In a world that is shrinking thanks to technology, any global language is often being seen as 'with it' the lingo of the future
In a world that is shrinking thanks to technology, any global language is often being seen as 'with it' the lingo of the future. In a cosmopolitan culture like Mumbai, the Indian language takes a further backseat, as people get by in the Mumbaiyaa Hindi and, of course, English. But how many of us know our mother tongue? And does it matter at all?
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illustration by Gynelle Alves |
Says Mitra Mukherjee Parikh, Head of Dept., Post Graduate Studies, SNDT University, "There is a gradual fall in the students' knowledge of their mother tongue and I feel it is a distinct disadvantage not much has been done to encourage and translate into the mother tongue and that's the cause. At the school level, they don't stress on it or teach it as rigorously. English, French and German are taught in that kind of manner, but not Indian languages they are neglected." Knowing one's mother tongue not only widens one's exposure, but also fortifies language development skills an asset in education, career and becoming a global citizen with strong Indian roots. A cultural identity is forged, and fortified.
Beyond that, the question for Mumbaiites: how well do we know our city's mother tongue? "It is crucial to know the language of the city one lives in. It helps to fit into and understand the culture that surrounds you," says Parikh. "It is one way of connecting to the locale. It is way of getting by. Each language is a culture by itself and if you can inherit the cultural heritage of more than one language, you are at an advantage you can fit into many spaces. You then have a truly cosmopolitan existence."
