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Protect Goa's natural beauty
Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve
Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php
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Dominic Fernandes wrote:
As far as Konkani is concerned, many foreigners who lived in Goa from
the late 1960s through mid 1980s spoke Konkani fluently. Of course,
their children spoke better Konkani. Presently, foreigners' children are
learning Konkani in our schools.
RESPONSE:
I find the assertion that "many foreigners...spoke Konkani fluently" bizarre.
Konkani like most Asian languages would be very difficult for Europeans to
master. The wide range of phonetics required, which are not found in their own
language, make it nearly impossible for them to vocalise them not to mention
memorize them. Secondly, the syntax of the language is different from European
syntax and it would take years of dedicated study under the supervision of a
trained monshee to master it. Even Goans who live in Goa but predominantly
speak in English, have a hard time then speaking in Konkani "fluently". So the
idea that "many foreigners" spoke it fluently is hyperbole at best.
Even Sir Richard Burton who could speak many Indian languages did not have
Konkani as one of the languages he spoke fluently. This despite the fact that
he almost always hired Goans as his personal valet or cookboys because he
thought they were far less trouble than other ethnicities. There is one letter
from an acquaintance that says, he was heard speaking a mixture of Konkani and
Portuguese with his "Goanese" servants.
Best,
Selma
