So when I came in contact with people from Germany I was surprised to find out they didn't know that spoken Urdu and spoken Hindi were very similar languages so much so that we can understand each other completely. I dont blame them. I mean after all everybody knows we dont have the best of relations. But its quite fascinating to be cursed and hurled abuses at in your own national language. It adds quite a flavour to it. I kid here, because on the people to people level. We couldn't be a more similar bunch of people
There IS one difference that I have noted and will like to jot down here. Some Indian people I have met have remarked on my Urdu that its quite "respectful" or "it has some unique words" and that the "pronunciation is beautiful". But I think that's the result of years of reputation held by Urdu as that stately, very civil and "cultured?" language because I think I speak quite normal and not at all well or beautifully
BUT it has led me to something I never thought I would. Now when I meet Indians I actually try to speak those heavy duty, hard sounding, clean throated "pure" and extremely Urdu sounding words and I make the structure of the language as the one in Mughal times. :(. Hey I am not proud of it but I do it. The last time I did that I even told myself that its crazy and that it doesn't matter. and in any case I am making myself harder to understand. but hey. Put me and an Indian in the same room. and just see how nicely I speak Urdu.
I found myself using words like "tamaddun" "tahzeeb" "khalis" "muttafiq, Taluq and ittefaq" and heck even "yalabari. Quite some words I wouldn't use otherwise. But hey, a mans gotta boast sometimes on some things. This happens to be weird but thats my "that sometime".
p.s If you are an Indian and reading this. I am so sorry :( "mein yeh amal dobara hargiz nahin duhraonga"
There IS one difference that I have noted and will like to jot down here. Some Indian people I have met have remarked on my Urdu that its quite "respectful" or "it has some unique words" and that the "pronunciation is beautiful". But I think that's the result of years of reputation held by Urdu as that stately, very civil and "cultured?" language because I think I speak quite normal and not at all well or beautifully
BUT it has led me to something I never thought I would. Now when I meet Indians I actually try to speak those heavy duty, hard sounding, clean throated "pure" and extremely Urdu sounding words and I make the structure of the language as the one in Mughal times. :(. Hey I am not proud of it but I do it. The last time I did that I even told myself that its crazy and that it doesn't matter. and in any case I am making myself harder to understand. but hey. Put me and an Indian in the same room. and just see how nicely I speak Urdu.
I found myself using words like "tamaddun" "tahzeeb" "khalis" "muttafiq, Taluq and ittefaq" and heck even "yalabari. Quite some words I wouldn't use otherwise. But hey, a mans gotta boast sometimes on some things. This happens to be weird but thats my "that sometime".
p.s If you are an Indian and reading this. I am so sorry :( "mein yeh amal dobara hargiz nahin duhraonga"
No comments:
Post a Comment