ABSTRACT
The Sikh sacred scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) is characterized by deep heteroglossia, or multilingualism, with linguistic diversity operating in both diachronic and synchronic dimensions, and across space. The annexation of Panjab in 1849 and the establishment of the British Raj in 1857, followed by the outmigration of Panjabi Sikhs to anglophone countries of the commonwealth from the late nineteenth century through the present day, created novel situations of linguistic encounter. This new linguistic landscape however was characterized by a move from heteroglossia to monoglossia, in which the projection of a standardized, monoglot English language formation became a model of emulation in the Indian subcontinent. This also posed a challenge for translation in religious contexts. This chapter examines the regimes of translation that were established as Sikh texts entered into a relationship with the English language. It also looks at the changes effected during and after the transition from a heteroglossic context to one of monoglossia and linguistic nationalism.
