Ashamed of Speaking in Konkani

Avita Gonsalves / English has overshadowed Konkani as the mother tongue of all Goans. Konkani speaking can evoke shame in the presence of English speaking persons. But then, not all forms of Konkani are equal either, so some Konkani dialects stimulate shame in the speaker as compared to others because they indicate the social status of the speaker. This essay leads us to ask if the excessive public drive to create a standardized Konkani in schools and the University would itself defeat the purpose of language preservation by shaming and casting out the multitude of dialects the language has enjoyed.

Konkani is Goa’s official state language, yet many Goans, especially the youth, feel ashamed to speak it. If asked why, they might reply, “I love my mother tongue but I am not free to speak it. There is no rule that stops us from speaking Konkani, but our life situation is such that we are made to feel inferior about ourselves when we speak it.”

We proudly say that Konkani is the mother tongue of Goans, but today we see many among us who do not respect our language. As a matter of fact, our mother tongue has had to face many difficulties over the centuries. For example, the Portuguese for a while tried to suppress Konkani through various edicts, at one point even mandating the use of their language not just for official purposes but even in everyday conversations, including speaking at home or in bazaars. Later, the elite of Goan society continued to speak in Portuguese and used Konkani only to communicate with their servants. They felt ashamed to use it in public places, and now in modern times the shame has spread to all of us.

The Hindus of Goa have been using Marathi as a language of religious ceremonies for a long time. The interaction between Marathi and Konkani speakers in the past had resulted in Konkani speakers becoming bilingual, thus cementing the status of Marathi as the liturgical and literary language of Goan Hindus. Similarly, upper class bilingual Christians used Portuguese at social gatherings and at home to communicate with each other, but used Konkani only to communicate with the lower classes and the poor. The use of Portuguese led to its influence on Konkani, especially in the dialects spoken by the Christians.

Goa was liberated on 19 December 1961, after 450 years of Portuguese rule; Goa thus achieved freedom and became a part of our motherland, India. Though 50 years have passed since then, and Konkani has been declared to be our official state language, many people still hesitate to speak Konkani publicly, and speak English instead. This helps explain why, while Goa is a quite multicultural state and many languages are spoken here, we see more and more of English being spoken in public as time goes by. English has become a trend among children, among young adults, and even among older people.

This study will look at the attitude of the youth towards Konkani. The purpose is to explore what role shame plays in language use and examine how shame is associated with pride. It will also focus on other reasons why Konkani is neglected in public places. For this purpose, I have interviewed young men and women between 17 and 24 years of age from colleges across Goa and in particular those who are students of Goa University.

Language and shame

Language forms a very important part of life as a means of expression, interaction, and communication. It lives in our subconscious and acts as a link between speakers, making understanding possible. To Malinowski, language “is the necessary means of communication; it is the one indispensable instrument for creating the ties of the moment without which unified social action is impossible.” (1)

Chaklader says “Language facilitates the formation and communication of ideas. Languages arise and develop with the rise and development of society; they embody within themselves all the advances in thought of all people present and past. Language is the repository of human thought and action.” (2)

Language also serves as a marker of identity. According to Watahomigie, a Native American educator, “It is said that when the languages were created, language identified the people – who we are, where we came from, and where we are going.” (3) Trudgill says “Our accent and our speech generally show what part of the country and what background we come from. The way we speak may also give some indication of our ideas and attitude”. (4) Every society has a ‘mother tongue’ or regional language that marks its identity. Our mother tongue Konkani is the language of our comfort; it is our native language, a language normally learned by our children from infancy, which passes from one generation to the next. Watahomigie refers to the native language as a gift. “When you are given a gift – especially one that is alive – it must be cherished, nurtured and treated with respect to honour the giver.” (5)

Konkani is widely spoken in India’s western coastal region known as the Konkan, which consists of the coastal parts of Maharashtra, all of Goa, coastal Karnataka (Canara) and some pockets farther south in Kerala. Each region has a different dialect, pronunciation style, and vocabulary, and sometimes significant differences in grammar. The 1991 census identified 1,760,607 Konkani speakers in India, making up 0.21 percent of India’s population. Out of these, 602,606 were in Goa, 706,397 in Karnataka, 312,618 in Maharashtra and 64,008 in Kerala. In strength it ranks 15th in the list of Scheduled Languages.

