C’mon yaar, is a phrase you will often hear on the streets of India. English spattered with a fair dose of Hindi, a few Urdu words of aadaab, a sprinkling of Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam for the regional effect completes a sentence. Much like the diverse lifestyles, religions and culture, language is another of those quirks that make an Indian truly unique. Indians are known to speak in English, accented no doubt but more often with impeccable fluency but they are also known for their scores of other languages with innumerable dialects. Whether it is Indian advertising, literature or even Hindi films which are scattered throughout with English words, language is evolving and taking on a whole new meaning.
The modern Indian complements George Orwell’s words, written in 1984- the fewer words we have, the more restricted our thinking and so he has a platter full of words from different languages, tossing them around to enjoy a crunchy salad. He hobnobs with his English- speaking boss in his workplace, grabs a ‘thanda’ coca- cola on the way back and has to fight with his ‘badmaash’ sister over the channels of the telly- his ‘timepass’ becomes a squabble. Not only in India is Hinglish- a blend of Hindi and English common among people, it is making inroads into the Queen’s own country, with a leading British expert saying that it could soon become the most common spoken form of the language.
Language is not only an important way of getting your view across and understanding the other, it is a reflection of yourself and your identity. Language is a powerful tool used to convince, persuade or otherwise change other people’s minds. Each word is like a little pack of information, from which the opposite person derives meaning. In this age of global mish- mash, language has evolved and where a country as diverse as India is concerned, trust Indians to come up with a means of communication in a foreign language spiced with regional sprinkles and branded as a trend to be followed. With a word borrowed from here and another from there, getting your view across is all that matters.
An important question is: What kind of importance does language hold for Indians living abroad, who in an attempt to integrate into the host country’s way of life, make adjustments of various kinds and to varying degrees. Whether it is a long term move as it is for families going to the western world or a temporary shift for a couple of years to the Middle East, changes to lifestyle are inevitable. Language is another change and a significant one as, besides being a tool of communication; it is a channel of understanding culture and reflecting it. So, in the wider scheme of things, does it convey who you are?
“It keeps us rooted to our culture’’, says Shahzia Zakaria, living in London. She does not mind her children speaking in English because, ‘’we live in a country where English is spoken and the kids speak it in school all day long; so as long as they know their native language and are able to convey what they want to in it that’s fine.’’ So, even if they built a comfort zone in a foreign language, they still know their own native language, thus ensuring the great Indian connection. But does this really matter? Is there any connection to one’s roots through the use of one’s native language or is it only an obsession that we have about not wanting to let go?
Whatever their reasons, people make sure that speaking in a foreign language does not mean not speaking in their native tongue or better still – in several languages. The balance that they maintain in speaking two or more languages is not a really precarious one, as one might be prone to think. Switching from one language to another is really only a smooth shifting of gears. Though it might be of concern to families with kids who are required to converse in the host country’s language in school and with friends and find it a bit tough to switch to another language at home. However, it is something many families manage with great alacrity. Only for those who live in the western world - in an English speaking country, can it be a minor challenge. The fact is many families do an excellent job in bringing up bilingual or even multilingual kids who are comfortable with more than one language.
It is a great advantage in their personal and quite possibly, future professional lives. There are those whose kids speak perfect English with accents that would put even the gora to shame. So how important is it for Indians and their families living outside the country to speak their native language or does it not matter? Pushpa, working for an environmental consulting company in Australia says that it is a non - issue. ‘’I have spent my childhood and teenage years in Hyderabad and there are scores of people living there who cannot speak a word of Telugu, the state language. They manage to live comfortably and even understand the culture. Then why don’t we have the same approach to kids growing up outside India?’’, she questions. Even in school, she says that the ‘’Telugu speaking kids had to study Hindi but the Hindi speaking kids had an option of choosing another language instead of Telugu. Now, would you call that state sponsored discrimination of languages?’’, she asks.
However for some people speaking their native language is important, no matter which part of the world they live in. Having not been exposed to it as much as they would have been if living in India, they have to make an effort to learn and converse in it. ‘’The use of my native language keeps me connected in a special way with my kids’’, says Fatima, living in Chicago, Illinois, a mother of two kids, aged 5 and 3. ‘’It would definitely bother me if they don’t speak my language because I feel language is something that I have learnt from my parents and I want to pass it on to my kids. Thankfully they speak Urdu and English equally well.’’ To her, not knowing one’s native language acts like a barrier between elders of the family who may not know English and because, ‘’they will never develop the same bond as the ones who speak the language of grandparents. This may even have an effect on issues like respect for elders.’’ She is also of the strong opinion that language, in her case Urdu, is part of her Indian upbringing and culture, which is far removed from the westernised culture and way of life.
