Bachchan — 510
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“If Latin can be involved why not any other language. Lets say Hindi for example. Because of our History there is no doubt that English has become a major source of communication, not just within the country but universally. After English, I believe the most widely spoken language is Spanish. But in a country ruled for over 200 years by the British, a part of colonial design was to impress and impose a language that would make it easier for the colonialists to function. In wanting to run and govern a country as vast and as diverse as India, I imagine their decision may have made sense to them. It happened with all the colonialists – the French, the Dutch all imposed their language. Then when an international functional language was called for, English reigned supreme.”
SATYAMSHOT 
September 13, 2009 at 6:40 PM
[Interesting post as always. So much of the dominant philosophical trends over the last century have focused precisely on language and the extent to which it conditions thought. In other words language is not a tool for meaning to get expressed but that which brings meaning about. We can never think but through language. There is nonetheless ‘experience’ that is ineffable and cannot be contained within language. But as humans we can never go beyond language. The ‘beyond’ is what philosophers struggle with. At the other end our received languages encode layers of meaning and entire genealogies. We trigger those histories when we use language. To use language functionally is therefore the worst obfuscation inasmuch as one remains oblivious to meaning. Unfortunately in our own world language has become increasingly functional. There is an insistence on drawing parallels between ‘computer’ language(s) and human ones. This is justifiable to a great degree but what ultimately creates a massive gap between the two is the fact that an artificially designed language has to be completely transparent whereas any human language thrives on ambiguity. We also see increasingly the former invading the vocabulary of the latter. Quite an irony but quite an impoverishment as well!
As you might have heard the entire Beatles catalog has been remastered and this just released this past week. I cannot imagine you have not been a Beatles fan in a past lifetime (doesn’t the past often feel like another lifetime?!), perhaps you still are one. But I strongly urge you to get this boxed set. There are actually two options which also illustrate three kinds of Beatles fanaticism. In the first category those who prefer the stereo versions of the music and opt for this set and consider the music a revelation in this remastered form. In the second category those who are ‘purists’ and prefer the mono set (this is less easily available but can be ordered) as being truer to the sound of the Beatles (one wonders who a purist buys a CD in the first place? Why not stick to vinyls?!). Finally in the third category those who prefer a mix and match approach. I came across an opinion that suggested the first few tracks of Hard Day’s Night were better in mono but for the rest one had to resort to stereo! Obsession has many avenues! You should keep things simple and get the stereo box set.
A friend asked for a response on his blog and this is what I came up with (hopefully this spurs you on!):
“Here’s my list of top dozen Beatles singles (in no order):
1The long and winding road (Let it be… Naked — this version is a revelation, in general this album is far superior for its musical arrangements to the earlier Phil specter-tampered-with version)
2)Yesterday (Help)
3)While my guitar gently weeps (White Album)
4)Golden Slumbers (Abbey Road)
5)Eleanor Rigby (Revolver)
6)And I love her (Hard Day’s Night)
7)Strawberry Fields Forever (Magical Mystery Tour)
8)I’m only sleeping (Revolver)
9)Because (Abbey Road)
10)Michelle (Rubber Soul)
11)I me mine (Let it be.. naked)
12)Octopus’s Garden (Abbey Road)
As albums I have to say I consider Sgt. Pepper’s overrated. A strong album but I’d take Abbey Road and Revolver over it. Rubber Soul is at least its equal. Also like Let it be.. Naked even if it is not the equal of these works. But my personal favorite has somehow always remained a Hard Day’s Night. Less ambitious for sure, it’s an earlier work, but there is a certain spontaneity to it. The first five tracks on the album are especially a bunch I can listen to infinitely.]
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