Although Konkani is the primary spoken language in Goa, very few educated youth choose to speak it.

Despite its strength, Konkani has fallen under the shadow of English, the most prestigious and frequently used language all over the world, and one which is rapidly overtaking all other languages; it has often been referred to as a ‘global language’, the lingua franca of the modern era. English is currently the language most often taught as a second language around the world; it is widely taught in Goa. Some linguists believe that it is no longer the exclusive cultural sign of ‘native English speakers,’ but is rather a language that is absorbing aspects of cultures worldwide as it continues to grow. English is viewed as a language of opportunity and social mobility; Goa is one such state where English is extensively used for these two purposes.

Thus, although Konkani is the primary spoken language in Goa, very few educated youth choose to speak it. English has taken a prominent place in their lives and in ours, to the extent that people feel ashamed to speak in their own language.

Shame is a dejection-based emotion involving feelings of helplessness, depression, and a desire to hide or move out of the other’s view. In shame we judge ourselves by the opinion of others. (6) The emotion arises from self-monitoring, where we imagine how we appear to another person, and also imagine how the other person judges the way we appear. In our imagining, we share and accept the adverse judgement of other minds. (7)

Shame has an important role to play in language. Research carried out in urban Multan in Pakistan on the Siraiki language, which is quickly losing its importance, found that shame is a major cause of language desertion. (8) Parents encourage their children to speak in English, thus denying the mother tongue, because of the shame that the parents themselves had experienced in their own life owing to an inability to speak English. As a result, their children grow up with feelings of rejection and inadequacy towards their own language.

Self-perceived social status is considered a crucial factor in language maintenance or language shift. Language shift is the process whereby the heritage language is not passed smoothly and effectively from one generation to the next, resulting in fewer ‘speakers, readers, writers, and even understandings’ in every succeeding generation. (9)

Findings

When I asked one respondent about the language of his comfort, he said, “I feel most comfortable in speaking Konkani. I am able to express myself better in this language as it is my mother tongue.” Another respondent replied similarly, “I feel comfortable with Konkani. I do not hesitate to speak it. It is the language I speak with my friends, family, and all near and dear ones.”

When travelling by bus, three boys behind me were chatting in Konkani, and continued to do so for quite some time until a girl got on board; the boys then suddenly switched from Konkani to English.

I tried to find out where Konkani is used by observing various situations. Right from the morning breakfast table to going to bed at night, Konkani is spoken in most of Goa’s households. A child tells its mother it is hungry in Konkani. In the morning when we go to buy milk and bread we speak Konkani, and at the market, bus stops, canteen, everywhere we hear Konkani. However, people often switch to English in public places to create a good impression about themselves.

Once, when travelling by bus, I sat on the second-last seat; three boys behind me were chatting in Konkani, and continued to do so for quite some time until a girl got on board; the boys then suddenly switched from Konkani to English. I wondered what made them do this, and then reasoned that they felt the girl would be impressed if she heard them speaking in English.

When I went to college, I met a girl who usually did not speak in Konkani. Even when forced to speak it among close friends, she had a different, strange accent. I got the impression that she had either avoided learning to speak the language or was reluctant to speak it. She spoke to her friends and to all those around her only in English; she also told me she spoke English at home. I never doubted this until a friend who was her neighbour told me that the girl spoke Konkani at home and knew Konkani well, but was ashamed to speak it in public. I later came to know that she believed that ‘not knowing’ Konkani would create a good impression. She wanted to raise her status by speaking only English.

I also observed that girls from various states living in the college hostel were very comfortable in their own languages, and spoke to each other in their language. But I found that most Goan girls staying in the hostel spoke to other Goans in English, although all of them knew Konkani. One factor that merits attention here is that Goa is more westernized then other Indian states and Goans have taken more readily to the English language. This could help explain why people of other states are seen to be comfortable in their own mother tongue, but some young Goans try their best to appear westernized and speak English in public.

