What is a Linguistic Minority?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 9th, 2023
A Linguistic minority can be described as those minorities residing in India or any part thereof who have their distinct language or script. The term minority is not defined in the Constitution of India. However, the Constitution recognizes only religious and linguistic minorities. A language that is spoken by a small portion of a territory’s population is known as a minority language. These individuals are referred to as linguistic minorities or language minorities.
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Linguistic Minority
The term linguistic minority refers to those groups of people who have their own unique language or script and who live on Indian territory or any portion thereof. A Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities is appointed by the President to protect the rights of these linguistic minorities. This post and appointment was made as per Article 350 B of the Indian Constitution.
A linguistic minority is a group of persons in a state or region of a state whose home tongue is not the majority language. The preservation of linguistic minority interests is guaranteed under the Constitution. There are more than 1,369 languages in India, yet many are in danger of becoming extinct shortly.
Linguistic Minority in India
P Avinash Reddy examines the institutional risks that minority languages face, the available constitutional protections, and how affirmative action can be crucial in preserving them. Their use of language fundamentally and uniquely shapes every person’s life.
- It is a repository for culture and knowledge systems and is a valuable tool for effective communication.
- One’s mother tongue serves as the foundation for many facets of daily life.
- Language aids in acclimating people to their surroundings by supplying the community and the individual with the necessary knowledge that has been accumulated and developed over a long period of time.
- 19,569 different languages were identified based on mother tongue data from the 2011 Indian census, with 1,369 still extant after linguistic analysis and classification.
- However, it is very likely that 400 of these languages will disappear in the next 50 years.
- This information highlights the ongoing requirement to protect India’s linguistic diversity.
Summary:
What is a Linguistic Minority?
A group of individuals whose mother tongue is distinct from the dominant language in a state or region of a state is called a Linguistic Minority. The Constitution guarantees the protection of linguistic minorities’ interests.
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