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Saturday, April 30, 2011
What's your "Thinking Language"?
For more fun posts on a daily basis, do follow me on Twitter Twitter Id: @gopinathmm
We are encountered with the question “How many languages do you know?” in a form for employment, it is accompanied by a grid “Read – Write – Speak”. One is expected to tick-mark the grid to indicate one’s proficiency in the listed languages. However, there ought to be one more – “Think”. Just think about it! Which language do you think in? If you think in any one of those languages and speak in the other, chances are you’re producing some top-class humour for us to counter the burden of stress in our lives!
Most of the mistakes – allow me to call them mistakes for the moment – in language usage - because of thinking in one language and speaking in another! Although modern day language is tolerant in which the world brushes aside wrongful constructs in language with the broad stroke of the “trendy” wave sweeping our tongues! There is no such thing as “wrong English” today! Only the ‘new norm’ – an equivalent of the American “new normal” in financial economic trends! A euphemism to lowering standards, I suppose?!
The new normal or norm is the ratification of what was considered wrong some years ago. Now, now – I say some years “ago” – when the world has gratefully accepted “some years back”! Back in my childhood days, “some years back” would have seen my back against a wall as punishment or maybe I would be lumped back home, I don’t know… but not so today! It is the new norm! But I digress – my post is not about correct or wrong language – but about the language in which we think!
Ok, so we have a language in which we think and chances are we choose only one amongst the languages that we speak, read and write – only one! I learnt about this when I was in school – my English teacher, Leela Rebello (nee Yellur) – we called her Yellur-miss, told us:
“If you want to improve your English – Think in English!”
Now that was something! Didn’t we all think in English, I wondered? We spoke our mother-tongue at home – Konkani for me – Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and so on, for my classmates. We learnt English, Marathi, Hindi and French in school. So which language did we unconsciously choose to think in?
It invariably turned out to be the language we learnt in our early days – our mother tongue! So we had great fun in school where some one would exclaim: “See - the rain is falling!”, when all that was to be said was “Look, its raining!”. So the Marathi “Pavoos Padto” or closer to me, the Konkani “Paavsu Padtaa” became “Rain is falling” Our teacher was right! The language we spoke was just a translation of what we thought in our mother-tongue and dutifully translated in the language we were speaking in! And thereby produced some national humour for everyone to laugh at!
“Fun happened at her birthday party!”, “Problem became in class”, “They are removing photos of everyone for IDs” and many such gems were contributed to the national cause of reducing stress-related diseases in our country by these epic utterances! These are classic cases of thinking in our mother-tongue and speaking in English! Of course, we did not stop at this kind of mistakes and produced more gems – like some of my friends would advise the other “Don’t say ‘removing photos’ it’s wrong – say they are ‘photo-takeouting’, na baba!”
OK, so we were creative in our days back then, when it came to producing some hilarious (albeit, wrong) language. Back then a trend began where wrong usage like “Open the doors of the windows and let the atmosphere come in” kind of-coinage is so popular that it even today’s youngsters swear their professors said it! Like we did!
The Chinese today are grappling with the same problem as they embark on the task to conquer the English language for better global prospects – where the meaning of the message is altogether lost. Several posters are found where the reader is lost – “lost in translation” as they say. But we Indians lost nothing – only just found – “found in translation” – great gems of humour.
My friends on FB are quick to point out how news readers ask “What’s your sense on this?” when they actually mean “What is your opinion on this?” or “At this point in time” which used to be simply “now” in the good old days and many more such ‘trending’ habits that have influenced our language today. But then, one wonders if these are from some other Indian languages, I am not familiar with? If not, maybe it deserves another post – for there are many of this kind!
I hope by reading this post, you’d say, “Fun came, no”?! as in, Kyoon, Maja aaya na?
Blogger’s Post-Script: 1. If you know such classic cases of "Found-in-Translation", do post them in the comments column - lets have a compendium of these!
I will not remind you againg - or else you will say "You are behind me!" -eeks another!
2. I attribute the gems of advice given by my teachers, like Yellur-miss in school – St Lawrence High School, Santacruz (W) Mumbai - as those that made me what I am today. I just cannot thank them enough!
