A linguistic buffet
The author reflects on the challenges of navigating India's diverse linguistic landscape after moving between several states. The piece highlights the cultural nuances and personal frustrations encountered when adapting to new regional languages like Kannada.
Why it matters
It provides a personal perspective on the linguistic diversity of India and the social challenges of internal migration in a multilingual country.
I f India were a linguistic buffet, I have scarfed every dish and still cannot digest half of them. My academic years in West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, and finally in Delhi, demanded learning of many languages such as Bengali in West Bengal, Hindi in Bihar, Urdu thrown in good measure in Uttar Pradesh, and Punjabi the extra masala in Delhi. In Bengal, ‘v’, and ‘b’ become a ‘b” or ‘bh’ sound. Water becomes Bater, wash becomes Bash, In U.P., there is an interplay between ‘s’ and ‘sh.’ In Delhi and Punjab, measure becomes ‘meyyure’ and, similarly ‘pleasure’ becomes ‘pleyyure’. My pronunciation, after my exposure to all these, has gone for a toss!
The article is a personal narrative/opinion piece focused on cultural experience rather than political or social bias.
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