ABSTRACT
The chapter examines a few seminal points concerning the lexicon of Raja Rao’s Indian English, its multi-variety and its emphasis on the Hindu heritage. It also suggests that Indian English positions itself at a crucial crossroads linguistically, between colonial assimilation and abrogative autonomy. The invention of Indian English gives birth to a multiple series of translations and interpretations. Amongst these is the Italian version of Kanthapura, which appears like a temporary but constant process of semantic adjustments. Rao’s linguistic strategy stands strongly against colonial globalisation and the necessity to impose a hegemonic English, which is one and the same throughout the Empire. It also opposes de-orientalised interpretations of India, given its approach to cross-cultural regionalism, or nativism, and its regained centrality through Hinduism. The following analysis is undertaken to account for the Italian translation of the novel.
