Friday

Mother Tongue - Is it really a big deal.. ?

I was reading something on a friend's blog which got me thinking about this -

Is it really a big deal if you are not thinking or talking to yourself in your own native language/mother tongue ? Like my friend, I seem to be more comfortable speaking, typing, arguing or discussing in english more than in my mother tongue.. But, is that a bad thing ?

Agreed, we grew up speaking our mother tongue at home.. its what we first learn from childhood, so we are "supposed" to be most comfortable speaking it than other languages.. But, is it something bad if you are more comfortable speaking some other language than your own ?!

Back when i was about 8/9 may be ..when my english teacher used to tell me that to know a language and speak it really well, you must think in the language.. and I remember consciously making myself "think" in english.. I guess most of us convent-school-goers kinda grew up.. thinking in "english" even though its not our mother tongue... So, may be we got used to thinking more in english than our own language.. Ofcourse attending schools in places where the students come from different regions also makes it such that one cannot use their native language everywhere.. Not to mention higher-education books are all in english and sometimes there is total lack jargons in the regional language.. which gets us using english more often.. Its almost like a necessity.. especially in the corporate.. globalized job market.. too..u cant get anywhere in most parts of the world without english..

But, thinking about the question of whether its something one should feel bad about.. I am not so sure.. Granted, we need to speak our own language.. its who we are.. our identity.. to preserve our culture and rich history and heritage... etc .. But, ultimately, isnt language a means to express your feelings and thoughts.. ? a tool that enables us to interact with the other social beings in the world... Does it really matter what exactly it is ?

OK ...after saying all of that, I should probably add, living outside of India, I do try to enforce speaking in our regional language at home.. with my kids..esp.. I teach them every word quite religiously.. and they might wonder the same in future.. But, if they wont learn it, they wont be able to appreciate or enjoy some things I do.. they may not be able to communicate with grandparents and other relatives who cant speak english.. and that would be a shame.. :)

So my take on this.. the most number of languages you are comfortable with, the better it is for you in this world.. :) I would learn spanish and chinese.. if I get a chance...

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