Hi SaligaoNetters Wow! What great thoughts we Netters have! I am not getting into the ramifications of those nor of the writings, nor do I want to start or continue the controversy.... after all each is entitled to his/her opinion, (in this case mine) so M&M.... thanks for replying to my comments & portraying the entire picture for the education of all ....albeit sarcastically! But.....why PS1?... & why PS2? ..... Were they after thoughts? By the way, I do not dabble in "predictions" - I just see the hard facts around me, whether in Goa, India or around the world .... and, before any comment is made on the latter part of my sentence, I have travelled many places in the world where English has served "me" in good stead & where I have seen Goans & Indians holding low positions, high positions..... but also speaking Konkani or Hindi, or not as the case may be, & they are none the worse for wear! This is ditto other parts of India - closest would be Mumbai? Just as Goans stay in various parts of India, I am sure Indian citizens of other Indian States are exercising their rights & staying in Goa & learnt Konkani too. I did read Maurice's mail with regard to there being others besides Saliganvkars in Saligao & all the rest of it... another topic? another mail? another day? On a lighter note ...perhaps one could get a better understanding of how "each one's culture & language" stays with one, wherever one may be irrespective of MoI ..... do please watch the episodes to date of "Just Dance" especially those in UK & U.S. And I make no presumptions, nor did I make presumptions on the state of mind of the 4 nor on their decision (after all God created all with brains, so "foolish & dumb" could not be attributed to anyone, could it???)- the 4 would have had their reasons which I could enumerate on.....(again not presuming but knowing the thoughts & opinions of some more people like the 4 & quite valid) but then this Forum will be inundated with unnecessary mail.....and..... a controversy......as the one raging now in Goa. I know that you & I have studied in the same school ...MoI was English, but we continue to use our mothertongue even though it was not offered as one of the languages in school let alone it being made compulsory. Have a nice day! Mog asum Annette
> Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2011 02:03:17 +0530 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [SALIGAONET] English, Konkani as MoI... Lourdes Convent > > Dear Saligaonettekars, > > On Saturday 02 July 2011 02:31 PM, Saligaonet wrote: > > > Wise & Smart parents (371)!!! > > That makes the remaining 4, "Foolish & Dumb"...no? > > > After all, when their children get to be IT Managers & the like, they > > would be better off with the English language since Konkani is not > > widely used in the rest of India nor is it used around the world..... > > Awesomely correct prediction! *There* is exactly where the > English MoI choice will orient the 'wise & smart' towards: "the > rest of India" and "around the world". > > Not to worry. There is also an *awe-fully* predictable result... > > Since the predicted exodus of the 371 will cause a vacuum, entire > legions of emigrants (who learn *our* mother tongue Konkani > faster than we want to pluck it out!) will flood Saligao/Goa to > take the place of the children of the "Wise & Smart". Nay, they > are already here, in gleeful anticipation because they too are > making the same logical prediction. What is more, they are > packed into every outhouse, chawl and tiny illegal room, built by > many of those very "wise & smart" folk. > > These immigrant multitudes will join the "Foolish & Dumb 4" who > will stay back in Goa, to be our 'shetkars', 'renders', 'padais', > 'poders', 'ramponkars', maids, daily labourers, mobile fish > vendors, masons, plumbers, carpenters, electricians, mechanics, > motorcycle pilots, rickshaw and bus drivers/cleaners, cooks, > waiters, room boys/girls, watchmen and factory hands up in the > Industrial Estate on our hill. > > > Having said that, it is to be hoped that Konkani is one of the > > compulsory languages in the school syllabus right from the Prep. Class > > (or whatever it is called nowadays!!) > > as one should know one's mothertongue. > > This is one huge hope...that a solitary language class, will > strengthen and deepen the roots of our children's mother tongue. > And for what *practical* purpose, if one is going to > eventually settle down in "the rest of India" and "around the > world"? Mere sentimental and nostalgic attachment? Is it not > better to concentrate on the local language of *that* part of the > world or India? > > ...and let our local, migrant brothers and sisters learn Konkani > and be the 21st century's, true-blue Goans? If they are the > ones who will live here for the rest of their lives, work here, > commit to this land and build the *new* Goa with their blood, > sweat and tears...why not? > > **Why not??** > > We will leave you with two established conclusions of the science > of Anthropology: > > *Language is the best carrier of culture* > and > *Language is the life-blood of culture.* > > Warm regards and solidarity with all those who realise the true > value of doing their basic education in the mother tongue...and > *only then* learning the colonial one, just for very practical > reasons. > > M&M. > > PS1: So, are we against English? Not at all. Given its role in > the international arena, we fully support the teaching of English > to the level of proficiency needed in modern education both in > India and abroad. > > But and this is a **big** but: let it be taught *besides* the > MoI which should be in any child's mother tongue. And let it be > taught well. > > This is where the Goa Govt. is downright lazy! It does not want > to take the trouble to creatively teach English *as a language*, > to any level of proficiency needed in academic, professional and > commercial sectors, within and outside the country. It wants the > easy way out. It wants to blindly follow the British colonial > system (of teaching *in* English), designed only to create a > cadre of 'babus' to run their bureaucracy in colonial India. > > We *want* English. > > We *need* English to survive in a highly competitive, > industrialised, modernised, globalised economy. > > We *demand* that our various governments teach the language well > enough for India's children to survive in those often hostile > environments. > > But not at the expense of basic education in anyone's mother tongue. > > Definitely not at the expense of Konkani, the best medium of > teaching, to scientifically and *officially carry our precious > culture to future generations*. > > Not at the expense of Konkani, the life-blood of our very > 'Goenkarponn' (Goan-ness). > > M&M. > > PS2: While we need and want English so badly, we must never > forget: as the life-blood, first of a colonial culture and now of > neo-colonial globalisation, English is the best carrier of that > culture...a culture, many of us so desperately 'choosing' for our > children. > > It is a simple equation really...more English + less Konkani = > more obliteration of Goan culture + less Goans in Goa. Only 4 > out of 375 is the above indication for Saligao :-( > > M&M. > > PS3: This reply is neither to enter the raging, state wide MoI > controversy, nor to start one on Saligaonet. It is merely a > specific response to the quoted post. Just a few random and > rambling thoughts! > > M&M. > > -- > ................................................................ > there *is* anOTHERgoa > at <http://www.anothergoa.blogspot.com> > & <http://www.youtube.com/anothergoa> > ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' > muriel & mario, > c/o "FULKAR", > 6/22, sonarbhatt, saligao. > bardez. goa. 403511. > tel: 0832-2278276 / 2409999 > <anothergoa AT gmail.com> > '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' > > -- > Saligao-Net is at http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe email [email protected] -- Saligao-Net is at http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe email [email protected]
