Baaton Baaton Mein : Part 3

 

 

Baaton Baaton Mein: Part 3

Language: Part 3

Recently one saree sakhi approached me to have a talk on sant vagmay ( saint literature). Although I read and frequently write about it , I have never given a talk on this subject. I told her I can give it a try. But immediately qualified it with a disclaimer. I may not be able to speak in Marathi that would be of acceptable standards in Pune. My language proficiency is very limited to be able to give an entire talk in Marathi. I read Marathi literature because I love it but my education, starting primary school, was in English. In fact I struggled with advanced level of Marathi when I went to Parle College in 11th grade. My professor there had curtly reminded me that even though my goals are set for medical school I need to clear my Marathi exam for that. Studying Marathi literature as a hobby is different from giving talks about the subject in Marathi. That’s why I felt it necessary to clarify my limitations.

That evening I was on a video chat with my family and I told them about this conversation. I said at the time that although I read and write about Marathi poems and also speak Marathi at home with my family, I think in English. My daughter was intrigued by that remark. How interesting, she said.  We had never discussed this amongst us before. All this time she had presumed that I think in Marathi and therefore it surprised her to know that my thinking is actually in English. To be honest I had myself not given a thought to this reality before.

 Her next question was what language do you dream in ? 

🤔🤔

Oh well. I don’t know the answer. I guess I would have to make a note of it the next time I have a dream 😃

It is nice to know a language well. It is better to know more than one language. But only one out of them usually becomes the brain’s default mode of communication. That is why yesterday when the phone company asked me to choose a language I picked English over Marathi or Hindi. When I pay utility bills for my home in India I pick the English version on their website. All the formal legal lingo in Marathi drives me crazy. 

I realized recently that even medical lingo in Marathi can make me go nuts.

Recently at the institution in Pune where I am working they were planning on creating a standee ( a sort of poster advertising our department). Some Marathi words used in that left me stumped. And honestly it left many educated Punekars in the staff at a loss for words as well. For some translations we had to scratch our heads hard. 

Preventive Medicine! 

Pratibandhatmak Aushadh ?

Nah!

Pratibandhatmak upchar?

How about Pratibandhak upchar?

Finally we shortened it to simply Pratibandhak Vibhag( Preventive Department). 

चाळणी चाचण्या !!

This is the term for screening tests! I had to ask what it means 

Anyone can tell what is rajo nivritti रजोनिव्रुत्ती?

In my wildest dreams I couldn’t have guessed this is how they refer to menopause in Marathi.

What about stress? 

Depression?

Most of these words are so routinely lifted from English when speaking in Marathi that we really don’t recall their equivalent words in original Marathi on the spur of the moment. And when I hear them I can’t connect what they mean. 

Many readers who follow my posts keep urging me to publish my writings. A dear friend put me in touch with a publisher. Unfortunately when I mentioned that although my writings are about Marathi Saints literature and poetry yet the actual writing is in English, I was told they cannot help me. It is a whole different ballgame for the publishers to circulate the books. This is an issue for marketing. It is no barrier for me to write. I do not write with any goals to publish. Writing is just my way to express my thoughts. 

I am comfortable in English.

Does that mean I don’t have enough pride or love for Marathi or Hindi ? 

Absolutely not. 

What does having pride of one’s language entail ? 

To know your language reasonably well?

To know about the prominent literary works in your language?

To promote the spread of these works to many?

To make efforts to pass it on to your next generation?

To stand up when someone tries to insult your language?

To resist forced subjugation of your language and/ or imposition of another language upon you? 

The last part is the sticky part and often creates controversy.

Just like hurtful words, imposition of language can sometimes be a weapon to dominate or control others. 

But sometimes the context is different. And the purpose of bringing uniformity is entirely different. It is to stand together as one nation. If this is done while allowing regional languages to hold equal or higher status within those regions it becomes acceptable. But when there is a tone of subjugation in that attempt people will get defensive. There will be resistance and rebellion. 

Earlier this year I went to Montreal/ Quebec in Canada for the first time. The official language in Quebec province is French, despite Canada being an English speaking country. All road signs in this previous French settlement area in eastern Canada are in French. It is mandated for all officials and businesses to first greet anyone in French. They can then switch to English for communication if the other person doesn’t speak or understand French. I had therefore no difficulty getting around the city despite not knowing a single word of French. 

When my son was attending medical school in Miami I had some of my worst experiences with a particular community of immigrants who are in a majority there. Even if they know English they pretend they don’t know it and make you bend or break. In that situation language is used as a form of aggression to establish dominance over others. My way or highway is their attitude! And when those people hold critical positions you find yourself at a complete loss. From airport and airline staff to food service workers to public transportation workers everyone categorically ignores you if you don’t speak Spanish. Such is their clout and arrogance. Absolutely rude lot, almost amounting to mafia. My son used to say “ Happy to be back in the USA “ when he flew home from Miami to California. 

I remember during a road trip in childhood with my parents, how difficult it was to find anyone in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to give us directions. Nobody spoke in Hindi or English, leave alone Marathi. There were no road signs in English or Hindi. It was absolutely insane. I don’t know if things are improved now but the stubbornness to learn a national or global language truly caused great inconvenience to travelers. 

Diversity is our strength and such plethora of regional languages is our wealth. Each regional language, cuisine, culture is like a pearl. But unless there is a thread to put individual pearls together it cannot form a necklace. The thread does not diminish the value of each pearl. It multiples the value collectively to make something grander. If this is realized there will not be a showdown over language. Cultural identity and convenience can coexist in harmony. Just like I found in Montreal Quebec. I truly feel some areas in India and the USA can take a page out of the book from Canada.

What language you speak at home may not match what language your friend speaks at home. Yet you find a way to communicate. I remember a funny incident from over twenty years back. We took a day trip to Sequoia National Park with our close friends, a Patel family. My mother in law coming from Pune and the friend’s mother coming from Ahmedabad were with us.  One spoke only Marathi and the other spoke only Gujarati. For the entire day the two women were talking to each other non stop. Hand gestures, facial expressions, modified words…..whatever they could think of, they used…but nothing could stop them from connecting and communicating, sharing recipes and what not. 

Coming back to what started this discussion, what language you speak, what language you think in, what language you write in, what language you dream in, or what language you prefer for day to day business is of secondary importance.

Ultimately it is the hearts that must speak to each other. Even if two people speak the same language but the hearts can’t hear each other, what’s the use of the language? 

Hence language is important and not important at the same time.

 It’s NOT the same thing with love. Love is important at any time. And Love does not need the support of language.