comments on creativity, language and human existence

Some comments on creativity, language and human existence in a dialogue with a friend over email:


Q. Context, language is fine, but material conditions determine our language. Will you quibble here?

My response: I have always believed that art is not created in vacuum. Yes, there is an individual creative element and it is also true that unlike scientific observations, most sophisticated creative expressions are not reproducible, but there is a 'desh-kaal' (space-time) context of creativity. Whether it is entirely a product of material conditions, is difficult to ascertain, but I think it is not a worthwhile debate to get into, certainly not for the artist or the poet. Let the scientists worry about it.

It is now believed that the origin of all languages spoken by humans is a unique primitive source, but diversification must have been aided and perhaps made possible due to diverse material conditions.

To say that there is a unique origin does not mean that there is something called 'mother' of all languages (And with all linguists going for my neck, I would still not agree that Sanskrit is the 'mother' of most Indian languages).

Having said that, material conditions or otherwise, experience and emotion inscribed in a language are precious characteristics of human existence. They may evolve naturally, but imposing from outside is asking for a definite disaster.  Much of the apparent breakdown of social norms in our society may very well be related to how English has been arrogantly pushed down the throats of ordinary people. I say this without any scientific understanding, it is a gut feeling and I will not argue if one questions such formulations. But I have this intense feeling that imposition, rather than incorporation by natural assimilation, of English, has done an enormous damage to our lives.