But for Shahzia it is more about an exchange of thoughts as it is about languages. She also points out the sponge - like ability of kids to absorb anything and everything new without making a herculean effort. She argues, ‘’Not knowing our own language is a disadvantage only to some extent, especially if and when you plan to go back to India, but children are quick at learning almost everything. During holidays in India, my kids try and speak Urdu and their grandparents speak English, so it is not much of a barrier,’ she contends.’
Shweta Lolage and her family who speak English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and Kannada says that we speak in the language we think in and her kids ‘’ talk in the language they think in, which, in their case is English.’’ Knowing and speaking more than one language may be a personal choice for many but there is an advantage in doing so. The more languages, the better, as a study has concluded that a person who speaks more languages is likely to be more clear-minded at an older age. It works at “exercising” the brain more than for a person who is monolingual. Languages may create new links in the brain and help in keeping it active and alert, almost like thinking on one’s feet.
Moreover, for a child learning a foreign language is easier than it is for adults. Children who are exposed to other languages also do better in school, score higher on standardized tests, are better problem solvers and are more open to diversity, says François Thibaut, who runs The Language Workshop for Children, which has nine schools around the East Coast in the U.S. Now for some this may account for the use of Hinglish, a widespread trend common in urban India. It is affecting the English spoken in England with the adaptations of words and expressions used by Indian immigrants. Whether through word of mouth, mobile phones, television or film titles like Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal, the growing trend of the capacity of Indians to use two languages fluently is here to stay.
Whether it is Chicken Tikka Masala- the famous dish in the UK, or ‘Avatar’ the highest grossing film in history, named as it is for whatever reasons- the effect is non- deniable. The wave of Indian expertise in writing computer software is not to end any time soon, ensuring the spread of an English peppered with Hindi words and words from other regional languages and dialects through chat rooms and cross- continental exchange of technological expertise. Mohammed Hayaath, Marketing Manager at the Saudi Gazette, in Saudi Arabia notes the trend, “We speak around 80% Urdu mixed with 20% English in our home”.
Indians thrive in a cauldron of languages, seasoning English with local spices and coming up with a language that is widely understood by one and all. They whip it up with local flavour and it acts as a bridge between two cultures within a culture. Very confusing to an outsider but it makes perfect sense to the natives. In India and abroad, “Being multi-lingual always helps. Keeps the brain working more I guess”, is the opinion of Vijaya and Amar, who are working in the IT industry in the US. Their opinions differ when it comes to the debate on language and culture. Amar strongly feels that language is an important part of culture as it ensures that we always remember our values no matter where we live. Vijaya thinks language and culture have no real connection. ‘’ Is it because we will be missing out on the inside jokes, or the fact that I find it easier to yell in my native language? I don’t think culture has anything to do with language,’’ she is convinced.
According to Lera Boroditsky, an assistant professor of psychology, neuroscience, and symbolic systems at Stanford University, people who speak different languages do indeed think differently and that even flukes of grammar can profoundly affect how we see the world. In what way, one may ask? In a way how we see colours, how we affix genders to explain ‘life’ and ‘death’. Language can even mean more profound things to some people. That explains, to an extent, why for some people language is a benchmark of nationalism and patriotism- Bal Thackeray and his obsession with the Marathi language and the Gandhi family tradition of speaking Hindi at the dinner table are probably exemplify this.
The issue of whether language shapes thought process is worthy of a debate. Does knowing or holding command in a particular language make you think in a way which could be different from others? Opinions here vary. For Fatima, ‘’language doesn’t really play a role in our thought process... at the end it is morals and values that effect the shape of our thought process, no matter what language,’’ she believes. ‘’Speaking the native language may appear patriotic but most importantly doing something good for the country is what counts’’’, is Shahzia Zakaria’s opinion.
“Knowing my language is definitely a benchmark not in terms of desh bhakti but in terms of my Indian culture and values that are not a part of the westernised culture’’, is Fatima’s view. Pushpa, in perhaps a different sort of way feels that ‘’ If your kid is a citizen of USA or UK or any other country then nationalism and patriotism should be for that country of which they are citizens. It would be totally wrong otherwise. It is a simple truth- that of being true to your country, not your parents country.’’
So how, when and where does language play a role in one’s life? Can one use language to translate something from another and hope, in its own way- it will sound just as sweet? Take this for example- Mera dil bag bag hai- ‘My heart is a garden, a garden.’ There is a language you can have fun with and a language to work with, a language you speak to your parents in and a language that you save for your friends. A language you think in, a language you perceive in; a language to be used to form opinions and a language that you can use any which way. The idea is to know which one to use in different situations with different people. Not to forget the basic funda - whatever you do, be yourself. In the end that is what matters- aaj kal!
An important question is: What kind of importance does language hold for Indians living abroad, who in an attempt to integrate into the host country’s way of life, make adjustments of various kinds and to varying degrees.