IN-PERSON Barcelona Livable Cities. Section A

Abstract

What makes a city livable? When it feels like home. Cities are built on the backs of migrants, who leave their homes to live their dreams. They carry the language of their communities, pouring into the city its unique cultural taste. For instance, Delhi, often simplistically identified as a Hindi-speaking city, reveals a far more intricate linguistic landscape upon closer examination. The way one speaks Hindi marks their place of origin, social class, caste and sometimes even religion. Linguist William Labov conducted an experiment in New York City wherein he proved that people belonging to different classes pronounced the -r syllable differently. Subsequently, many such studies were done in different cities to corroborate the fact that social markers like class can create variation within speakers of the same language. This research delves into the complex interplay between migration, language, and identity in the urban context of Delhi. Using qualitative methods, including interviews and participant observation, the paper will examine how linguistic practices evolve in response to the city’s transient and itinerant population. This research highlights how urban spaces serve as melting pots where languages intersect, adapt, and transform. In large urban centres like Delhi, language also creates a homogenizing effect engulfing the vernacular identities. I try to explore the question whether this homogenizing effect alienates a culture or helps it in belonging to the city.