Ashley, a student from Cuncolim training at the NUSI Maritime Academy, exemplifies this attitude. On the one hand, when asked whether he hesitates to speak in Konkani, he says, “Hanv Konkani uloitam, Konkani uloupak kiteak lozpak zai? (I speak in Konkani, why should I feel shy to speak in Konkani?)” On the other hand, he points out that Goa is slowly becoming a westernized state; everybody wants to be modern, he says, so they adopt English to impress others. He says that he too uses English to communicate with someone he meets for the first time, as ‘it would look odd to speak to that person in Konkani.’ “Hanv Konkani uloilear, xiklonaslolo distolo (If I speak in Konkani [the first time], he will think I am uneducated),” he says. Despite this, Ashley asserts that it is not a particular language that gives one status or identity, but a person’s attitude, his behavior, how he appears to others, the way he speaks; these are among other things that give someone a personality or an identity. It may be through any language, English or Konkani.

Ashley represents those youth today who say that we should not hesitate to speak in Konkani and that no language is either superior or inferior. But in reality there is always the fear present in their minds – that speaking Konkani will diminish their standing with others.

“I feel ashamed when I speak in Konkani and the other person replies in English. I avoid this situation by beginning to speak first in English.”

Sheena, who is bilingual, says, “I speak in English though I am comfortable in Konkani. I feel ashamed when I speak in Konkani and the other person replies in English. I avoid this situation by beginning to speak first in English.” She mentioned many occasions when she had to think of which language she should use in the conversation. She had a friend who used to intersperse English in between Konkani. When speaking to that friend, only one thought would come to Sheena’s mind: “I also know English, but why am I speaking in Konkani, which makes me feel ashamed of myself?”

According to Sheena, another girl from her village speaks Konkani at home but English outside. Sheena says, “This girl is just too much! Even in church for somudai (Christian community meetings) where usually the old people come, she speaks English. Every other person there speaks Konkani and the programme itself is conducted in Konkani. Even while reading the Bible or some religious book which is in Konkani, she will use an anglicized accent to her Konkani. People do not like it as the Word of God should be imparted respectfully. People would say that she is showing off, it was her pride on display.”

Sheena remembered yet another girl, Pinky, who always spoke in Konkani, reserving English for particular situations. When it came to asking a friend about her own appearance, or when looking for appreciation, she would do so in English, saying “how I am looking?” or “how is my lipstick?” This made Sheena wonder why she spoke in English in such situations, but used Konkani when it came to gossiping. Sheena feels that Pinky was linking English to modernity. By speaking English she wanted to show that she was modern in her outlook and therefore entitled to use lipstick which would give her a modern look.

Sheena points out that in other states like Bengal and UP, students are encouraged to answer their exams or complete their studies in their mother tongue. “Why is it only in Goa that this is not allowed?” she wants to know. She thinks it is because Goa is the only state where people speak more English than their own language. “Khuinch voch ― English! English! English! Konkani nach! (Wherever you go, you find English. Konkani is nowhere!) In this situation how can I think of speaking Konkani? People fight for the preservation of Konkani but what is the use? They speak Konkani only ‘randche’kuddint’ (in the kitchen) and encourage their children to speak in English.”

Though Sheena is most comfortable in Konkani, she feels inferior when she hears others speaking in English. She feels that English gives one a ‘modern look;’ she also feels that people speak in English because they are ‘too much,’ they are too proud of themselves. In feeling this way, she forgets that, more than their pride, it is her shame that makes her feel inferior. The people whom she considers as proud and ‘too much’ are also ashamed of their own language and hence shift to English. Shame and pride go hand in hand.

Shame and pride

In an earlier age people in Goa used to speak freely in Konkani no matter what and where they were. But now the situation has changed. Education has altered the mindset of the younger generation and brought about certain changes in their likes and dislikes. One of the changes is that many among the youth now feel that Konkani is more of a local language.

