Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h6BMNUC20741; Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:23:30 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:23:30 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <008201c34812$f4b32c20$17265544@ewndsr01.nj.comcast.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Ujwala Samant" <usamant@comcast.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9142] Re: hello X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158 Status: O Content-Length: 5290 Lines: 84 >>Hmmm....all this talk about French being such a wonderful language... But I haven't heard any comments about Hindi or Marathi, which were other languages mentioned in this conversation. I'd be interested to know ways to help those language be maintained in the home. I'd like to know more about those languages in cultures since I am less familiar with them.<< In India, we begin with the assumption that the medium of instruction in school is generally not our mother tongue, especially so in the urban areas. This means, like it or not, we grow up knowing that our friends and neighbours in urban and suburban and given the migration patterns of people in history, having access to more than one language is a given. In my case, my parents speak different dialects, Malvani and Konkani (but my mum does not speak Konkani any more), both of which spring from the same mother language: Marathi. Hindi is the national language, adapted because 3-4 of the most populous states in India form the Hindi belt. Tamil Nadu used to be the only state which rebelled and refused to teach Hindi as a second language. So, at home I grew up listening to Malvani, very little Konkani, lots of Marathi, Gujarati/Kutchi with neighbours and friends, Hindi or Marathi with the hired help, and so on. Whenever my father was transferred, I would end up learning the local language and I have no recollection of how I did that. My son is exposed to Hindi and Marathi because I speak it to him, along with French and English. Our sentences are often a melange of all these languages. My husband, who is Breton, learned his mother tongue in school, because the French wanted to destroy all traces of regionalism a few decades ago. He speaks some Marathi and Hindi, and we watch films, read about India, Indian languages, play Indian games like carrom, knows all the names for Indian food (and junk food!!!) and listen to Indian music as well as attend concerts. So we keep the languages alive. However, his fluency improves rapidly when he spends time with his grandparents and his Indian family. It was the same for me. Since I don't use them much any more, I have forgotten Tamil, a lot of the Bengali I knew, and struggle to speak Gujarati, Kutchi and Telugu, which I was fluent in. Practice, Practice, Practice! However, I am literate only in Hindi and Marathi, because they share a common script. So, to sum up, my sisters and I were never brought up to believe in one language over others, and we spoke (as do my cousins) at least three, as a matter of fact. We pick them up on the streets, by watching local language TV, being forced to learn it in school, and speaking them at home. >>It is interesting how some languages are valued over others - I think we need to stay mindful of that and the messages we convey through this sort of discussion. By mentioning that French is wonderful, and "should always be promoted" are we implicitly saying that other languages and cultures are not worthy of attention?<< I learned French not because it was beautiful but because I needed to. I married a Frenchman and voila! I was in Bordeaux/Paris/Brittany and needed to be able to communicate with my in laws (who made my French experiences memorably wonderful, despite not speaking much English), make friends, and tell the gynecologist that I was experiencing labour pain! I think French has been romanticised through out Europe, it was after all a court language, spoken by royalty, rather like Persian was in our courts. I didn't see it as a promotion for French and demeaning of other languages. Every culture, in my experience, values some language over another. Between politics, trade and religion, language also was the lingua franca, so the way I see it, French held sway for a long time as the language of culture, of couture, or cuisine (and Pepe le Pew). In France the sweeping advent of English replacing French as lingua franca has stuck like a fishbone in one's throat. And yet, young people think it's "tres cool" to learn and speak English. So, I guess depending on the context, I've found that different languages are valued differently. Few people study Arabic, even though it is a language spoken by multitudes. I've often wondered about that. In America, European roots are more dominant, hence the fascination for Europe prevails. Do you think this is why French is seen as a romantic/sweet language? >>I don't intend to take away from the pleasant banter, but I do feel we need to be careful of the value judgments we implicitly or explicitly place on languages, people, places and cultures. Members of "the other cultures" really pick this up and oftentimes internalize it or live with a feeling of shame.<< I've heard stories from a number of immigrants how their parents asked them to not speak Polish/Chinese/German/Swedish etc. at home. I've also heard from second generation 'immigrants' that they are learning their "native" languages to understand their roots. I think the desire to be "like my friends" is not unusual. My son when he slid into English only mode, would reply to us in English, regardless of what language he was addressed in. A few months later, some sort of confidence shift happened and he went right back to switching languages. regards Ujwala Samant
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