Overview

This book introduces Ulti, a secret language spoken by the Hijra-Koti community in West Bengal, from a sociolinguistic and formal linguistic perspective. It explores the sociopolitical conditions in which Ulti came into being, its purposes and significance for the speech community, and how it is used within the multilingual ecology of Bengal. This book also presents an analysis of the lexicon of Ulti, which is unique in its specificity to the lifestyle and social structure of the Hijra-Koti community, and a grammatical analysis of Ulti as a mixed language which is embedded in, yet distinct from, the grammatical framework of Bangla.

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9788195639250

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Reviews

Embedding Subversion is a captivating exploration of Ulti’s clandestine world, amplifying overlooked voices and deepening our understanding of linguistic diversity and its sociopolitical implications. Through its rigorous analysis and innovative theoretical framework, it offers a profound exploration of Ulti as more than just a language; it is a linguistic manifestation of resistance and resilience. This seminal work transcends linguistic boundaries, providing insights into the interplay of language, identity and power dynamics within marginalized communities. It is a must-read for scholars interested in sociolinguistics, queer studies and language revitalization efforts. -- Zethu Matebeni, Professor and South Africa Research Chair in Sexualities, Genders and Queer Studies, University of Fort Hare, South Africa Enakshi Nandi's excellent scholarly work shines a light on the overlooked hijra-koti community in West Bengal, with a detailed account of their secret language, Ulti, and how it gives them a unique voice. A fascinating study! -- Paul Baker, Professor, Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University This book looks at language with a new lens. Enakshi gathers the courage to engage with the question of what language is all about. Equipped with sound theoretical underpinnings and a rigorous methodology, she examines the linguistic and sociolinguistic nature of Ulti – a language that seeks to erase the binaries of the cisnormative and heteropatriarchal world – and makes a significant contribution to our knowledge, taking us a step forward in understanding how to conceptualize language. -- Ramakant Agnihotri, Professor (retd.), CAS in Linguistics, University of Delhi

Author Information

Enakshi Nandi is a linguist, teacher, writer and editor. She has a doctorate in Linguistics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; she also has an MA in Linguistics from Jawaharlal Nehru University and an MA in English from Delhi University. Her areas of specialization include queer linguistics, sociolinguistics and formal linguistics. She has worked as a Bangla linguist for various companies, on a full-time and freelance basis. Enakshi Nandi is currently employed as an English Language Instructor at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.

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