Edited to add: Ms. Jyoti Divgi has sent in these Puneri gems:
1. His cycle went to chori
2. Dont speak in front of my back!
Thanks, Jyoti - waiting for many more from all of you!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Book Review: "Childhood Daze!" by Savitri Babulkar
Book Review: “Childhood Daze!” by Savitri Babulkar
Reviewed by: Gopinath Mavinkurve
Follow me on Twitter: @gopinathmm
"Childhood Daze!” is a book that takes the reader back into the days spent in Manjeshwar, a coastal town in South Kanara, now a part of Kerala. A large joint family living in a sprawling house with an abundant courtyard in which one grew vegetables and fruits – and even herbs for household cures - for one’s own needs; where one could climb trees, play games like Lagori, Kutti Donne [viti-dandoo in Marathi], Gazgae- games played in those days of yore, that our present generation kids wouldn’t even know how to play! The book narrates several incidents that played out in those days when “Ammanoo” (as she was called, amongst other loving names) grew up in the 1940s. The stories have been narrated through the mind of 6-9 year old Ammanoo, who sets out to tell the readers of her experiences as-they-happen and things as she perceived them (then) or the anxieties, fears, aspirations and ideas – right or wrong – that influenced the young one.
Going beyond the mere description of the sprawling estates, where the joint family dwelt, she describes in great detail how each member of the family played a part in the household – and more importantly to fill the void left by the early demise of her mother at a tender age of one! It is also the period of her life when she grapples with the meaning of life - the social beliefs and how her grandmother (Avva/Amma to her) deals with them; the rules and why they existed; of schooling and the competition that prevailed; religious beliefs and how some ‘miracles’ impressed the young one early in life. And how can one miss out the ghosts? They tormented the little minds when they had to venture out in the dark making her chant to the gods for protection! There are some episodes brushing obliquely about the scourge of untouchability and other such superstitious beliefs as “the sins of crossing the seven seas”, as they manifested in society in those days – and how the forward thinking women helped root them out with their rational thinking and practical approach to life – without so much as a need to protest from the oppressed/affected persons.
There have been some outstanding character sketches drawn out so lucidly for the reader – who may not have met them – of each of the members of her large family and friends – that very few writers can portray so succinctly. But the characters of Avva or Amma (her grandmother) is par excellence – when she describes how a minimally educated woman of those times teaches the very same things that her convent teachers do in class - and displays such worldly wisdom that very few educated persons possess! How small little rules of the house mattered: the practice of eating together during dinner time, cleaning up before entering the house, keeping things in their place – all contributed to an orderly stress-free life!
The reader is treated to a liberal sprinkling of humour whenever the opportunity presents itself - and of course, word play! To quote Shri. Sadanand Bhatkal, the renowned publisher and editor, who has provided the ‘Foreword’ for the book, her work is “a lucid prose with a delightful ease of narration… brevity being the soul of good-story-telling” . Need I say more? Now, without giving away too much about the book in my enthusiasm, (and thereby spoiling the fun for prospective readers of this amazing book), let me assure you that you will enjoy the journey back into the past to the places in and around Manjeshwar and Mangalore of the 40 and relive those days while gathering some great insights into the charming life and some pearls of wisdom, en-route!
Although there are several Konkani words used in the process, care has been taken to provide the English equivalents. I am sure this book would prove to be a great read for all – whether one knows her or not, whether an amchi (Konkani) or not, even whether young or old! A book need not have to be a racy crime thriller set in modern urban environs, to be described as being “un-put-down-able” or “a page-turner” - this fascinating book, which gives the reader a peep along with the flavors and smells of the small-town life in the ‘40s - proves this, by being one! Do read the book – you’ll zip past the contents to the very end of it and enjoy it. Like I did!
The book is available at Sterling Book House (Call: 022-22676046 / 22659599); Computer Book Shop (Call 022-6631 7922/23/24); Bookzone (Call 022- 2205 4621/22) for copies of the book.
Publishers: Shroff Publishers & Distributors Pvt Ltd.
Call: 022-4158 4158 E-mail: spdorders@shroffpublishers.com for bulk orders or for details about availability in other cities.
