Konknni Language: features, Myths, Facts, Hurdles, and Challenges by Pratapananda Naik, S.J.

 

KONKNNI LANGUAGE

Features, Myths, Facts, Hurdles and Challenges

 

Pratapananda Naik, S.J.

2016

LANGUAGE FAMILIES IN INDIA:

 

1.      Indo-Aryan language family:

q  The largest of the language families represented in India, in terms of speakers, is the Indo-Aryan language family, a branch of the Indo-Iranian family, itself the subfamily of the Indo-European language family. 

q  This language family predominates, accounting for some 790 million speakers, or over 75% of the population, as per data collated during the Census of 2001. 

q  The most widely spoken languages of this group are Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Urdu, Gujarati, Oriya, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Assamese, Sindhi, Dogri.

 

2.      Dravidian language family:

q  The second largest language family is the Dravidian language family, accounting for some 215 million speakers, or approximately 20%, as per data collected during the Census of 2001. 

q  The Dravidian languages include Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tulu, Kodava, Oraon/Kurukh, Gondi, Parji, Kui, Koya.

 

3.      Austroasiatic language family:

The Austroasiatic language family consists of languages like, Santhali, Mundari, Ho, Khasi, Korku, Kharia and others.

 

4. Sino-Tibetan language family:

Sino-Tibetan languages are spoken across the Himalayas in the regions of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Nepal, and the north eastern states of India. Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in India include Manipuri/Meithei, Bodo, Garo, Tripuri, Mizo, Angami and many others.

 

KONKNNI

q  Konknni is an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly along the Western Coast of India from Gujarat to Kerala.

q  Konknni is a member of the Southern Indo-Aryan language group. It retains elements of Old Indo-Aryan structures and shows similarities with both western and eastern Indo-Aryan languages. Marathi and Gujarati are the closest languages to it. Konknni is derived from the Apabhramsha Prakrit language.

q  Konknni is written in five scripts, namely, Roman, Devanagari, Kannada, Malayalam and Perso-Arabic.

q  Of these scripts, literature is produced mainly in Roman, Devanagari and Kannada scripts.

q  The substratum of the Konknni language lies in the speech of Proto-Australoid tribes called Kurukh or Oraon.

q  Their language is Kurukh/Oraon, which belongs to the Dravidian language family.

q  These Australoid tribes were once the pre-historic inhabitants of Goa and Konkan. Nothing more is known about them. As per some historians and linguists, modern communities like Gavddis, Kunnbis, and Mahars of Konkan today are supposed to be the modern representatives of Proto-Australoids. Originally they were hunters, later they developed a primitive form of agriculture.

q  Though Konknni is an Indo-Aryan language, its vocabulary is heavily influenced by the Dravidian languages like Oraon/Kurukh, Kannada, Tulu, and Malayalam.

q  It also has words related to administration and judiciary from Arabic and Persian.

q  Due to the long rule (25 November 1510 - 19 December 1961) of the Portuguese, plenty of Portuguese words have become the integral part of Konknni, especially in Goa.

q  Due to Christianity, Latin words are found in religious vocabulary of Konknni Catholics.

q  Now it has been heavily influenced by the vocabulary of English.

q  Reference to the name Konknni is not found in literature prior to 13^th century.

q  The first reference of the name Konknni is in "Abhanga 263" of the 13^th century Marathi saint poet, Namadeva (1270–1350).

q  In history, Konknni has been known by a variety of names: Lingua Concana (The language of Konkan), Canarim, Canary, Canarina, Concanim, Lingua da Bramana (The language of the Brahmins), Lingua Bramana vulgar (The common Brahmin language), Lingua de Goa (The Goan language), Lingua da terra corrente (The current language of the land), Gomantaki, and Goani. It is called Amchi Bhas (our language) by the native speakers. The term used for Konknni as Canarim/Canarina/Canari is a misnomer. It does not refer to the Kannada language but Konknni.

q  From the historical evidence we know that from the 10^th century onwards in Goa, the Kannada script was widely used to write the Marathi documents.

