The Dark Age of Assamese Language
Encyclopedia
The Dark Age of Assamese Languageis the name by which the period during which Bengali Language
eclipsed the Assamese
. This duration lasted for about 44 years, from 1832 until 1876. During British India, the Bengali Language was imposed over Assamese as the British took over Assam
. The clerical and technical workers that they brought were Bengali
, imposing Bengali as the medium of instruction in schools and colleges and for all official purposes.
Nathan Brown
, an American Baptist
missionary
to India, worked for the restoration of the Assamese language to avoid it being overtaken by the Bengali language completely. In order to restore the Assamese Language, he took the matter to the British India administration of the time. Eliza Brown was Nathan's wife and she had been partner of her husband's mission.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
eclipsed the Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
. This duration lasted for about 44 years, from 1832 until 1876. During British India, the Bengali Language was imposed over Assamese as the British took over Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. The clerical and technical workers that they brought were Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
, imposing Bengali as the medium of instruction in schools and colleges and for all official purposes.
Nathan Brown
Nathan Brown (missionary)
Nathan Brown was an American Baptist missionary to India and Japan, Bible translator, and abolitionist.-Early life and missions to Burma and Assam:...
, an American Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to India, worked for the restoration of the Assamese language to avoid it being overtaken by the Bengali language completely. In order to restore the Assamese Language, he took the matter to the British India administration of the time. Eliza Brown was Nathan's wife and she had been partner of her husband's mission.