Pp: 215 pages Cover Price: Rs 200/-
Reviewed by: Gopinath Mavinkurve
Follow me on Twitter: @gopinathmm
"Childhood Daze!” is a book that takes the reader back into the days spent in Manjeshwar, a coastal town in South Kanara, now a part of Kerala. A large joint family living in a sprawling house with an abundant courtyard in which one grew vegetables and fruits – and even herbs for household cures - for one’s own needs; where one could climb trees, play games like Lagori, Kutti Donne [viti-dandoo in Marathi], Gazgae- games played in those days of yore, that our present generation kids wouldn’t even know how to play! The book narrates several incidents that played out in those days when “Ammanoo” (as she was called, amongst other loving names) grew up in the 1940s. The stories have been narrated through the mind of 6-9 year old Ammanoo, who sets out to tell the readers of her experiences as-they-happen and things as she perceived them (then) or the anxieties, fears, aspirations and ideas – right or wrong – that influenced the young one.
Going beyond the mere description of the sprawling estates, where the joint family dwelt, she describes in great detail how each member of the family played a part in the household – and more importantly to fill the void left by the early demise of her mother at a tender age of one! It is also the period of her life when she grapples with the meaning of life - the social beliefs and how her grandmother (Avva/Amma to her) deals with them; the rules and why they existed; of schooling and the competition that prevailed; religious beliefs and how some ‘miracles’ impressed the young one early in life. And how can one miss out the ghosts? They tormented the little minds when they had to venture out in the dark making her chant to the gods for protection! There are some episodes brushing obliquely about the scourge of untouchability and other such superstitious beliefs as “the sins of crossing the seven seas”, as they manifested in society in those days – and how the forward thinking women helped root them out with their rational thinking and practical approach to life – without so much as a need to protest from the oppressed/affected persons.
There have been some outstanding character sketches drawn out so lucidly for the reader – who may not have met them – of each of the members of her large family and friends – that very few writers can portray so succinctly. But the characters of Avva or Amma (her grandmother) is par excellence – when she describes how a minimally educated woman of those times teaches the very same things that her convent teachers do in class - and displays such worldly wisdom that very few educated persons possess! How small little rules of the house mattered: the practice of eating together during dinner time, cleaning up before entering the house, keeping things in their place – all contributed to an orderly stress-free life!
The reader is treated to a liberal sprinkling of humour whenever the opportunity presents itself - and of course, word play! To quote Shri. Sadanand Bhatkal, the renowned publisher and editor, who has provided the ‘Foreword’ for the book, her work is “a lucid prose with a delightful ease of narration… brevity being the soul of good-story-telling” . Need I say more? Now, without giving away too much about the book in my enthusiasm, (and thereby spoiling the fun for prospective readers of this amazing book), let me assure you that you will enjoy the journey back into the past to the places in and around Manjeshwar and Mangalore of the 40 and relive those days while gathering some great insights into the charming life and some pearls of wisdom, en-route!
Although there are several Konkani words used in the process, care has been taken to provide the English equivalents. I am sure this book would prove to be a great read for all – whether one knows her or not, whether an amchi (Konkani) or not, even whether young or old! A book need not have to be a racy crime thriller set in modern urban environs, to be described as being “un-put-down-able” or “a page-turner” - this fascinating book, which gives the reader a peep along with the flavors and smells of the small-town life in the ‘40s - proves this, by being one! Do read the book – you’ll zip past the contents to the very end of it and enjoy it. Like I did!
The book is available at Sterling Book House (Call: 022-22676046 / 22659599); Computer Book Shop (Call 022-6631 7922/23/24); Bookzone (Call 022- 2205 4621/22) for copies of the book.
Publishers: Shroff Publishers & Distributors Pvt Ltd.
Call: 022-4158 4158 E-mail: spdorders@shroffpublishers.com for bulk orders or for details about availability in other cities.
Pp: 215 pages Cover Price: Rs 200/-
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
How many Annas do we need?
Caution: Long post ahead!
Many years ago, students would be asked “How many Annas to the Indian Rupee?” Not any more. Now the question could be more like “How many Annas to the Indian Revolution?”
Just when we Indians were feeling comfy with the fact that since there were no squares in India, the Jasmine revolution or any other of its kind – even a Lotus, for that matter - would not touch our shores, let alone sweep it - the unexpected happened. A perfect black swan event, could we call it? It was bound to happen and yet nobody expected it to happen!
We just wanted our cricket team to win the ODI Cricket World Cup 2011 - and the boys did it for us! The nation was on a high like never before! All the negativity that the Commonwealth Games or 2G scams had engulfed us had been quickly forgotten in the festivities that followed.