q  We have one Konknni Prose text (1000 pages of A4 size) Flos Sanctorum of Amador de Santa Anna, a Franciscan priest, written in old Kannada script in 1607 in Goa. The original is in Paris Public Library and a Xerox copy is in Goa University.

q  The Catholics who migrated from Goa to Karnataka continued to use the Kannada script to write Konknni for written communication.

q  The first evidence that the Devanagari script was used for Konknni is found in Kerala in a short letter written by 3 Ayurvedic Physicians of Cochin to the Dutch Governor Van Rheed for his book Hortus Indicus Malabaricus published in 1678.

q  The European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries who arrived in Goa in the sixteenth century wrote and published Konknni texts in the Roman script.

q  Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese we do not have any historical evidence to prove that Konknni was a literary language.

q  However, Konknni was the spoken language in Goa. The Hindu community in Goa used Marathi for many areas of their day to day life.

q   In 1684 Konknni was suppressed by the Portuguese and the use of the Portuguese language was insisted.

q  The Konknni grammar, Konknni – Portuguese and Portuguese - Konknni vocabularies were prepared by the Jesuit Missionaries before 1570.

q  The first Konknni book Doutrina  Christam was printed in 1556 by the Jesuits at St. Paul College, Old Goa.

q  Arte da Lingua Canarim (1622) Konknni grammar of Fr. Thomas Stephens was the first printed grammar among the Indian Languages.

q  The standard 8 oral vowels and 8 nasal vowels. No other Indo-Aryan language has this feature. Konknni acquired this feature from the Dravidian language Oraon/Kurukh.

q   The standard Konknni of Goa (Antruzi and Bardeshi dialects) has 40 consonants.

q  Konknni does not have a single standard variety accepted by all the Konknnis (Konknni speakers).

q  In Karnataka the Catholic community produces literature in the Kannada script using the Konknni dialect of Dakhshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

q  The Saraswat Community of Karnataka produces literature in the Kannada script using their own dialect which is closer to the Old Konknni of 16^th century.

q  In Goa the Catholic community produces literature in the Roman script using the Bardeshi dialect of Konknni.

q  In Goa the Hindu community produces literature in the Devanagari script using the Antruzi dialect of Konknni.

q  On 26^th February 1975 Konknni was recognized as an independent literary language by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.

q  On 04^th February 1987 Konknni written in the Devanagari script became the Official State Language of Goa.

q  On 20^th August 1992 Konknni was included in the Eighth Schedule of Indian Constitution. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages mentioned in the 8^th schedule of the Indian Constitution.

q  The official script of Konknni for all Konknnis is not yet officially decided or unanimously accepted by the people.

 

q  Konknni Population according to the Census of India

India/State	Year
	1971	1981	1991	2001
India	15,22,684	15,84,063	17,60,607	24,89,015
Goa	5,56,223	6,00,004	6,02,626	7,69,888
Karnataka	5,72,828	6,40,738	7,06,397	7,68,039
Maharashtra	2,72,970	2,12,214	3,12,618	6,58,259
Gujarat	-	18,134	40,820	1,90,557
Kerala	73,245	1,00,934	64,008	61,376
Other States	47,418	30,173	74,958	40,896

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

q  The claim that there are over 50 lakhs of Konknnis is far from the truth.

q  According to the Census of India 2001 in India there are 24,89,015 persons whose mother tongue is Konknni.

q  In Census data under the Konknni entry Kudubi /Kudumbi, Malwani and other languages are included. This data includes 24,20,140 Konknni; 10,192 Kudubi/ Kudumbi; 46,851 Malwani; 11,832 other mother tongue language speakers.

q  Census 2001 defines mother tongue as follows: “Mother tongue as the language in which the mother was talking to the person in his/her childhood.”

q  According to the Census 2001 the total population of Goa is 13,47,668. Of which only 7,69,888 (57.13%) persons have declared that their mother tongue is Konknni.

q  If we take the Census definition literally, then the Konknni population in Goa is far below the recorded data 7,69,888. Because, in a good number of the Catholic families, mothers speak to their children in English. Such households might have wrongly given their mother tongue as Konknni instead of English.

q  According to the Census 2001 in Goa, 8190 have declared English as their mother tongue. This number is not realistic. There must be many more, whose mother tongue is English according to the definition of mother tongue given by the Census 2001.

q  For the other major languages of India, the majority of a particular language is found in a particular State. For example, Marathi in Maharashtra, Kannada in Karnataka and so on. Though Konknni is the State Language of Goa only 30.93% of total Konknni population is found in Goa!

