Linguistic Hegemony and Liberation
Pratapananda Naik, S.J.
12 July 2012
In the history of humankind, languages, dialects and
scripts are used not only for communication but also for domination,
manipulation and suppression of weaker groups. This is true also for Konknni.
Its scripts and dialects are at the crossroads.
Till
the arrival of the Portuguese we have no historical proof to say that Konknni
was used as a written language. The Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries were the
first one to write Konknni in Roman script. The first printing press in India was brought to St. Paul College,
at present day Old Goa by the Jesuit missionaries in 1556. Missionaries wrote
and printed a number of Konknni books in Roman script.
Prior to the liberation of Goa,
Hindu community and common folks of the Catholic community used Konknni for
oral communication. The Hindu community used Marathi for primary education, for
popular religion, accounts, written communication, theatre and other spheres of
their lives. The elite of the Catholic community used Portuguese at home and
for education. They used Konknni to converse with the Hindus and common folks
of the Catholic community who did not know Portuguese language. Portuguese
language was considered the language of the cultured people. The elite group of
the minority community looked down upon Konknni as a language of the servants
and socio-economically backward common people. Konknni in Roman script was used
for popular religious practices and for mass media. Konknni written in Devanagari
script hardly existed during this period. It had practically no influence over
the members of the Hindu community. Marathi enjoyed the privileged position
among the Hindu community. Due to this the Hindu community identified Marathi
as their intellectual and cultural language. However there was no animosity or
rivalry among the users of these three languages, namely, Konknni, Marathi and
Portuguese. These three languages coexisted with unity and harmony.
After 1965, due
to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church all over the
world replaced Latin by local languages for the religious domain. Due to this, in Goa
too the Church actively promoted religious services in Konknni. Church
contributed to standardize Konknni in Roman script, which had its roots in
sixteenth century. Let us call this dialect as Bardeshi. After the liberation
of Goa, Konknni language suffered a number of
setbacks. This happened due to partly lack of vision and leadership on the part
of the minority community and partly due to the manipulative tactics used by
self-proclaimed protectors of Konknni. After the liberation of Goa the elite Catholic community switched over to
English.
After
the liberation of Goa Catholic schools introduced Konknni in Devanagari script
as a third language in their schools. The Devanagari proponents succeeded to
convince a few leaders of the Catholic community that the Devanagari script is
the ‘natural script’ of Konknni and it is related to our nationalism and
patriotism! Majority of the students were from the Catholic community. They
were familiar with the Roman script and Bardeshi dialect due to religious
literature and mass media. But Bardeshi dialect was not taught in schools. A
different dialect called Antruji was thrust upon them in the name of Konknni
and nationalism. Students of Catholic community who had opted for Konknni had
no real option. They were not familiar with Marathi. Besides they never
identified with Marathi as their language. Between Marathi and Konknni they were
forced to take Konknni in Devanagari script. Students learnt Konknni not out of
conviction or love of Konknni but out of sheer compulsion. Therefore, they
never took interest in keeping up the language they learnt. Once they finished
their education they gave up reading and writing Konknni in Devanagari script!
This situation created a strong feeling of dislike towards Konknni in
Devanagari script among the Catholic community. In Goa
from fifth standard onwards the medium of instruction is English. Hence Students
use English as their normal language of conversation both inside the school
premises and outside. For the Catholic students the dialect and script which
they are familiar with are not taught in schools. Due to this they develop the
dislike to their own mother tongue and instead of using it for oral
communication they prefer to use English for all domains of their lives!
If
the textbooks had included the Konknni dialect of the majority community and
Bardeshi dialect of the Catholic community this unhealthy tension could have
been avoided and a healthy blending of two dialects would have helped to
promote a new standard dialect of Konknni in Goa.
Dialects and scripts are emotional issues. Language is far more important than
its scripts. Unfortunately among a section of Konknnis (Konknni speakers)
Konknni language was identified with the Devanagari script and with a
particular dialect called Antruji!
Roman script
readers and writers who preserved, promoted Konknni and fought for it to become
the Official Language of Goa have become second-class citizens in Goa itself! Anyone who supports or demands equal status
to Konknni in the Official Language Act (OLA) 1987 is considered a ‘promoter of
disunity’ and so on by the Devanagari proponents.
Vast majority of Catholics
wrongly think that Marathi is the language of Maharashtra
and of Hindus. Local Hindus do speak Konknni but identify with Marathi as the
language of the religion and culture. Roman script is considered as foreign and
Devanagari as the ‘natural’ script. This misconception prevails because
language and script are associated with a particular religion. Both Christian
and Hindu communities have not totally identified with written Konknni in any
script. Due to this language suffers. In
the OLA, if the definition of Konknni was avoided, then both the scripts would
have flourished side by side. Here the Devanagari proponents put the fear in
the mind of the Catholic leaders that if they demand for Roman script, Marathi
would become the official language. Without becoming the official language,
Marathi gets practically all the privileges which Konknni in Devanagari script
enjoys in the OLA. In this language politics, Roman script was kept out of the
OLA. Devanagari protagonists accuse Roman script supporters saying that after
many years they are awakened and now demand a share in grants and awards. One
could counteract this argument by saying, “What is wrong in democracy to demand
equal share in grants, honour and awards?” In Goa,
Roman and Devanagari scripts are used to read and write Konknni. They represent
two different standard dialects of Konknni. They could be compared to two
wheels of a cart. For the survival of Konknni in Goa
they are essential. There cannot be true equality and harmony among the users
of these two groups without justice. Justice will be given by amending the OLA
to include Konknni written in Roman script. Let these two groups live in Goa with dignity as equal citizens maintaining their
identity and liberty. Konknni without the Roman script and the Bardeshi dialect
will lose its separate identity and simplicity.
The supporters of Roman
script want not just monetary benefits. They demand equal citizenship right for
their dialect and script. They do not ask for charity but for equality and
justice. In democracy, there will not be peace and unity as long as injustice
prevails and one group wants to dominate others and suppress their voice.
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