xiaohuozi zenmeliao” and “Ni Zhidao ma”.
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