Then came the call from Anna Hazare, the phenomenonal leader of the masses - to which the aam aadmi supported to the hilt. Enough is enough, he said – the endless list of scams and loot of public money has got to stop! We need a law and we shall fight for it, if we have to, was his call to the public. He even chose the manner in which people would go about it – peaceful protests and a fast-unto-death for the proposed Jan Lok Pal Bill. It was a great show of solidarity of the masses with their new-found leader – non-violent, steadfast in its objectives and a rare display of unity. People from all walks of life, cutting across party lines came together – just as they did when they supported the Indian cricket team a week ago!
None of the participants committed any acts of vandalism, as is often seen when political parties organise a street show. No shops shut down – no rickshaws, buses or trains were disrupted, as a “bandh call” usually does. This was no bandh! It was the opening of shut minds and lax bodies that were responding to the call of Annasaheb.
I read editorials about the Jan Lok Pal Bill in several leading and reputed publications. The enlightened and all-knowing journalists voiced their opinion about how the proposed Jan Lok Pal Bill would amount to subversion of democracy. How the Lok Pal would be a creation of an all-powerful body, not elected by the members of the public, who would yield judicial and executive powers of the state, which could be very easily mis-used. They told us that Annasaheb had the right intention and the gumption to take on the powers that be, but had been fighting for a law that was, unfortunately, not the solution – perhaps only another powerful monster to deal with in the future.
Some told us that effective as it was, the fast-unto-death was a threat in itself and the government was held to ransom in giving in to the demands – not a democratic means of getting across your point of view in a democratic set up. The mood of the public was too upbeat to stomach this criticism – Anna was a true hero and none would have anything said against him – at least when he was the only man standing for the common man on the street after being let down by all those who are expected to protect their interest – the elected members of Parliament. At least that was the mood.
All these days, I was reading editorials, opinion columns, blogpost and news-item on the subject. None of them answered the basic questions that I had in my mind as follows:-
1. Are we sure that we don’t have a law to punish the corrupt Rajas and Kalmadis or whoever they were that looted the government exchequer of Lakhs of Crores today?
2. Isn’t there a mechanism to get back the money that has been swindled today without the Jan Lok Pal bill in place? Surely it would not apply retrospectively!
3. Are we to believe that the country has been run for 60 years without a law to punish corrupt ministers or bureaucrats - at any level?
4. How is a new Bill, which is being drafted for the umpteen hundredth time for the last 4 decades help in these past cases?
5. How is it that - whenever we hear about gross violations of the law and misdeeds committed on a large scale or a widely spread phenomenon in our society – we always say that we need a law to deal with it? Don’t we have laws in place to deal with gross violations?
6. Are we fooling ourselves by saying we need laws, when what we should be asking is which is the law that has been violated and what is the punishment for it, what are the means to recover the loot under the present legal framework?
7. Aren’t we helping those who have committed serious frauds of humongous proportions on the entire nation to get away due to this “lack-of-a-law syndrome”, if I may call it so?
8. Although there is no denying the fact that laws need to be tweaked and better laws are needed to replace old laws, this is an ongoing activity and the law-breakers can be dealt with under current laws. Why this focus is being lost in the process for demanding new acts or bills?
9. How many Annas would our nation need to undertake a fast - if the Government only responds to Annas going on fasts?
10. How many Annas make an Indian revolution?
This is not to be construed to mean that we would not need legal reforms or new laws in place of the old creaky ones, we would need them for sure!
But the Jan Lok Pal Bill would need a wider debate and participation of several brilliant minds before it becomes a law - it would need a lot of time and lots and lots of effort and public debate - before it is enacted as a law. When it comes, I do hope it does become an effective tool which serves the nation in the days to come. Until then, it is difficult – nay Impossible for me to believe that there is no existing law to deal with the offenders of serious frauds.
I am sure there are enough laws – what is lacking is the political will and that sense of responsibility and answerability/accountability of the Government to the Indian citizen. The people of India, especially the tax-payers, would feel short-changed if they were told that NOTHING can be done to bring the scamsters to book and recover the moneys swindled from the Government exchequer.
Many years ago, students would be asked “How many Annas to the Indian Rupee?” Not any more. Now the question could be more like “How many Annas to the Indian Revolution?”
Just when we Indians were feeling comfy with the fact that since there were no squares in India, the Jasmine revolution or any other of its kind – even a Lotus, for that matter - would not touch our shores, let alone sweep it - the unexpected happened. A perfect black swan event, could we call it? It was bound to happen and yet nobody expected it to happen!