Like Ashley, 21-year-old Savio too is training at a maritime academy. He is very ‘cool’ and has made many new friends there. Many of his fellow students come from states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, and he speaks English with them. Savio says that after coming to the academy he realized the importance of his mother tongue. He too noticed, as I had earlier done at my college hostel, that students from other states do not hesitate to speak in their mother tongues ― Malayalam and Tamil. He too feels that it is only in Goa that people hesitate to speak their mother tongue. After coming here he tried to look into his past, and remembered his college days. He was a popular guy in class and with the girls. He spoke mostly in English, even in public. If a beautiful girl passed by, he along with his friends would speak in English. However, at home with close friends he would speak in Konkani. Now he realized that he was just trying to create a good impression of himself when he spoke in English; he felt it helped to create a space for himself among the others. He realized that at that time he was actually ashamed of speaking Konkani and by speaking English he was hiding his shame.

The other contestants delivered their speeches in English and Minisha was the only one who spoke in Konkani. The same professor praised the students who spoke in English but nobody appreciated her effort.

Minisha completed her primary classes in Konkani ― hers was the first school in Porvorim to use Konkani as the medium of instruction. She speaks Konkani at home. After finishing high school, she joined Dempe College in Miramar. She was an Arts student and had taken Logic as a subject. As this subject was very tough there were few takers. So their professor decided to invite all those who scored 60 percent and above to take up Logic. When his students still were not speaking up in class, he gave them a good lecture, saying that we should not hesitate to speak in any language as all languages are equal, that there is no superior or inferior language, and there should be no barrier to the use of a particular language. Minisha was very enlightened and impressed with his talk. Some days later, when a speech competition was held, Minisha decided to give her speech in Konkani, happy that she had such a great opportunity to speak in her language. Finally the day of the competition arrived; the other contestants delivered their speeches in English and Minisha was the only one who spoke in Konkani. The same professor praised the students who spoke in English but nobody appreciated her effort. She was greatly upset and from that day on she decided to think twice before doing such things. Minisha says, “People just say big big things, but in practice they do not support them.” For her, both Konkani and English are a matter of shame. She is afraid ― if her Konkani is not good, people will criticize her, as her father is a Konkani writer.

Here we see that one respondent feels that shame is associated with the Konkani language while the other feels that shame is associated with both Konkani and English. We also see how shame is associated with pride. Savio said that he was ashamed of Konkani and by speaking English; he was trying to hide his shame.

One student said, “I am an MFS (Master of Financial Services) student and our profession is in English.” Then he proudly added, “My friends mostly speak in English. It will not suit me to speak in Konkani with my friends, in public places.”

I observed that students who are doing their degree in Konkani literature are embarrassed by the others derogatorily saying, “What literature are you learning in Konkani? Konkani needs to be learnt?” They feel ashamed and in order to hide their shame they tell others that they are doing their degree in Arts. They hesitate to say they are studying Konkani.

Here we can see how shame and pride arise: students taking professional courses such as MFS and MBA think that speaking Konkani will lower their standing with others; so English is a status symbol for them.
One of my respondents narrated an incident where he was humiliated for speaking in Konkani. He went to a high school where the boarding headmaster always strolled up and down the corridors with a book in one hand and a cane in the other. “We were not allowed to speak in Konkani and those who were caught were given a caning,” he said. “Father ― was a lefty. As soon as someone was caught, he would ask him to stretch out his hand and would then cane the student according to his mood. He mostly gave one stroke on each hand but if you moved your hand away and he missed his shot, he would beat you everywhere.”

“I do not see the purpose in preventing students from talking in their mother tongue, even if the intent is to help them improve their English fluency.”

“I was caught speaking Konkani only once,” my respondent continued. “At around 8.00 pm, we were chatting in Konkani at the urinals, which were quite far away from the main corridors. I never expected Father ― to come to that spot but there he was like a devil standing before us, his spectacles shining with the reflection of the light bulb. He looked at us and said come on ― come, show me your hand. He gave two strokes on my friend’s hand but gave me only one, maybe because I was caught for the first time.”

