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Mother Tongue/Native Language
message 51:
by
Smiley
(new)
Apr 09, 2021 02:03AM
Mine is Cantonese! And I could speak Mandarin too. After a few years in my new school my English is getting better in terms of writing and reading, but I still prefer listening to Cantonese, of course.
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Anyone experiences this? As you get better at another language (like English) your level of vocab and writing in your mother tongue just drops? And do you have an accent when speaking? Mine is weird.
Smiley wrote: "Anyone experiences this? As you get better at another language (like English) your level of vocab and writing in your mother tongue just drops? And do you have an accent when speaking? Mine is weird."Maybe not for me. I have read more novels in English than compared to the ones in my local language/Kannada[I do read novels in kannada also]. And haven't lost any vocab in it = )
Gouri wrote: "Umm, ok Khush , you are right."It's a pretty common misconception and though I am not South Indian, I know lots of South Indians get annoyed by this. I think East Indians too.
Mod
Well, I thought India had a national language too. LolI read novels only in English at the moment. My Tamil vocabulary is not good as I mostly did my schooling outside Tamil Nadu in CBSE schools. Though I am fluent in Tamil in day to day speaking, I am not good at less common words that are usually a staple in novels or any other book. But I do wish to read some Tamil classics in Tamil some day.
Mod
Ohhh yeah. That's cool though, it would be nice to read some Tamil classics.
Mango wrote: "Lol, it has like 16 official languages but not like 1 specific one I think?Ohhh yeah. That's cool though, it would be nice to read some Tamil classics."
It's got 22 official languages. Hindi is pretty prevalent in the Northern, Western and Central regions so that's quite a big portion of India.
@Austin, I know what you mean, although I know Hindi, not Tamil. I would love to learn Tamil though. Also, is it just in North India, or do all multilingual people speak in a weird mesh of all the languages they know?
Like, we say, we aren't speaking Hindi or English, we are speaking Hinglish.
Khushi wrote: "Mango wrote: "Lol, it has like 16 official languages but not like 1 specific one I think?Ohhh yeah. That's cool though, it would be nice to read some Tamil classics."
It's got 22 official langua..."
I don't know about everyone but I do that!
@Khushi, I tend to use basic English words and sometimes even some Malayalam words when I converse in Tamil as my hometown is not very far from Kerala. Even in South India most people tend to speak a mix of various languages. Only some elders speak in a pure form.I am now learning Telugu since I am now working in Hyderabad. I find the words easy to pronounce and remember being a South Indian but I find the writing script notorious to write and remember. Lol
Austin wrote: "@Khushi, I tend to use basic English words and sometimes even some Malayalam words when I converse in Tamil as my hometown is not very far from Kerala. Even in South India most people tend to speak..."Cool! I was wondering if we were the only one who did that. I am from Punjab and Punjabi and Hindi are so darn close to each other. In my Punjabi exams, I would mix in Hindi words, and in Hindi exams, I could only think of Punjabi words. Most irritating thing, if you ask me.
Are the South Indian languages easy to learn from the perspective of someone who has never learnt them? Including pronunciation? Do you know Hindi?
@Khushi, interesting to know that Hindi and Punjabi have so much in common. I had a Punjabi friend when I used to stay in Delhi when I was preparing for some exams. Tamil and Malayalam has a similar relationship too since Malayalam developed as a distinct dialect from Tamil many centuries ago. Even in Telugu I am finding some Tamil words here and there but nevertheless I find it a distinct language of it's own. Even North Indians can learn South Indian languages since there are many common root words and the way words are pronounced are also similar. But South Indians will have a slight advantage while learning a South Indian language due to the familiarity with the same.
Only myself and my sister can read and write in Hindi in our family. My mom can speak, while most of our relatives don't speak.
I personally think it would be easier for you to learn Telugu or Kannada since they have more loan words from Hindi and Sanskrit. Lol. Tamil has comparatively less Hindi and Sanskrit words.
@Austin, hmm, I am too busy right now to even think of learning another language, but when I am out of 'Study-or-die' zone, I would definitely take up Telugu or Kannada. I find languages very fascinating.And of course, South Indians have an advantage. If a north Indian is to learn Gujarati or Punjabi, he/she would find it easier than for someone from South to learn. I am guessing you aren't very confident in speaking Hindi since you wouldn't have much practice?
@ I am also fascinated with languages. My immediate goal is to learn Telugu and after that Urdu. A few years down the line I also want to learn Spanish, French, Arabic and one more language which I will decide later. Yes, I guess it would be easier for you to learn Gujarati than me.
Though I am not fluent in Hindi, I can manage pretty well. I speak in English or Hindi in Hyderabad with the locals. I can understand some Telugu words and make out the meaning of conversations vaguely but I can't speak as of yet. Actually in Hyderabad, 30% of the population are Muslims and they speak Urdu. At work I speak in English/Hindi depending upon the person's comfort with English. Outside in shops I use Hindi since they don't speak English. So actually the city feels like a mini North Indian city. Lol.
