The Name and Nature of a Language: Would Urdu by any other Name Smell as Sweet?

Urdu, since its very inception has been a cementing force among the people of India. It is the only modern Indian language which has been used by writers of all communities as a medium of expression. In this article, the author argues that certain misconceptions still prevail about the nature of Urdu and its origins, as well as the name of the language.</p

میر کی شعری روایت

In this text of a lecture delivered in India, the author rehabilitates Mir's poetry squarely into the framework of classical Urdu poetics. Demonstrating a historical continuity of a robust tradition to which such great poets as Wali-, Nasikh, Ghalib and Mir all belonged, it is pointed out that for a piece of poetry to be "valid," one does not need to seek explanatory principles by harking back to poet's actual life experiences and biographical details, political context of his times, or external historical factors in general.</p

اردو لغت نگاری کے بعض مسائل

This article discusses some important issues of Urdu lexicography, i.e. the act of compiling dictionaries. The writer points out that no Urdu lexicon as of now has been comprehensively compiled using modern methods and principles of the discipline. For example the issues about the number of alphabets, their order, the meanings of words, different shades of synonyms, pronunciation, source etc. need attention. Most importantly, several words, now integrally a part of the language are ignored, thus showing that a complete and comprehensive work has yet not evolved.</p

فیض صاحب کی ہمہ گیرمقبولیت

The author here discusses the features of Faiz’s poetry that, in his opinion, contribute to the poet’s phenomenal popularity. It appears that his work has elements of inclusivity due to which it strikes listeners on a global level.</p