Any person living in India, or in most parts of the world for that matter, will have some encounter with the language called English. Whether one knows English or not is quite irrelevant. Everyday affairs, connections and official exchanges will have sporadic (or continuous) usage of this globally significant tongue. This engagement is neither culture specific nor is it an impediment in identity formation. The presence of the language is so subliminal, it seems it is hiding in plain sight. Through pop culture one can find how integrated English is to our daily living. This talk is a lighthearted look at the location of the language in our lives.
About the facilitator:
Dr. Siddhartha Biswas
Dr. Siddhartha Biswas is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of English, University of Calcutta. He has taught in the Department of English, St Paul’s Cathedral Mission College for 17 years before joining the University. His doctoral work was on the screenplays of Harold Pinter. He has written a number of articles in reputed journals in India and abroad. His books include Theatre: Theory and Performance (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK), Looking for Home: Journey and Boundary in Postmodern Texts and Essays on the Popular in Culture (both from Atlantic, New Delhi) among others. He has also translated a number of works among which his translations of The Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night (Monfakira) may be mentioned. His areas of interest include Postmodern Theatre, Translation Studies and Popular Culture.
Date: Saturday 16 March 2024
Time: 6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.