I do not see the purpose in preventing students from talking in their mother tongue, even if the intent is to help them improve their English fluency. In my opinion, such incidents give rise to a reluctance to use the mother tongue as a medium of communication in public places.

Dialects of Konkani

Although, as we have seen, the 1991 census showed that around 600,000 people speak Konkani in Goa, they do not speak a standardized Konkani but any one of a number of dialects. The dialect tree structure of Konkani can easily be classified according to region, religion, caste, and local influence. These different dialects of Konkani have created problems for its speakers, especially among the youth. People in society consider certain dialects to be superior and others to be inferior and this stops many young people from speaking Konkani.

Rajesh is 18 years old and belongs to a Hindu family. His parents are government servants. He completed his primary education in English and is now studying for a Commerce degree in Margao. At home he speaks Konkani as well as Marathi, especially with his father, but when he is with his peers he speaks in English. He says his friends converse in English, so he feels ashamed to converse in Konkani. According to him, even though they know Konkani, they feel that they should speak in English at college with friends. He feels embarrassed to speak Konkani especially because of his dialect, which at times creates awkward situations for him among his friends.

She said her friends mock her, saying “Khuim ailam go, tiatrak?” meaning, “Where do you think you are, at a tiatr?”

“I feel ashamed to speak in Konkani,” says one girl who feels that whenever she speaks in Konkani her dialect sounds like that which is used in Konkani dramas popularly called ‘Tiatr’. She said her friends mock her, saying “Khuim ailam go, tiatrak?” meaning, “Where do you think you are, at a tiatr?” To avoid comments of this kind, she prefers speaking in English.

Sweta is studying for a degree in Science, and resides in Quepem. She says she likes Konkani, that everybody likes Konkani, they all speak in Konkani at home with close friends, and Konkani just cannot be removed from their lives. She says that when she is at home and in her village, she speaks in Konkani but when she moves out to the cities, she prefers to speak in English. She feels that Konkani has become more of a home language. According to her, Konkani is not a standard language as some of the words used ‘lack manners’. She is also believes that fluency in English improves one’s job prospects, especially if one wants to work outside the state.

Priya is 21 and is completing her higher education; she lives in Vasco, and speaks Konkani at home. As a matter of practice she looks at people first and then decides whether to speak to them in Konkani, English, or Hindi. Priya likes to speak in Konkani but some situations stop her from speaking the language; then she prefers to speak mostly in English as she believes that Konkani is seen as a lower language. She says that now, when even a school-going child speaks good English, it will be a shame for her to speak Konkani. Her male friend Sunny, who is a Catholic, speaks in English with her all the time. He used to irritate her, saying “You people are not modern at all, you don’t know to speak fluent English. Look at us! We are modern, we are as good as the foreigners. You Hindu people will never change.” She used to feel like giving him a tight slap whenever he used to say that. She said he speaks Konkani at home but in public pretends he does not know Konkani at all. She thinks it is more common among Catholic people to prefer to speak in English. “Some people do not know to speak in English but just speak it to show off,” Priya says. “They like to imitate others, forgetting their real selves.”

Conclusion

I was happy to hear from my respondents that they believe that the Konkani language is linked to Goa’s identity. However, the modern influences of English in the media, in technology, and in schooling are taking their toll in all spheres of life, for whenever another language increases its dominance, the chances increase that it will replace the mother tongue.

Though everybody likes Konkani, English has acquired such a prominent place in our life that it just cannot be ignored; the language has become trendy especially among the young. One important reason why people favour English is that it opens up greater job opportunities; applicants are more likely to get a better job if they are qualified in English.

Further, English is seen as a standard language. People feel that by speaking English, they look cool and smart; it raises their status in society. The power that English has acquired stops people from speaking in Konkani. There is no rule that one should stop speaking in Konkani but many situations make people feel inferior to themselves when they speak in this language. Even if they want to speak, they cannot, as the fear is always inside them.

People feel that by speaking English, they look cool and smart; it raises their status in society.

