Languages: Connecting You and Me

In one of my blissful German classes, we were discussing the theme ‘Sprachensterben’, meaning ‘Death of languages’. The passage emphasized on how some languages are on the verge of extinction. As an example, we read that Catawba language of South Carolina region died with its last speaking person in 1996. According to David Crystal, a British linguist, “Every two weeks, a language dies”. The reason cited for the death of these languages was the failure of passing them to the younger generations, with an intention that children learn those languages which are spoken by majority of people. As per UNESCO, there are 6000 languages, out of which, almost half are endangered. The widely spoken languages in the world are Mandarin, Spanish and English. I was astonished to know that Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world and English stands on the third place.

I had never imagined that even languages could die. With the language, also dies its unique and valuable culture and literature, which is a big loss. Languages are the vehicles of communication and expressions. It is fascinating to know how the primitive man used to communicate in absence of a language. Some people think that learning Grammar is the only way to get to know a language. Such people are only partially right. No doubt, Grammar is necessary to construct a sentence correctly, but apart from grammatical knowledge, it is the words which you use to express yourself that describe the beauty of a language. Language is a concoction of thoughts, culture and lifestyle of a region or a nation.

Since childhood, I always had a proclivity towards languages. Evolution of languages truly amazes me. For me, the best part of a language is that it does not involve complex equations and scientific experiments, which I always despised as a school girl. I loved History too because of the wonderful language used in it. My mother tongue, Marathi, was the first language which I learnt and a language close to my heart. My favourite king, Shivaji Maharaj, was and will remain the greatest Maratha ruler, because of whom I always hold Marathi language in high regard. In school, it used to be a challenge to finish lengthy Marathi paper, thanks to its ‘Kaanas’ and ‘Matras’. Nevertheless I used to score good marks in Marathi and help other girls in my convent school to improve their performance in Marathi. I love speaking rather than writing Marathi. I haven’t delved much into Marathi literature, but I do make it a point to read Marathi newspapers. My friends often extol me by saying that though I have studied in a convent school, my Marathi is very pure. But I think that being well versed with your mother tongue isn’t a big achievement. I love listening to pure Hindi by means of speeches, good films and daily soaps. Like a typical Mumbaikar, my Hindi vocabulary is Lilliputian. 

I learnt Sanskrit for three years during my school, as a third language. At the beginning, my intention of choosing Sanskrit was only to score high marks, like Chatur of 3 Idiots. Gradually as I explored the language deeper, I realized its magnificence. Each word in Sanskrit is so profound! No wonder, it is the language of Gods. Stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata in Sanskrit were indeed delightful. The verses in Sanskrit, also known as ‘Subhashitas’, which were written centuries ago by great sages, teach the values which are pertinent in even in the present era. Sanskrit gifted me an opportunity to read the excerpts of valuable works by the revered dramatist, poet and writer, Kalidasa. While studying Sanskrit Grammar, I always appreciated Panini, the great Sanskrit Grammarian, who enhanced the elegance of the language. Later while learning German, I came across the fact that Max Mueller too had learnt Sanskrit and translated the Upanishads and Vedas. Such was the global admiration and obeisance for Sanskrit. Sadly today I hardly remember Sanskrit because I lost touch of it 5 years ago. But some day I would like to read Sanskrit and revivify it again in my mind. It will be a great pleasure to learn about about the good old world where values were cherished.

It was interesting to know the history and evolution of English. English is a potpourri of so many other languages like French, Scandinavian and German. However, English has deep roots in Latin and Greek. It is similar to our Devnagari languages, which have provenance from Sanskrit. When I learnt certain words in English that, when broken up, have their own unique meaning in Latin or Greek, I fell in love with the language all over again. I feel bad when the precious English words are desecrated in SMSs. I fear this quotidian habit will endanger English too, thus losing its original charm.

I have been learning German since 5 years now, yet I still consider myself an amateur. Though listening activity of German is still a Herculean task, I love writing and speaking German. There is still a lot more in German for me to dive into. I consider German as my chattel. I wish to make great strides in German and get to know the language better every day. In this way, it will be interesting to learn Germany, its people, culture and literature. 

Languages are like living creatures, which have to be nurtured like plants and animals. They, too, can die if the surroundings are not conducive for them to thrive. When you pass on a language to the next generation, it is not only the language which is bequeathed, but also the wisdom, knowledge and traditions of the ancestors. Only then can one realize the significance of the language. Who knows, if certain languages are revived, it can make prolific contribution to the world and can be a panacea to the present problems! Wouldn’t the world be a better place and greatly diverse? So give it a thought before you abandon and reckon a language to be inane and unproductive.