Moreover I used to go to Haryana during vacations. My dad worked there for a few years. But I never understood Haryanvi. Lol. Also spent a few months in Delhi. I even visited Punjab on a few occasions.
@Austin, I would love to learn Sanskrit too. It's close to Hindi, and the script is the same- Devnagri, but I don't know it. I can guess the meaning of some words, but not all. Urdu, I have heard, is a beautiful language, though I have never really meant anyone who speaks Urdu.I wouldn't have any problem in Hyderabad then, lol. Maybe the reason is because it's a sort of IT hub, there are lots of people from all over the country for the jobs, like Bangalore, right?
I can understand Haryanvi. I can speak a little, although it feels awkward speaking it. My parents grew up there, but they don't speak at home. My grandparents do though.
You visited Punjab? How do you like our state?
@Khushi, since I studied in CBSE school, Sanskrit was a compulsory subject from classes 6-8 and optional from 9-10. I knew basic Sanskrit for a few years but since it's hardly spoken anymore these days, I have forgotten the language.Yeah, Urdu is not that much spoken in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal pradesh etc. It should be easier to learn. Just need to learn the script and those Persian loan words.
Oh yes, you wouldn't find any language problem in Hyderabad. It's an IT hub and you will find many North Indians working here.
I visited Chandigarh a few times and also went to Kashmir via Ludhiana, Jalandhar etc. Punjab looked pretty similar to Haryana with a few exceptions. Instead of Hindi, I saw mostly Punjabi writings on shops, road signs, buses etc. Also I saw many Sikhs with turbans on their head. I liked your state except for the hot weather. Hahaha. It was a nice opportunity to experience a different culture. I enjoyed my days in North India. The winters were fantastic. I never experienced such dense fog in my life before. It felt like the heavens had come down to the earth.
@Austin, I studied in CBSE school too, but since we had Punjabi as a third language, most schools don't teach it. None of the schools I have studied in teaches it, although I do know a couple of them which teach them.I know how hot it can get. But I had always thought that South Indian was hotter. Isn't that true? Sikhs make up the majority of the population in Punjab. You'll find many who are Sikhs even though they don't wear turbans.
The best part about the fog, is that most of the time our winter vacations got extended because it's not very safe to drive in fogs like that. I remember this year, there was so much fog, that I couldn't even see 10 feet in front of me. It's especially beautiful at midnight, with the street lights glinting.
@Khushi, maybe it varies from state to state or they have brought in new rules. In my days it was English, Hindi and Sanskrit. North India is definitely hotter compared to the South. When I was in. During my vacations in Karnal, Haryana, the temperature used to shoot up to 45-46 Celsius. In Hyderabad it usually touches upto 42 Celsius only. Kerala has a pleasant climate, hardly exceeds 35 but can be very muggy at times. Bangalore also usually doesn't exceed 35. But our winters are mild and many don't wear winter garments.
I see. So all Sikhs don't wear turbans. I forgot to mention that I had also visited Amritsar and Wagah border.
@Austin, hmm, could be.I was really under the impression that the South was hotter than the North in summers. I knew that the South didn't really have a winter, but that's just great, we have a really cold winter, and a really hot summer, and the spring and monsoon is full of mosquitoes. The weather really doesn't like North India, especially the plains.
I know the mountains are cooler than the plains, although you can get sunburn pretty easily, because of the closeness from the Sun on high altitudes.
Traditionally, Sikhs don't cut their hair, and that's still in a lot of families here, but there are still people who cut their hair. I have visited Amritsar and Wagah Border too but I was too young to remember it. Did you see the Pakistan-India Army March Past that happens every evening there?
I can speak English, Hindi, and Marathi. Marathi is my mother tongue. I can understand Punjabi.
I'm from Egypt so Egyptian language is my mother tongue I can speak Arabic, English (my accent is so bad i have to improve my English), little french and Spanish.
@Khushi, I like the North Indian winters but at times it feels uncomfortable too. I lose my appetite during summer and drink more water than food.Yes, I saw the march past. It was a great experience. I have never been abroad, so it was kinda cool to see Pakistan from a distance. One day I will visit Pakistan instead of just seeing from the border. I visited Golden temple in Amritsar.
@Austin, yeah, I know what you mean about the summers. They are pretty scalding, and my Mom always had to keep a check whether we're eating properly or not, because we never felt like eating.Yeah, the Golden Temple is beautiful, isn't it? I have never been to the South. What part would you say is worth visting?
€Khushi, Yes the golden temple is beautiful surrounded with water and fishes. I guessed you had never been to the South. What do you like to visit? Beaches, museums, parks, jungles, hill stations? I can suggest based on your interest. For example, my mom doesn't like hill stations bcoz of the cold. So it's not a good idea to suggest her to go to Kulu Manali. (⊃｡•́‿•̀｡)⊃
I like a lot of things, honestly, all of the ones you listed (except parks. Who likes park?)I would love to go to Kulu Manali, but I haven't been there, either. I am just so much behind on travelling.
