Punjabi Maboli Zindabad!
Early last month, UNESCO ’supposedly’ released a report that said Punjabi will become extinct in the next 50 years. Soon our one-man PR campaigners (we have many in our community) came to the forefront. In the lead was Kuldip Nayar, who said:
“I have gone through a report prepared by Unesco which says the Punjabi language will disappear from the world in 50 years. It shocked me. I am out to save Punjabi language and culture… Our roots, Punjabi language and culture, are decaying and none in Punjab is worried about it,” he said, adding, “I have been to Pakistan and people there also feel their new generation feels hesitant to converse in Punjabi.” [link]
Ranked in the top 20 most spoken languages in the world, it created quite a sensation to believe that within 50 years the Punjabi language would go extinct. However, some ACTUAL journalists that took the time to delve into the subject without jumping on the hysteria-bandwagon found that no UNESCO report ever existed. So I guess it begs the question, what was Kuldip Nayar reading when he said he ‘[went] through the report’? What was he reading that ’shocked’ him?
So while Punjabi does not seem to be endangered for the time being, it is under severe threat due to Punjabi Sikhs’ own lackadaisical treatment of it, as well as it not being a language of commerce. The World Sikh News report has some fine suggestions for its preservations. One of our own langa(w)riters had their own take as well.
So as we get ready for the weekend, I celebrate my maboli as a universal language. Punjabi Maboli Zindabad! Chak De!
6 Responses to “Punjabi Maboli Zindabad!”
By Harinder on Apr 25, 2008 at 7:25 am | Quote
One solution to have a Punjabi language not only surviving but thriving on this planet is to do following things for a begining.
1 ) Each Sikh/Punjabi in his life time to translate one book from any where in this world into Punjabi language .
It will also require invention of new Punjabi words for which a central core group with a web site can be set up at a Punjabi Univ.
This will require not more than 15 minutes each day for 10 years of every PUNJABI.
Punjabi univ can then award the best translated book.
After all we are we not people of “BOOKS”
By ItsMe on Apr 25, 2008 at 8:57 am | Quote
Harinder Singh before we can even take that step we need to be able teach our youth hell even ourselves (especially myself) how to read\write Punjabi, but more so speak it.
From my vantage point my nieces and nephews those born to parents who predominantly were either raised in the wester or even born here cannot speak Punjabi to save their life. They understand some of it but even the basics aren’t there. Though I can say my nieces and nephews whose parents came from India either in their late teens or even 20 are able to speak Punjabi but may never read\write it. Its not a blame thing but its just happens naturally Punjabi is spoken in one household more so than another.
My Wife and I were discussing this last night that our Punjabi speaking skills since moving to the States has gone down the tubes. Since moving and living in Socal we don’t speak it very often except amongst ourselves and sometimes around family, but even they tend to converse in English. When you don’t use something you lose it when you never learn it you don’t even realize your missing out losing something.
By kprincess on Apr 25, 2008 at 4:30 pm | Quote
We only communicate in punjabi to the little ones in our family. I don’t think punjabi will ever disappear. As long as there’s Bhangra, there will be Punjabi.
From my own conversations, I’ve seen that some people in India attempt to speak Hindi/English or non-pendu Punjabi to be considered more educated. But I haven’t seen that to be the case in the states, at least in CA. Most of the people I know how to speak Punjabi or at least try to.
By Bhupinder Singh on Apr 26, 2008 at 1:03 am | Quote
Dear All,
We need to improve ourself, our language our personality our faiths our daily Nitname, it should be a part of daily routeen.
W.G.K.K
W.G.K.F.
By Sonalee on Nov 5, 2008 at 2:25 am | Quote
it is quit nice and intresting i like it so carry on