Language Contact in Bangladesh

Abstract

This paper explores the significant diversity in Bengali, the predominant and official language of Bangladesh, primarily resulting from language contact, a prevailing concept in sociolinguistics. This paper scrutinises the historical influence of language contact on the evolution and development of Bengali from a sociolinguistic standpoint. Specifically, it traces the chronology of contact languages and the periodization of Bengali in Bangladesh. The author presents an overview of the current state of language contact in Bangladesh, considering influences from online media, virtual communication, and globalisation. The paper also critiques the limitations present in the existing literature on Bengali’s periodization. It further elucidates the intricate connection between language contact and the changes in the Bengali language. The study utilises a qualitative method, drawing from diverse sources such as academic articles, books, newspapers, public records, statistics, historical documents, and biographies, to deduce initial findings about the causes and impacts of contact languages in Bangladesh. One central theme is the examination of significant changes in Bengali resulting from contact languages. The paper seeks to investigate the sociolinguistic chronological history of contact languages in Bangladesh. Following an interpretivist paradigm, it views linguistic contact as a socially constructed reality, embodying multiple perspectives within Bangladesh. Besides underscoring the influence of virtual language contact on digital platforms in Bangladesh, the findings emphasise the crucial role of contact languages in the development and maturation of the Bengali language.