The Division Bell
Let me confess that after staying in a SouthIndian City like Chennai and in an institute where I came across the southindian languages, I hardly know a bit of them. And I am like the many other nonsouthindians(NorthIndian) who don't know the southindian languages. I had to use the word "nonsouthindians", because, here it doesn't matter whether you are from the eastern, northern,central or western part of India. If you are from any of these,you are a Northie. So I call it NorthIndia and Rest of India.
Though, I myself don't have anything against SouthIndia , what makes me write this piece of blog is the frequent news articles and discussions going on around, about this socalled culture or language invasion. And I don't deny that I am not a part of these discussions. Today I read this article where natives of Karnataka (or is it the political parties only) who think that the so called urban lifestyle and cyber jobs come with a baggage of English and ppl are no more using Kanada. So what do they want? Use Kannada as the medium of language in all these jobs, which are dealing with more and more global companies. With all due respect, these are the same ppl who send their kids to English medium schools, where hardly Kannada might be taught, and its not the case with this language only its the case with anywhere in India. These are the same ppl who want their sons and daughters to go for higher studies to foreign Univs.
There is and always be cultural differences, as no two cultures are same. I have myself come across so many cases. Once my friend from lucknow was going by train when an elderly tamil uncle started chatting with my friend. So he came to know that he is studying in IIT M and asked if he learnt tamil, my friend said no. The reaction the uncle gave was something ,,,errr expected, he started arguing, you have been in Chennai for three years and how come you don't know tamil, or you didn't learn tamil. Well the truth is we hardly interact with ppl outside the insti and we talk either in english or hindi with eachother. But uncle didn't buy this. My friend asked uncle if he knows hindi. He said no. With all due respect he had to say him that hindi is the national language and how come he doesn't know . The train was heading to northindia.
Another is the case of autowallas. Most of the ppl who have dealt with autowalas in Chennai will agree with me that,, they are the most rudest ones. Even if they know hindi, they won't speak. And the worst part is, they won't talk, they will just keep saying something which you will never understand,, even if you remind them that you are not getting a single word they will continue blabbering, as if you will give a few bucks for this effort. And yes, most of them don't use meters and will say a price which varies from 30 to 60 % more then what it would cost actually. I have not been to many cities but have been to bangalore and lets take the autowalas of bangalore. Generally I didn't find them rude, use a meter, and many of them listen to the hindi songs on FM radio. And they know hindi and english well. When they are dealing with so many english and hindi speaking ppl daily, naturally they will get used to it. Now is this culture or language invasion?
In an institute where ppl from all parts of India are there, I have friends from many cultural and language backgrounds and the medium of language has always been either hindi or english. There is a difference in preserving and respecting culture and languge , rather then forcing it on some other culture. In a day to day life where most of the time we deal with ppl from different backgrounds, a common language is the easiest and best mode of communication.
Though, I myself don't have anything against SouthIndia , what makes me write this piece of blog is the frequent news articles and discussions going on around, about this socalled culture or language invasion. And I don't deny that I am not a part of these discussions. Today I read this article where natives of Karnataka (or is it the political parties only) who think that the so called urban lifestyle and cyber jobs come with a baggage of English and ppl are no more using Kanada. So what do they want? Use Kannada as the medium of language in all these jobs, which are dealing with more and more global companies. With all due respect, these are the same ppl who send their kids to English medium schools, where hardly Kannada might be taught, and its not the case with this language only its the case with anywhere in India. These are the same ppl who want their sons and daughters to go for higher studies to foreign Univs.
There is and always be cultural differences, as no two cultures are same. I have myself come across so many cases. Once my friend from lucknow was going by train when an elderly tamil uncle started chatting with my friend. So he came to know that he is studying in IIT M and asked if he learnt tamil, my friend said no. The reaction the uncle gave was something ,,,errr expected, he started arguing, you have been in Chennai for three years and how come you don't know tamil, or you didn't learn tamil. Well the truth is we hardly interact with ppl outside the insti and we talk either in english or hindi with eachother. But uncle didn't buy this. My friend asked uncle if he knows hindi. He said no. With all due respect he had to say him that hindi is the national language and how come he doesn't know . The train was heading to northindia.
Another is the case of autowallas. Most of the ppl who have dealt with autowalas in Chennai will agree with me that,, they are the most rudest ones. Even if they know hindi, they won't speak. And the worst part is, they won't talk, they will just keep saying something which you will never understand,, even if you remind them that you are not getting a single word they will continue blabbering, as if you will give a few bucks for this effort. And yes, most of them don't use meters and will say a price which varies from 30 to 60 % more then what it would cost actually. I have not been to many cities but have been to bangalore and lets take the autowalas of bangalore. Generally I didn't find them rude, use a meter, and many of them listen to the hindi songs on FM radio. And they know hindi and english well. When they are dealing with so many english and hindi speaking ppl daily, naturally they will get used to it. Now is this culture or language invasion?
In an institute where ppl from all parts of India are there, I have friends from many cultural and language backgrounds and the medium of language has always been either hindi or english. There is a difference in preserving and respecting culture and languge , rather then forcing it on some other culture. In a day to day life where most of the time we deal with ppl from different backgrounds, a common language is the easiest and best mode of communication.
posted by br!j :-) at 9:24 AM
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