£Khushi, I actually like parks. I like to sit on a bench or lie down on the grass and relax.My family visited Kulu Manali. I missed it as I was studying back then in the South. They told me it was very cold.
It depends on one's parents. Some parents are not interested in traveling. So their children miss out on traveling. Some of my friends and relatives have never gone outside their home state. One of my colleagues at work has never left his home state of Telangana even though his family is financially secure. Many of my relatives have never visited anything other places in Tamil Nadu and nearby Kerala. Though I have visited many states in India, my parents were never interested in vacationing abroad. Now that I am independent of them, I plan to visit all the countries in the world.
Beaches, you can either visit Goa or Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Hill station you can visit Ooty in Tamil Nadu or Munnar in Kerala. If you want jungle like atmosphere, you can explore Kerala. It rains there double of what you might be receiving in the North. In Hyderabad, there's Char Minar and Salar Jung Museum. I have not much idea about Karnataka. Many North Indians also visit Kanyakumari and Rameswaram in TN.
@Austin, oh, you meant those parks, I call them gardens. I thought... never mind, I was thinking the wrong thing. Sorry.Uh huh, Manali is pretty cold. It snows there. I have been to a few of the northern hill stations, but never in winter. Always in summer.
And my Dad is fond of travelling, and my Mom's alright of it. (She LOVES the South.) But they used to have busy jobs so we couldn't go, and now, it's a study time for us, and then the COVID stuff. We have travelled around, but only in Northern and Western India.
I would visit all of them once! They sound beautiful.
Also, I think we have advertised India around so much.
@Everyone who is impressed, come to India after the pandemic. You have got the word of two people- one North Indian, and the other, South Indian. From the words of the natives, come and enjoy our country. ;)
My mother tongue is Spanish (I was born in Spain) but I've spoken English since I was practically a baby. Know I'm learning French and hopefully German and Russian in a near future.
@Khushi, I was referring to, as you said, gardens, not children's or lovers park. Nice to know that your mom loves the South. You should visit with your parents some day.
@Austin, I will. When I am done getting buried under books. I swear some of these books can replace weights in gym.
@Austin, yup. Unfortunately. I am not exaggerating. I have a book that weights 2.2 kgs. And that's not my heaviest one.
That's sad. When I was in school, I used to avoid academic books and read novels. Do you get time to read novels?
@Austin, yeah, it's a little tight now, but I manage to wriggle time between studying.
I can speak English and Spanish fluently. Both of my parents can only speak English, but kindergarten through 6th grade I went to a Spanish immersion school so all of my classes were taught in Spanish. I do tend to read and talk more in English, because it’s my preferred language. :)
My family migrated to Tamilnadu generations ago.Though my actual mother tongue is Telugu, Tamil is more like my mother tongue now. I speak Tamil, English, Telugu.I can read and write Hindi well and speak to some extent.I'm learning Japanese in my free time.
Mod
Another Tamil speaker! :)
Mango wrote: "Meenu wrote: "My family migrated to Tamilnadu generations ago.Though my actual mother tongue is Telugu, Tamil is more like my mother tongue now. I speak Tamil, English, Telugu.I can read and write ..."Yup. Here we are :)
My native language is Maltese but both maltese and english are the main languages here in Malta. I speak in Maltese more often with friends, but I prefer reading and writing in English as Maltese is kind of hard to write :)
Both my parents can speak, read and write English, Hindi and Gujarati. I on the other hand can can speak, read and write only in English, and can speak Gujarati fluently, but not read or write, and I can understand, Hindi, that's it!
Mod
Oh wow! You are Gujarati? I know some too!
Rushali wrote: "Blob Fest! wrote: "Both my parents can speak, read and write English, Hindi and Gujarati. I on the other hand can can speak, read and write only in English, and can speak Gujarati fluently, but not..."Yeah!, Cool!
I can speak, read, and write in English, but can only speak (certain dialects) and slightly read and write in Chinese. I however have also been learning Spanish since middle school.
my mother language is brazilian portuguese!! i can speak english almost fluently (never have the guts to say i can hahah). i can get spanish too? i mean, some words are quite similar to portuguese and that helps to understand it but speaking is the issue. and i'm taking italian classes rn!!
@Blobbie Are you my hidden twin? I can and can’t do everything you just said!
*waves* another bilingual here. i speak fluent english, since i live in the us, and i also speak arabic, with the lovely addition of the most anoying american accent ever
I'm bilingual. I can speak and write Tamil and English, and I'm learning Hindi.
Mod
Omg!! I can speak Tamil too! I am going to learn Hindi this summer.
My mother tongue is Tulu ( A local language of Mangalore , a city in Karnataka ).Apart from that I can speak Kannada, Hindi and English.
And trying to learn Spanish