 

KONKNNI JOURNALS:

Scripts	D	W	F	M	B-M	Q	4 M	6 M	Total
Devanagari	01	-	-	04	-	-	-	-	05
Kannada	-	03	03	16		07	02	04	35
Roman	-	02	-	04	-	02	-	-	08
Perso-Arabic	-	-	01	-	-	-	-	-	01
Multi-scripts	-	-	-	-		-	-	01	01
TOTAL: 50 D=daily; W=weekly; F=fortnightly; M=monthly; B-M= bimonthly; Q=quarterly; 4M= four monthly

 

q  Among 4 Devanagari script monthlies the Catholic community from Belgaum & Sindhudurg publish a monthly each.

q  Among 35 Kannada script periodicals 32 are published by the Catholic community and 3 by the Saraswat community.

q  All the 6 Roman script periodicals are published by the Catholic community.

q  In Kannada and Roman scripts there are many Parish bulletins run by Catholics.

q  Perso-Arabic script periodical is published by the Konknni speaking Navayat Muslim community of Bhatkal, Karnataka.

q  The multi-scripts periodical is published by the Catholic community from Karnataka. 

q  Udentichem Sallok was the first Konknni periodical published in 1888, from Pune, by Eduardo Bruno de Souza. It was started as a monthly and then became a fortnightly. It was closed down in 1894.

q  At present the oldest Konknni periodical is Dor Mhoineachi Rotti, a monthly in Roman script edited and published by the Jesuit priests in Goa. It was started in 1915 in Karachi.

q  In Goa the literate Hindus know the Devanagari script. Yet the vast majority of them prefer to read and write Marathi and not Konknni. 9 Marathi dailies are sold in Goa. While in Goa the single Konknni daily in the Devanagari script has not more than 1000 circulation. As on 22 August 2016 at Panaji Bus stand less than 20 copies of this Konknni daily are sold!

 

KONKNNI  IN  EDUCATION:

Govt. of Goa Educational Statistics at a Glance

Academic year 2015-2016

Primary Schools: I-IV

Govt. Schools:  800

Pvt. Schools:     390

Total:                1190         

Manag	Mar	Eng	Kon	E/M	M/Urd	K/E	M/K	K/M
Govt	725	000	22	0	11	0	8	16
Pvt	092	240	40	6	0	5	0	0
Total	817	240	62	6	11	5	8	16

             

Number of students in Primary Schools according to Medium of Instruction

(I –IV Std) 2015-2016

Medi/ Mang	Eng	Mar	Konk	Kannada	Hindi	Urdu	Telugu
Govt	000	20,394	1151	451	282	650	7
Pvt	55,140	10,965	5506	000	000	586	0
Total	55,140	31,359	6657	451	282	1236	7

 

KONKNNI EDUCATION IN GOA:

q  Every year the number of students who opt for English as the medium of instruction at primary level is increasing.

q  Though Konknni is the State Language of Goa, in the entire State there is not a single Konknni medium middle school or high school. While Marathi, Urdu and Kannada medium middle schools and high schools are found in Goa.

q  Though Konknni is the official language of Goa, it is not a compulsory language in schools! One can complete his/her entire education in Goa without learning Konknni! In our neighbouring states one cannot complete X Std. without compulsorily learning the State Language.

q  Konknni is taught as an optional language from standard I to XII in Goa.

q  At the X standard, number of students who opt for Konknni as the third language have not crossed 45% of total number of students who appear for X Std examination in Goa.

q  At the XII Std number of students who opt for Konknni as the second language have not crossed 35% of total number of students who appear for XII Std examination in Goa.

