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 h6DEGrC29511; Sun, 13 Jul 2003 10:16:53 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 10:16:53 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <696f22ed.a2cd0aa0.8166300@mpmail1.jmu.edu> 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: brownpg@jmu.edu To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9159] Re: hello X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Webmail Mirapoint Direct 3.3.6-GR Status: O Content-Length: 6411 Lines: 183 Thank you, Ujwala, for explaining the different languages (or dialects) spoken in India. I hve such a mixed reaction: part of me is REALLY glad I grew up in the US where I only had to learn one language ('til I got to high school) and part of me is jealous that you are fluent in so many and I'm not. I've enjoyed this little exchange. It has been fun getting to know a bit more about the people who are just names on an email, and at the same time learning about different cultures. Pamela ---- Original message ---- >Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:23:29 -0400 (EDT) >From: "Ujwala Samant" <usamant@comcast.net> >Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9142] Re: hello >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> > >>>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 > > Pamela Greenhalgh Brown EL/Civics Project Coordinator WIN News Editor Workforce Improvement Network James Madison University MSC 9003/Blue Ridge Hall Harrisonburg, VA 22840 540-568-8797 1-888-637-8494 540-568-2933 (fax) http://www.jmu.edu/esol
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