The Bengal Magazine: Vol-2

What is common Hindustani? One would suppose the answer to this question to be the simple one, namely, the language commonly spoken in Hindustan. This comnon sence view of the matter, however, does not appear to have commended itself to the powers that be in Calcutta, The he utenant Governor of Bengal insisted on common Hindustani being recognised in the examinations of the Calcutta University, while the conscript fathers of the Syndicate of the University indignanfly declined to have anything to do with it. To our lay understanding the two august parties seem to have been trying to draw a distinction without a difference, and to have been fighting over a shadow.