q  Though the break-up of students who opt for Konknni at X Std and XII Std is not available on the basis of religion, from the reliable official sources we have been told that majority of these students are from the Catholic community.

q  According to the official reliable sources most of the private schools offer Konknni as an optional language from V to XII Std.  The Catholic community schools offer 100% this option. 

q  Most of the government middle schools and high schools in North Goa District do not offer Konknni as a third language.

q  Sizable numbers of schools run by the other communities do not offer Konknni as a third language.

q  The Goa University offers Konknni at the undergraduate and post graduate levels. One can do Ph.D. in Konknni. The medium of instruction is the Devanagari script. Majority of the students are ladies.

 

KONKNNI IN KARNATAKA:

q  In Karnataka Konknni is included in the school curriculum as a third language from the academic year 2007-2008 in the Kannada script. The option to teach it in the Devanagari script is also available. It is taught as a third language from VI to X standards. In April 2016, 77 students appeared for the X standard examination in Konknni (Kannada script: 69, Devanagari script:7).

q  It is taught as a subject at the undergraduate level in the Kannada script in a very few colleges. From the current academic year 2016-17 Mangaluru University offers Konknni at the postgraduate level. Classes will be held in the evening. Yet, so far 6 students only have enrolled for M.A. in Konknni.

q  In spite of the best efforts of the Konkani Prachar Sanchalan (NGO) and Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy there is no much support from the managements of educational institutions to promote Konknni among the students.

q  Konknnis (Catholics and a small section of GSB only) in Karnataka read and write Konknni in the Kannada script.

 

KONKNNI IN KERALA:

q  It is claimed by the Devanagari proponents, that in Kerala Konknni is taught in schools using the Devanagari script. In reality only in one school Konknni is taught as a subject.

q  In reality, in Kerala Konknnis exist but Konknni continues to be mainly the spoken language and it is hardly used for written purpose.

q  To obtain the benefits of the government schemes, many Konknnis belonging to the SC and ST group in Kerala have claimed their mother tongue as Malayalam and not Konknni!!!

 

 

 

Govt. Institutions and Konknni:

q  Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, began to give annual awards to Konknni from since 1976. It publishes Konknni books exclusively in the Devanagari script!

q  National Book Trust & Children’s Book Trust publish Konknni books only in the Devanagari script!

q  Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy was established by the Karnataka Government in 1994. It promotes Konknni in the Kannada script.

q  Goa government established an autonomous body Goa Konkani Akademi (GKA) in the year 1986. It mainly promotes Konknni in the Devanagari script.

q  Goa govt. established an autonomous body Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) in the year 2009. Since then due to its various activities, functions, publications and projects Konknni in the Roman script got the boost.

q  Kala Academy, Goa was established by the Goa government in 1970. It promotes Konknni theatre, Tiatr, music, dance, folk art and folk performances.

q  Goa Govt. started to give grants to Dalgado Konknni Akademi DKA (established in 1988) a NGO, from the financial year 2008. DKA promotes Konknni in the Roman script.

 

NGO and Konknni:

q  In Karnataka the Mannd Sobhann institution is tirelessly working for more than 25 years to promote Konknni language and culture in all its fields, especially in the performance arts. It has taken the leadership to seek justice for the various legitimate causes of Konknni. Among all the institutions which are working for the promotion of Konknni language and culture in India and abroad, Mandd Sobhann stands out like Hercules.

q  Konkani Prachar Sanchalan, Mangaluru; Vishwa Konkani Kendra, Mangaluru; Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr, Goa; Dalgado Konknni Akademi, Goa, Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Goa are the other leading institutions.

