I had to go nine years down the memory lane when thought about this topic. Those days when everything and everyone were the best....my childhood...my schooldays...!
Being educated in a convent school it was mandatory to speak in English inside the school campus. If I am not wrong, this was practiced only in this prestigious institution in the city. It was a matter of pride then for us. I still remember that we were fined then, when found speaking in our mother tongue in school except during the language classes. This to some extend has helped in improving my English language speaking skills in the later walks of life.
But, at home it was even more mandatory or natural to use my mother tongue. I enjoyed it more as I felt this was the language of my heart; straight from my inner soul...listening to it from the day I was born.
Lately I believe the scene is far more different!.....
After a tranquil period off from hip hop parties, weddings and family gatherings, I had to attend one such family function recently. All have flown from miles abroad back to their home town to attend this and hence, I was pleased to meet my relatives to whom I had spoken since ages. Past, present and future generations all at a single venue!...loved the moment...!
But the sight of the future generation was indeed perplexing to me.....because I could see all the little munchkins conversing in English rather than their mother tongue! The children seemed to be illiterate regarding the mother tongue aspect.
Settled in a metropolitan city, I had seen such practices earlier too. I often watch the kid-parent conversation in English and think about the vanishing usage of mother tongue.....and remain clueless about the reason for this change.
Proficiency in any language is always a credit. But does that mean to completely stop speaking in one's mother tongue?
Even today I believe that English is a foreign language and it is high time to conserve one's indigenous language. I doubt if this situation continues will Indian languages be predominated by English?
I envy my school days when clock strikes four in the evening, kids speeding out of the campus and start their never ending chit chats in the language of their heart!!
Generations and generations to come, changes to happen.....Am I gonna miss you my mother tongue?...will you get vanished?....Hoping for the good times...!!
Being educated in a convent school it was mandatory to speak in English inside the school campus. If I am not wrong, this was practiced only in this prestigious institution in the city. It was a matter of pride then for us. I still remember that we were fined then, when found speaking in our mother tongue in school except during the language classes. This to some extend has helped in improving my English language speaking skills in the later walks of life.
But, at home it was even more mandatory or natural to use my mother tongue. I enjoyed it more as I felt this was the language of my heart; straight from my inner soul...listening to it from the day I was born.
Lately I believe the scene is far more different!.....
After a tranquil period off from hip hop parties, weddings and family gatherings, I had to attend one such family function recently. All have flown from miles abroad back to their home town to attend this and hence, I was pleased to meet my relatives to whom I had spoken since ages. Past, present and future generations all at a single venue!...loved the moment...!
But the sight of the future generation was indeed perplexing to me.....because I could see all the little munchkins conversing in English rather than their mother tongue! The children seemed to be illiterate regarding the mother tongue aspect.
Settled in a metropolitan city, I had seen such practices earlier too. I often watch the kid-parent conversation in English and think about the vanishing usage of mother tongue.....and remain clueless about the reason for this change.
Proficiency in any language is always a credit. But does that mean to completely stop speaking in one's mother tongue?
Even today I believe that English is a foreign language and it is high time to conserve one's indigenous language. I doubt if this situation continues will Indian languages be predominated by English?
I envy my school days when clock strikes four in the evening, kids speeding out of the campus and start their never ending chit chats in the language of their heart!!
Generations and generations to come, changes to happen.....Am I gonna miss you my mother tongue?...will you get vanished?....Hoping for the good times...!!
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