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Informative Article | English Language and Literature | Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026 | Pages: 273 - 276 | India
English as a Postcolonial Language: Negotiating Linguistic Hybridity in Indian Writing and Its Contribution Towards Defining Cultural Identity
Abstract: This paper examines the transformation of English in India from a colonial administrative language into a distinctive medium of Indian cultural expression. Drawing upon postcolonial theory, sociolinguistics, and the concept of World Englishes, it explores how Indian writers have reshaped English through linguistic hybridity, code-switching, and cultural adaptation. Through analyses of works by Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, Amitav Ghosh, R. K. Narayan, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Kiran Desai, the study demonstrates how Indian English reflects multilingual realities and evolving cultural identities. The paper also discusses contemporary debates surrounding English education, language politics, and the continuing development of Indian English in literature and digital communication. It concludes that Indian English has emerged as an independent and dynamic linguistic variety that embodies negotiation, creativity, and postcolonial identity.
Keywords: Indian English, Postcolonial Literature, Linguistic Hybridity, Cultural Identity, World Englishes, Code-switching, Homi K. Bhabha, Indian Writing in English
How to Cite?: Vrinda Sethi, "English as a Postcolonial Language: Negotiating Linguistic Hybridity in Indian Writing and Its Contribution Towards Defining Cultural Identity", Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 273-276, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26731174403, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26731174403