Konknni and Media:

q  The first full length Konknni film was Sukhi Konn produced by G.M.B. Rodrigues at Mumbai in 1949, but it was never released. Mogacho Anvddo, was released on April 24, 1950, and was produced and directed by Jerry Braganza, Goa. Hence, 24^th April is celebrated as the Konknni Film Day.

q  Konknni films have been produced mainly in Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Most of them are produced using the Konknni dialects of Catholics of Dakshina Kannada – Udupi and Catholics of Goa.

q  In the market Konknni CDs, VCDs & DVDs are found in great numbers.  99% of these are produced by the Catholic community of Goa and Karnataka.

q  The Hindu community in Goa still continues to use Marathi CDs for religious domain. Marathi and Hindi CDs for cultural domain.

q  All Indi Radio started broadcasting Konknni news and other services. Radio Goa Panaji started a Konknni broadcast in 1945. AIR Mumbai and Dharwad later started Konknni broadcasts in the years 1952 and 1965 respectively.

q  Portuguese Radio, Lisbon started services in 1955 for India, East Africa, and Portugal. Similarly Trivandrum, Alleppey, Trichur, Calicut, and Mangaluru AIR centres started Konknni broadcasts. I do not know except AIR Panaji and Mangaluru, which other AIR stations still broadcast Konknni programmes.

q  Lucazinho Ribeiro, on Easter Sunday, 17^th April 1892 staged the first Konknni Tiatr Italian Bhurgo, adapted from the Italian play, at the New Alfred Theatre, Mumbai. Hence the 17^th April is celebrated as Tiatr Dis (Tiatr Day). 

q   The Doordarshan Centre, Panaji produces Konknni programs, which are broadcast in the evening. Many local Goan channels also broadcast Konknni television programs. These include: Prudent Media, Goa 365, HCN, RDX Goa, and others.

q  Bengaluru Doordarshan too telecasts Konknni programs.

q  A Konknni cultural event, Konknni Nirantari, was held at Kalaangann, Mangaluru on 26 and 27 January 2008, and entered the Guinness Book of world Records for holding a 40-hour-long non-stop musical singing marathon, beating a Brazilian musical troupe who had previously held the record of singing non-stop for 36 hours. This event was organised by Mandd Sobhann.

 

Multilingualism of Konknnis:

q  According to the Census Department of India, Konknni speakers show a very high degree of multilingualism. In the 1991 Census, as compared to the national average of 19.44% for bilingualism and 7.26% for trilingualism, Konkani speakers scored 74.20% and 44.68% respectively. This makes Konknnis the most multilingual community of India.

q  This has been due to the fact that in most areas where Konknnis have settled, they seldom form a majority of the population and have to interact with others in the local tongue.

q  In Mangaluru city most of the Konknnis know English, Kannada, Tulu and Hindi. Some of them also know Beari, Urdu and Malayalam!

 

Hurdles to Konknni:

q  The Konknnis are spread out in different States of India. They use different dialects and scripts. Hence Konknni does not help them as a medium of instruction, as a common media for communication or to earn one’s livelihood. Konknni is required only to maintain the cultural identity of the Konknnis.

q  The fragmentation of Konknni into various, sometimes mutually unintelligible, dialects is a hurdle.

q  So far Konknni is survived because it is a vibrant spoken language "One script, one dialect, one community" principle has not succeeded so far to unite Konknnis. If a group forces this principle, Konknnis will survive but Konknni will perish. 

q  The protagonists of this principle implicitly believe that Aryans, Brahmins, Sanskrit and the Devanagari script are related and they are ‘holy/pure/standard’ for all!  Konknni will survive and flourish if we accept the principle of “unity in diversity” of Konknni dialects, scripts and cultures.

q  Among the vast majority of Konknnis, Konknni is survived so far mainly as a spoken language.

q  Except the protagonists of the Devanagari script, the users of other scripts do not argue or insist on a single script for Konknni. The reasons are crystal clear. There are hardly any takers for the Devanagari script.

q  In Goa, if the option for the Roman script is provided in education, Konknni in the Devanagari script will collapse like the ‘Tower of Babel’!

q  Konknni in the Devanagari script is kept alive mainly due to the State and Central Governments grants and support. 

q  The Devanagari script does not enjoy people's support. 

q  Since the liberation of Goa in 1961, Konknni in the Devanagari script has not united the entire Hindu community. It is highly Marathicized and Sanskritized. Yet, the Hindu Community has not accepted it! The majority of the Hindu community which speaks Konknni has rejected Konknni written in the Devanagari script. Konknni in the Devanagari script has failed to unite the majority and minority communities of Goa and outside Goa.