We just wanted our cricket team to win the ODI Cricket World Cup 2011 - and the boys did it for us! The nation was on a high like never before! All the negativity that the Commonwealth Games or 2G scams had engulfed us had been quickly forgotten in the festivities that followed.
Then came the call from Anna Hazare, the phenomenonal leader of the masses - to which the aam aadmi supported to the hilt. Enough is enough, he said – the endless list of scams and loot of public money has got to stop! We need a law and we shall fight for it, if we have to, was his call to the public. He even chose the manner in which people would go about it – peaceful protests and a fast-unto-death for the proposed Jan Lok Pal Bill. It was a great show of solidarity of the masses with their new-found leader – non-violent, steadfast in its objectives and a rare display of unity. People from all walks of life, cutting across party lines came together – just as they did when they supported the Indian cricket team a week ago!
None of the participants committed any acts of vandalism, as is often seen when political parties organise a street show. No shops shut down – no rickshaws, buses or trains were disrupted, as a “bandh call” usually does. This was no bandh! It was the opening of shut minds and lax bodies that were responding to the call of Annasaheb.
I read editorials about the Jan Lok Pal Bill in several leading and reputed publications. The enlightened and all-knowing journalists voiced their opinion about how the proposed Jan Lok Pal Bill would amount to subversion of democracy. How the Lok Pal would be a creation of an all-powerful body, not elected by the members of the public, who would yield judicial and executive powers of the state, which could be very easily mis-used. They told us that Annasaheb had the right intention and the gumption to take on the powers that be, but had been fighting for a law that was, unfortunately, not the solution – perhaps only another powerful monster to deal with in the future.
Some told us that effective as it was, the fast-unto-death was a threat in itself and the government was held to ransom in giving in to the demands – not a democratic means of getting across your point of view in a democratic set up. The mood of the public was too upbeat to stomach this criticism – Anna was a true hero and none would have anything said against him – at least when he was the only man standing for the common man on the street after being let down by all those who are expected to protect their interest – the elected members of Parliament. At least that was the mood.
All these days, I was reading editorials, opinion columns, blogpost and news-item on the subject. None of them answered the basic questions that I had in my mind as follows:-
1. Are we sure that we don’t have a law to punish the corrupt Rajas and Kalmadis or whoever they were that looted the government exchequer of Lakhs of Crores today?
2. Isn’t there a mechanism to get back the money that has been swindled today without the Jan Lok Pal bill in place? Surely it would not apply retrospectively!
3. Are we to believe that the country has been run for 60 years without a law to punish corrupt ministers or bureaucrats - at any level?
4. How is a new Bill, which is being drafted for the umpteen hundredth time for the last 4 decades help in these past cases?
5. How is it that - whenever we hear about gross violations of the law and misdeeds committed on a large scale or a widely spread phenomenon in our society – we always say that we need a law to deal with it? Don’t we have laws in place to deal with gross violations?
6. Are we fooling ourselves by saying we need laws, when what we should be asking is which is the law that has been violated and what is the punishment for it, what are the means to recover the loot under the present legal framework?
7. Aren’t we helping those who have committed serious frauds of humongous proportions on the entire nation to get away due to this “lack-of-a-law syndrome”, if I may call it so?
8. Although there is no denying the fact that laws need to be tweaked and better laws are needed to replace old laws, this is an ongoing activity and the law-breakers can be dealt with under current laws. Why this focus is being lost in the process for demanding new acts or bills?
9. How many Annas would our nation need to undertake a fast - if the Government only responds to Annas going on fasts?
10. How many Annas make an Indian revolution?
This is not to be construed to mean that we would not need legal reforms or new laws in place of the old creaky ones, we would need them for sure!
But the Jan Lok Pal Bill would need a wider debate and participation of several brilliant minds before it becomes a law - it would need a lot of time and lots and lots of effort and public debate - before it is enacted as a law. When it comes, I do hope it does become an effective tool which serves the nation in the days to come. Until then, it is difficult – nay Impossible for me to believe that there is no existing law to deal with the offenders of serious frauds.
I am sure there are enough laws – what is lacking is the political will and that sense of responsibility and answerability/accountability of the Government to the Indian citizen. The people of India, especially the tax-payers, would feel short-changed if they were told that NOTHING can be done to bring the scamsters to book and recover the moneys swindled from the Government exchequer.
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