I thought we have two national languages...English too (at least for most commercial purposes)?
If that is the case, perhaps we should try to teach the Lalus English as well??
Much of the resentment with Hindi in the south is due to the fact that 30% of the population speaking it seemed reason enough for everyone else to learn it.
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Originally posted by goldie
I have experienced the same lousy customer service extended by the Indian Consulate. I had to call persistently for 3 weeks just to have a simple query answered. The concerned person was always away from her seat. Often my call would automatically be disconnected or put on hold endlessly. You have to just venture inside the Consulate and you will be transported back to a 'sarkari daftar' in India. Counters which were supposed to open at 3pm, opened at 3:20pm only when someone rapped on the window. It seems the Government is a reflection of the citizens - or is it vice versa?
Isn't that typically us? Its funny how everybody knows this is an issue and complains about it however nobody but nobody will do ANYTHING about it. There possibilities
1) We're either too lazy to protest or think that if we protest, others will benefit. Doosron ko kyun fayda karvaye...
2) We're so used to this and take for granted that protest will not make any difference...chalta hai.
3) We're afraid that if we protest, we'll be singled out for permanent bad service by the consulate in the future.
Seriously, if everyone knows how pathetic the Indian consulte's service here is, why can't at least a 100/200 Indians gather outside the consulate one day and protest?? What's stopping us?
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Originally posted by meghal
We may be lax in following traffic rules in India, but do we have to keep the same habit in Canada? It feels that bad manners do not get forgotten, they just gets supressed and awake again when we enter a familar atmosphere.
Like spitting and throwing garbage on roads as soon as we go back to India for a visit.
Its a pathetic mentality. The depressing part is even people who know this is wrong start doing this thinking "sab karte hai to main kyon dibbe me garbage daloon"?
There are VERY few of us who will continue doing the right thing despite of what others do, we're just not built that way.
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Posts: 456
Location: Canada-Glorious and Free
Posted on: 30-06-06 00:11:21
Location: Canada-Glorious and Free
Posted on: 30-06-06 00:11:21
I don't see how the examples here are keyhole morals. I thought keyhole morals was used to describe moralistic views taken by some without considering the larger picture/environment.
The issues at the mall or the consulate or the grocery are just stupid people congregating to form a critical mass greater than the average.
Correct me if I am wrong.
BV
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Originally posted by mightybuckz
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Originally posted by DesiTiger
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Originally posted by tamilkuravan
Also, once they see desi people , they assume that all desi's speak Hindi and we have to remind them often that we need to be serviced in english.
Just my observations.
TK A
Ok! I don't want to start a debate here or anything. All I want to say is that it may actually be in India's benefit as a nation to have one \"true\" national language (supposed to be Hindi but .........) in addition to the regional languages.
Unified Language means a Unified Nation - something that is crucial to India's very survival in the future.
I agree with desitiger. Situation is bad in south india where you will hardly find anyone speaking in Hindi. I have been to south india (AP,TN,Kerala,Karnataka) twice and on both occasions I faced problems in conversing in hindi with the locals. Situation is worst in TN where they will just not accept hindi and dont encourage it be learned by the kids in school. I maybe wrong but this is what I observed during my short visit. Maybe TK can add something to this or clarify.
I am not against regional languages...infact they should be encouraged as they add to the regional flavour but not at the cost of the national language. Being an Indian, Hindi should be our first language. Its another matter what language we prefer to speak in but atleast we should all know hot to read, write and speak in hindi. Just my 2 cents.......
Sorry to digress from the original topic, and no intention of starting a debate, but felt like responding to this after seeing this, and after having seen the surprised look on so many Desis' faces whenever I told them that I don't speak Hindi, and hearing from them as if it was blasphemous that being an Indian, I don't speak Hindi.
If "one true national language" is crucial for India's unity, what is next? "One true national religion"? Since majority of the population are Hindus, shouldn't India be declared a Hindu country? And then what - one national race? Aryan, or is it Dravidian?
Also, contrary to what many believe, there is no single national language in India. Hindi and English are the official languages of the Central Government. Every State Government has its language.
