FN wrote:
If we are quick to poke fun at how others speak/spell Konkani, or the
errors they make, then why should we complain when someone else says
Antruzi is the only right dialect for the language, and Devnagari the
only apt script?
Konkani is still only working its way towards "standardisation" (which
implies, incidentally, influential dialects suppressing others). It is
coping with a unque where it is much-spoken, but little-written,
little-read language. (Now don't tell me this wasn't the case in the
pre-1961 paradise that was. If it's English and Marathi now, it was
Portuguese that the 'elite' took on as 'their' language.)
We have also a large number of Goans scattered across the globe, who
have never ever had the chance to use Konkani in their day-to-day
working, let along learn the language academically. Apart from that,
given its many dialects, we often perceive or hear differing sounds for
the same words, depending on variables like region, dialect, community,
religion and caste.
Why poke fun when one among us gets genders or spellings wrong? I think
it's nice to see GL trying. It's a sure way to put people off a
language; unless that's our aim, while professing a love for the
language. Incidentally, I have friends in Pernem who prefer to speak
Marathi, among other reasons because their dialect has been
delegitimised for long as "unfit" of being Konkani! FN
Well FN, I'm glad you raised the issue about Konkani and the diaspora once
again. Quite often, the argument is made amongst Overseas Goans that second
or third generation Goans should learn their mother tongue.
Most recently, a new website was launched entitled "Knowledge for Goa". This
website was created "to facilitate the formation of a virtual (internet)
community of people in Goa, Goans abroad and friends of Goa, which will put
forth concrete and specific suggestions on how to centre Goa in the
knowledge economy." It was this idea that prompted me to make the suggestion
on GOANET about creating a forum where Konkani could be taught.
As some might remember, I made an appeal on GOANET a few weeks ago about
starting a forum in which Konkani could be taught online. Well, I will once
again make an appeal. As I mentioned earlier, this forum does not have to be
an elaborate.
THE KEY IS TO DETERMINE IF THE INTEREST IS THERE!
It is for this reason that I've tentatively created a forum for this very
purpose:
the new forum is located at: http://s15.invisionfree.com/GOA_LIVE/index.php?
You may critique the forum either on GOANET or on the GOA_LIVE website
itself. The important thing is that information can easily be found and
disceminated by it's members.
For this forum to be successful, it is very important to pool resources
together.
With that said, I strongly urge anyone who is well versed in the Konkani
language or anyone who is willing to learn to please sign up to the forums.
I need individuals to post very basic basic tutorials. It's important to
note that I myself am not versed in the Konkani language. Heck! If I was, I
would have written up and posted some tutorials on the website myself! =)
My hope is that there will be some Good Goan Samaritans out there in the
cyber world willing to move the "boulder" up the steep hill. As I mentioned
in a prior post, those Volunteers who are fluent in the Konkani language
would post basic tutorials concerning vocabulary, orthography and grammar.
Any topics that needed clarrification by it's members could be posed in the
respective forum/topic.
At the moment the forums are bare only because we do not have any online
instructors to start the ball rolling and begin teaching the language. I
firmly believe that there are many expatriots and NRIs who are longing to
learn th nuances of the language but cannot find the right forum to learn
it. I strongly encourage Goans to contribute to this new forum.
Ideally, Konkani shoud first be taught in Roman script (since this is the
script that many NRGs are familiar with). Once sufficient progress has been
made, a new forum will be created so that more advanced "students" can learn
Konkani using the Devnagri script.
I firmly believe that the internet is an excellent teaching tool and it is
my hope that this forum will transform into an internet based classroom.
As most are aware, there is a huge Goan Diaspora seeking to find their
cultural roots (myself included). This idea might just be one method of
strengthening those cultural roots and bringing NRGs much closer to Goan
soil.
Sincerely,
P. RODRIGUES
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