q  The Catholics in Goa who read Konknni prefer to read it in the Roman script.

q  Hence written Konknni does not foster unity in Goa. It is the spoken Konknni which gives a sense of unity.

q  We live in a democratic country. People have a right and choice to continue to use a particular dialect and script of their choice. Article 29 of the Constitution of India says, “Protection of interests of minorities.- (1) Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same.” Dialects and scripts are emotional issues.

q  In democracy one group cannot impose their preferences on others. A language is far more important than its scripts. Scripts are only outer garments and vehicles of a language. A language is primary. Its script is secondary.

q  Those who insist with one script for Konknni should read the book Hindi Nationalism of Alok Rai. Its content is applicable to the situation of Konknni.

q  If we insist with one script for Konknni, such an option will not be accepted by the majority of Konknnis. Let a single script emerge gradually as language users’ free choice and not thrust upon by a fistful writers or self appointed ‘language protectors’.

q  The problems posed by the multiple scripts and varying dialects have come as an impediment in the efforts to unite Konknnis. The decision to use Devanagari as the official script and the Antruzi dialect has met with opposition both within Goa and outside. 

q  Even in Goa, where Konknni written in the Devanagari script is the Official Language, Konknni written in the Roman script is far more popular and widely accepted. If in Goa, where the official language is Konknni, people have not accepted one script for Konknni, then arguing for a single script for all Konknnis will be a utopian dream.

q  Critics contend that the Antruzi dialect is unintelligible to most Goans, let alone to other Konknnis. Antruzi in the Devanagari script is used very little as compared to the Roman script in Goa or the Kannada script in coastal Karnataka. Prominent among the critics are Konknni Catholics in Goa, who were at the forefront of the Konknni agitation in 1986–87 and have for a long time used the Roman script, including producing literature in the Roman script. They are demanding that the Roman script be given the official equal status side by side the Devanagari script.

q  The mutual animosity among the various religious and caste groups.

q  The literate Konknnis give a secondary status to their language and culture.

q  The preference among the literate Konknni parents to speak to their children in English at home because their children are studying in English medium.

q  Day by day the younger generation prefers to speak in English. In such a scenario for the survival of Konknni the multi-scripts usage which exists should be accepted and promoted. If one insists with one single script for Konknni the script will survive but the written Konknni will disappear.

q  The migration of Konknnis to various parts of India and around the world.

q  The multilingualism characteristic of Konknnis is not by itself a negative thing. But it has been misinterpreted as a sign that Konknni is not a developed language.

q  Among the Hindu communities Konknni exists mainly as a spoken language. Among the Catholic community, Konknni is diminishing as a spoken language in cities and towns. For them it continues to be a language of entertainment and religion. The Konknni speaking Muslim community day by day identifies itself with the Urdu language.

q  The greatest hurdle is that Konknnis do not take pride in their own language and culture. They easily give up their own language and ready to identify with the language which helps them for higher education, to earn their livelihood and to acquire the upward social mobility. The upward mobility has become the prestige symbol among the Konknnis.

 

Survival of Konknni:

q  Those who care for Konknni should be open to the ground reality and not be led by mere theoretical idealism regarding language, dialect, script, or regional chauvinism.

q  In democracy mutual respect and understanding for “unity in diversity or multiplicity” is necessary.

q  At present for the survival of Konknni multi-scripts is the only and best option. Any other option will gradually reduce Konknni to a mere a spoken language or eventually to a status of dead language.

q  Let various groups among Konknnis continue to use their respective dialects and scripts with dignity as equal citizens maintaining their identity and liberty.

q  As far as language, dialect, script are concerned the logical arguments fail to convince the language users. The language users go by the habit formation, the emotional attachment and practical aspects related to a particular dialect or script.

q  A Hasidic saying says, “The culture of the heart is greater than the culture of the mind”. For Konknnis, Konknni is the language of their heart.