You can take the Civil Services exam in Tamil or Malayalam or Telugu or any of the Indian national languages for that matter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_languages_of_India
I'm not sure we need to have one single unified national language for the country's unity. The great Subramania Bharathi was able to inspire millions of Tamils with his inspiring songs during India's freedom struggle. So did Tagore in Bengali. Speaking of which, what language is our national anthem in?!
I'm from Tamilnadu, lived there all my life before coming abroad. I learnt very little Hindi, as a 3rd language in school in classes 4,5 & 6 before my school syllabus was changed to a 2-language system (English & Tamil).
In Tamilnadu very few people speak Hindi, especially further south of Chennai. It is not our fault that we don't speak Hindi. You may find more children learning Hindi these days, as an extra-curricular activity, just to learn an additional language and broaden their horizons.
Some of my best friends are non-Tamils, and we have no problem talking to each other in English.
Again, apologise from digressing, and absolutely no offense to Hindi. I would like to be able to speak fluent Hindi. I just feel more comfortable with English.
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Originally posted by jughead
Quote:
Originally posted by mightybuckz
Quote:
Originally posted by DesiTiger
Quote:
Originally posted by tamilkuravan
Also, once they see desi people , they assume that all desi's speak Hindi and we have to remind them often that we need to be serviced in english.
Just my observations.
TK A
Ok! I don't want to start a debate here or anything. All I want to say is that it may actually be in India's benefit as a nation to have one \"true\" national language (supposed to be Hindi but .........) in addition to the regional languages.
Unified Language means a Unified Nation - something that is crucial to India's very survival in the future.
I agree with desitiger. Situation is bad in south india where you will hardly find anyone speaking in Hindi. I have been to south india (AP,TN,Kerala,Karnataka) twice and on both occasions I faced problems in conversing in hindi with the locals. Situation is worst in TN where they will just not accept hindi and dont encourage it be learned by the kids in school. I maybe wrong but this is what I observed during my short visit. Maybe TK can add something to this or clarify.
I am not against regional languages...infact they should be encouraged as they add to the regional flavour but not at the cost of the national language. Being an Indian, Hindi should be our first language. Its another matter what language we prefer to speak in but atleast we should all know hot to read, write and speak in hindi. Just my 2 cents.......
Sorry to digress from the original topic, and no intention of starting a debate, but felt like responding to this after seeing this, and after having seen the surprised look on so many Desis' faces whenever I told them that I don't speak Hindi, and hearing from them as if it was blasphemous that being an Indian, I don't speak Hindi.
If "one true national language" is crucial for India's unity, what is next? "One true national religion"? Since majority of the population are Hindus, shouldn't India be declared a Hindu country? And then what - one national race? Aryan, or is it Dravidian?
Also, contrary to what many believe, there is no single national language in India. Hindi and English are the official languages of the Central Government. Every State Government has its language.
You can take the Civil Services exam in Tamil or Malayalam or Telugu or any of the Indian national languages for that matter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_languages_of_India
I'm not sure we need to have one single unified national language for the country's unity. The great Subramania Bharathi was able to inspire millions of Tamils with his inspiring songs during India's freedom struggle. So did Tagore in Bengali. Speaking of which, what language is our national anthem in?!
I'm from Tamilnadu, lived there all my life before coming abroad. I learnt very little Hindi, as a 3rd language in school in classes 4,5 & 6 before my school syllabus was changed to a 2-language system (English & Tamil).
In Tamilnadu very few people speak Hindi, especially further south of Chennai. It is not our fault that we don't speak Hindi. You may find more children learning Hindi these days, as an extra-curricular activity, just to learn an additional language and broaden their horizons.
Some of my best friends are non-Tamils, and we have no problem talking to each other in English.
Again, apologise from digressing, and absolutely no offense to Hindi. I would like to be able to speak fluent Hindi. I just feel more comfortable with English.
Jughead, English is a legacy of the British raj, Hindi is a legacy of India's glorious pre-British invasion era.
The problem with India today is the fragmentations in its people - We think Tamil, Punjabi, Gujrati, Telugu more than we think "Indian".
Take countries like US and Canada where a multitude of religions thrive, with a single Unified language(or two for Canada). That is what India needs.
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Microsoft - Which end of the stick do you want today?
DT....very well put. Much more so than an earlier post, whatever the intentions were. There should be a reason that ALL people will buy into.
Unfortunately, our politicians will never have this kind of foresight. 
