Selma wrote: This is shocking to hear that in Goa itself one was fined for speaking in Konkani. It's very difficult to save a language when one gets a lashing for speaking it. Comment: It is too farfetched to believe that the decline of a language is due to its being banned from being spoken in school. This policy is common all over the country in many schools even those run by gujaratis, parsis and others. I studied in Poona in a jesuit school where speaking in the vernacular language during school hours was forbidden. My children are presently studying in a convent school in Bombay where the same policy prevails.The only difference is that nowadays they are fined whereas earlier it warranted a stroke on the backside.The reason for this according to me was to develop a proficiency in the English language among those who came from a vernacular language background. The best way to learn a language is to speak it. Speaking develops confidence. One can use the correct grammer, vocabulary, tone, pronunciation,by speaking. No doubt there are those who are highly intelligent who can attain proficiency under any conditions. But then the rules were made for the common masses. It is a fact that many goans are poor in speaking English and lose out on competitive jobs where one has to display one's personality.Many goans are the butt of jokes about the way they speak english, especially in Bombay.
Gabriel de Figueiredo wrote: ... And recently some were putting the entire blame for neglected Konkani on the Portuguese ... Comment: At the same time, the speaking of konkani or the mother tongue was not banned outside the school. It could be spoken at home, among friends, in church etc. So one cannot conclude that there was any suppression of konkani by school authorities. What the Portuguese did for the suppression of konkani is another matter and cannot be confused with this matter. Regards, Marshall
