I write in three languages, Urdu, Hindi and English, but I identify most with Urdu. It is in my blood and marrow. Language provides freedom but it is bondage as well. You do not choose a language, a language chooses you. I consider Urdu as one of the finest by-product of the composite culture of the last millennium. Its base is Hindustani, the lingua franca of India. It is like rainbow where so many colors merge to create an effect. It is a misnomer to consider it alien, it is Indo-Aryan, Indic, and 70 per cent of its vocabulary is Hindi with selected Arabic-Persian phonology and phraseology, which has been fully assimilated and indigenised. This cultural blending gives Urdu a sophisticated élan which has a charm of its own. Its elegance and eloquence is like the Taj Mahal, which represents the synthesis of Islamic spirit with Indian sensibility. Urdu all along has been anti-sectarian and its tone and temper has been humanitarian.
More
5 comments:
Like this one Zafar. Language is such an integral part of us, isn't it?
There are emotions that are best expressed in our mother tongues, or so I have learned.
I like "language provides freedom but it is bondage as well." Best.
I would like to make the case for a world lingua franca as well.
English cannot be the long-term solution, and I say that as a native English speaker.
Especially with the growth of Mandarin Chinese!
That is why a language like Esperanto deserves more serious attention.
If you have time you might like to check out http://www.lernu.net
www.urdu-ke-naam.blogspot.com - is a blog me and a couple of my friends are involved in for quite sometime. I was happy to see a similar title for your post.
And yes, Urdu is very much an Indian language.
Thanks for your comments Laju, Brian and Manzoor.
I like this one: You don't choose the language. It's the language that chooses you. Is it even there or I am getting delirious.
Yaar Manzoor, I know that's your blog's name. Shayad isi liye asaani se use kar liya. It sounds cool.
it's really worth to do some work for mother language from out of mother land. you are helping Urdu via english.
Post a Comment