But since English has been crowned as the universal language, our nation is prioritizing the language more than our own. Does that indicate that our language is becoming obscure and can have a bleak future?[break]
Four fervent young spirits – Suruchi Sharma, 18, enrolled at Kathmandu College of Management, Pratick Poudel, 18, studying at Kathmandu University, Prapti Gurung, 18, who recently completed her A-Level from Chelsea International Academy, and Lunibha Bajracharya, a journalism graduate from Kathmandu Model College – share their perspectives on this subject.
What language do you converse in the most in – your mother tongue, Nepali, or English? Why?
Suruchi: Well, I primarily communicate in Nepali but some English words inevitably come out. It’s Nepali because I’m surrounded by people who speak it, and English because that’s what we learn at school and I even prefer my movies, novels and music in English.
Pratick: Mostly, it’s my mother tongue Nepali because I’ve been speaking it from the time I was a child. However, I spew English in between my Nepali because that’s what I’ve been hearing and practicing as I grew up.
Prapti: Although my mother tongue is the Gurung language, I communicate in Nepali as I never really learnt the dialect while I was growing up but I communicate mostly in Nepal with a mixture of English because of the environment that I am exposed to.
Lunibha: Amongst my family members, I speak Newari, and among friends, the mixture of the two. I personally feel at ease when I speak Nepali and I utter English in between.
What’s your say on the society embracing English? Do you think Nepali language will be overshadowed because of English?
Suruchi: I think it’s a good thing because knowing how to read and write English has become indispensable in our society as it decides where you’re going to end up in life. Reputed schools and organizations groom you on the basis of your command over the English language.
Pratick: Globalization has brought many boons for an underdeveloped country like ours and being proficient in a foreign language like English is one of them. But what dismays me is how English is overshadowing our language. We’re supposed to preserve our language and also promote glocalization.
Prapti: It has benefited the society as we’re now competing as global citizens, but our language should also be given preference. If English starts getting greater preference, I am afraid our next generation might not even be able to speak proper Nepali.
Lunibha: English has become pivotal for competition in the international arena as students get exposure of not only studying here, but also being accepted in colleges abroad. But since we’re Nepali, we should also be creating the same amount of opportunities for our own language as well.
Is it only the language we’re embracing or the culture along with it? What impact does it have on youngsters?
Suruchi: The culture is coming along too. Our education system forces us to prioritize English, but the increasing influence is coming from westernization. Wearing daura suruwal and gunyo cholo except for some formal shows is considered to be hilarious, and if I am caught watching Nepali movies or listening to traditional songs, my friends label me as ‘pakhe’. You can guess the imprints that it has on young minds like mine.
Pratick: Culture is inevitably coming along with the language. A young person like me has to adapt to it because the whole town is going western with that entire extravaganza that western festivities bring, and not even a fraction of that luxury is seen on our local ones. You can guess what we’re supposed to instill from that.
Prapti: I’ve seen non-Christians exchanging gifts and greetings during Christmas. I don’t say it’s bad since our country is a secular nation, but to my amazement, they turn a blind eye and a deaf ear when people from the other caste and ethnic backgrounds celebrate their own local festivals.
Lunibha: We’re forgetting our roots and taking pleasures in all things foreign , and that does not yield a good sign.
Do you think that these influences will lead you to forgetting your culture altogether? Would you want that to happen?
Suruchi: I am afraid it might. Our education system is partly to blame for our disregard for our culture because we do not have enough courses in Nepali, so we do not keep ourselves abreast with reading and writing it. The government and citizens in towns should also care enough to promote our own culture because the locals are only being lured into what’s appealing in the west and getting drawn to it.
Pratick: The picture is shrill, but we should not let that happen. It’s good to be a part of the global village and respect everything, but it’s wrong to act like a westerner and abandon our language and culture altogether. We should spread awareness about the importance of our culture and prevent it from diminishing.
Prapti: I am not seeing good signs, but I don’t want our culture to die out altogether. It’s our identity and we should preserve it.
Lunibha: We shouldn’t be forgetting our culture in any condition because our culture is our origin and I will do my bit to preserve it among my family and friends at least.
If it was upto you, which language would you pursue you degree in?
Suruchi: I would still do it in English because I want to work for multinational companies in the future.
Pratick: I don’t mind doing it in Nepali provided people don’t look down on me because it’s my language, something that gives me immense pride.
Prapti: Well, I might opt for a Nepali course, too, because it’s so much better to stay in your home country and capitalize on opportunities here than going abroad and slaving.
Lunibha: I would love to do it in Nepali given that people don’t make scathing remarks and prejudice against me.
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