The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-14
NEWSPAPERS N INDIA.
Native Editors with Little Know ledge
of English Make Queer Errors.

of English Make Queer Errors.
London Nail
India can justly claim to have had a
share-a very considerable share-in the
birth OF the newspaper. Ages before the
European conquest every court had a week
". sometimes daily newspaper. which
was sent out 10 the principal towns and
read with diligent attention by wealthy
people. mobiles. and especially by all OH
Gals IL contained prOclamations. edicts,
COMMANDS OF the sovereign. and chrOnicled
the mOv emcnts % the court. the state cere-
monials. the visitors. and included items of
public interest concerning the niZam or ma
harajah or akmCud OF whatever might be
the title OF the ruler. fulfilling about the
same purpose as the Court Circular in Eng
land. IL was not, however. until after the
English conquest that the newspaper. as
the word il now understood. was estab-
lished in India the first English journal III
that country appearing about lSlS and not
until the middle OF the century did the In
dian natives begin to publish papers in their
own language The Indian press is there
fore, in a certain sense young well
old. for while the court news letters could
be justly classed as journals. the Indian
press of the present dates its origin from
$50. Once established, however il grew
with astounding Tapidity. over one hun
dTed languages and dialects are spoken in
the peninsula Of Hindostan. and there are
few which have not organ
the indian press may be roughly divided
into three classes. The first consists of
English newspapers published i'm the large
cities, such "a Calcutta and Bombay gen
orally very creditable productions conduct
dams The second class is composed of
papers edited and published by natives. the
matter being generally half in English and
haif in a native language. though the proper
ton varies. The third class constitutes those
journals which published entirely in a
native language. this class being by far the
most numerous or all. As a rule they are
small very poorly printed. on cheap paper
often on only one side of the sheet. and not
inIrequentIy the same journal varies great
~ IN size. not only according to the amount
OF news obtainable. but being also infiu-
eiiSsi III thls particular by the personal cir
cumStahces ana convenience of the editor.
AS these papers are presented in so many
languages and dialects. il is impossible for
European 10 Judge their merit save i'm
Isolated cases. Most of them are edited by
ambitious natives who have oniy = smat-
terlng or letters and whose knowledge OF
eoltorlal work Is picked up during an APP
premiership OF a few months in a printing
ONCE IN one OF the large cities
AS a general thing. the Indian native is
exceedingly anxious TO learn English both
from motives of seIf-interest and of person
al pride. A knowledge OF the English Ian
guaSe unlocks to him the doors of official
appointment: he MAJ enter the govern
ments service in one Of many positions
open 10 the educated native. OF the mil
lions or natives only a small percentage
speak or even understand the language of
their rulers, and he who does and especiallv
ne VINO can read and write it, becomes an
important parsonage among his less educat-
ed countrymen. He is consulted by them on
matters OF politics and business he is a
sesniOfficiaI means of communication he
tween the people and the English officials
ne draws up all the documents of the neigh
Dorhood and writes all the letters: ne is. in
snort. a local dignitary OF no mean proper
tons. Then, learning English is a neces-
Sary preliminary even to a native editor
Tor the most important news first appears
In the English papers. and from these he
must translate. we'll as ne can. the va
riouS leading items for his own Journal
English Is. therefore. greatly desired at
tainment and accomplishment. and the ed
itorS OF papers published in the native lam
guages necessarily understand more or less
or the official language of the Indian en-
pire- The Oriental is fond of parade, even
IN language. and the longer the words the
more attractive. in his eyes and to his ears
IS the style. 1t Is not at all remarka BILE
therefore. that, considering his imperfect
knowledge of English the long words of
which the Indian native editor is so fond
should sometimes be misplaced or incor-
rectly employed thai the metaphors
In which he delights should frequently be
Srotesquely mixed. Most of the natives
who read English are familiar with the
literature which is distributed liz enormous
quantities by the missionaries, and have
adopted from II many pious expressions
that. appropriate enough i'm a homily or
, prayer. are ridiculouSly out of place i'm q
leading article. Between the high-fown
peare or Milton. the mixed metaphors
and the expressions of fervent piety the
editorial page of the Indian country paper is
literary curiosity. For instance when the
reader Is assured in an account of the
death OF a leading member of Parliament
who had taken an active interest i'm Indian
affairs that the editor hopes the Almighty
will pour his mantle on a worthy sue
cesser or that. in political crisis '.aII
the crowned heads of Europe are shaking
In their shoes or that the editor ex-
poets, with the help of the everlasting
Almighty, to have more reading suited to
the Intelligence OF his subscribers in the
next issue" he may well be excused for the
suspicion that. while the intention is good.
the execution is somewhat defective
But IL il In the editorial announcements
the editorial notices of important events
or changes in the policy of the paper that
the editor is at his best. His whole VO-
cabulary is brought into play to dazzle the
public feye. Sometimes the announcement
takes the tone OF apology, in the case
OF the editor who innocently declared this
Is only the beginning of our paper. We
Were not sure how much matter was re-
CURED 10 fill IL up. and, thinking We had
Suf1cient, We did not exert Ourself much
to get any more. We therefore beg that
our readers Will excuse this time for
the space left blank, and promise To do
better ana get more in the future" Still
paper which came out for the first time
with two columns blank. the editor MAX
Ing the bold announcement that "a large
quantity of exceedingly interesting matter
had been left out for want OF space"
The journalistic native of India takes his
business very much to heart in a certain
way, but whenever he wants a holiday he
suSpendS publication until il is convenient
TO resume, and. taking his readers into his
confidence. informs them plainly why the
paper was not issued on the expected
dates. Thus runs one very frequent notice:
propose To take our annual holiday of a
fortnight. We are sure none of them will
begrudSe US our relaxation.
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