ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between language and society in India, which is home to a large number of diverse linguistic communities. Considering that the sociolinguistic tradition of language variation and change is relatively young in India, the findings reported here are based on a small collection of available sociolinguistic studies of speech communities. This diversity prompted the new Indian nation-state to recognize multiple official languages for each of its constituent states and union territories. English is the state language in three Indian states, is an important language for education, administration and also a language of socialization in urban areas. The chapter reports on the role of three social factors in Indian society. One case study refers to the role of caste, religion and gender in Cherukunnam, Kerala. The second one refers to the salience of khel in understanding social differentiation in a speech community.