Thus, I feel that the reason people hesitate to speak in Konkani is that they are ashamed. They consider Konkani as something odd that will lower their status among others. So they switch to English, which gives them pride. Pride and shame thus go together; as Cooley says, “Shame and pride both arose from self monitoring.” (10) People feel that they will get pride or status if they speak English and thus will be able to hide their shame. “The thing that moves us to pride or shame is not mere mechanical reflection of ourselves, but an imputed sentiment, the imagined effect of this reflection upon another mind.” (11)

Shame grows. The more self conscious we become, or the more literate and educated we become, the more the fear of shame enters our mind. We give others a chance to judge our thoughts and this is the time shame arises. Shame is prevalent everywhere but it does not mean we have to be under its control; rather, we should go forward toward achievements.

People from different religious backgrounds also differ in matters of language. Hindus say that Catholics like to imitate others, and that Catholics consider themselves to be like foreigners. They also say Catholics like to show off; that they will speak English in front of others in order to appear different, but at home they speak Konkani. In addition to this, many Goans migrate outside Goa; many Goan Catholics community people prefer to go abroad as seamen, and they need to know English in order to be recruited. Also, because most of the Catholics were strongly influenced by the Portuguese during the colonial era, they continue to be perceive themselves as different and westernized.

Shame is also associated with dialect. In Konkani, there are many dialects. Among these some are perceived as superior or inferior, which makes people hesitant to speak in their dialect. One view is that there is no superior or inferior dialect; but when it comes to standardization of language the dialect which Hindus speak is considered ‘superior Konkani’ and hence the speakers of other dialects turn to English.

Apart from shame as a factor for the negligence of Konkani we see that Konkani is on the back foot also because most of our educational institutions emphasize the use of English. In schools students are often admonished if they speak in Konkani. This makes them feel that Konkani is inferior to English and thus they refuse to speak in Konkani. It is being conditioned in their minds that English is a must and it is okay not to speak Konkani.

This factor is very acute because the consequence has been that all sections across the state of Goa –public and private spheres –are driven to use English rather than Konkani. The extent to which Konkani is neglected can be seen on the signboards and information bulletins for public utilities, which are in English.

Konkani needs to be preserved in our day–to–day life. We should not hesitate to speak it. Whatever the dialect, we should speak it with confidence. If we start thinking that “my dialect is not good” or “your dialect is not good,” the day will come when we will lose our identity altogether.

I also find that people who do not know English still try to speak it. They speak with their children in this broken English language. As a result, children speak neither proper Konkani nor proper English. I think after some years a new language will come into existence that will be a mixture of many languages and different dialects. So should we anticipate and celebrate this ‘hybrid language’―Konklish?

Notes

1. Snehamoy Chaklader, 1990. Sociolinguistics: A Guide to Language Problems in India. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. p. 18.
2. Ibid.
3. T.L McCarty, Mary Eunice Romero, and Ofelia Zepeda.  2006. Reclaiming the Gift, American Indian Quarterly. Vol. 30, No. 1 & 2. pp 28-48.
4. Peter Trudgill, 1974. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, Penguin Books Ltd. UK.
5. McCarty et al, op. cit., p. 29
6. Damhuis, Ferguson, Stegge; 1991 Ferguson, TJ, Stegge, H & Damhuis, I. (1991). Children’s understanding of guilt and shame in Child Development.
7. Charles H. Cooley, 1992. Human Nature and the Social Order. New York. Scribner’s pp 184-185, as appears in Thomas Scheff, 2000. Shame and the Social Bond: A Sociological Theory, American Sociological Association. Vol. 18, No. 1, p 88. 
8. Asif, Saiqa Imtiaz, 2005. Shame: A Major Cause of Language Desertion, Journal of Research. Faculty of Language and Islamic Studies, Zakariya University, Vol. 8, Multan, pp 1-13.
9. Joshua, A. Fishman. 1991. Reversing language shift: Theoretical and empirical foundations of assistance to threatened languages. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters. p. 1 as quoted in T.L. McCarty et al, op. cit. p. 32.
10. Charles H. Cooley, 1992. Human Nature and the Social Order. New York. Scribner’s as quoted by Thomas Scheff, 2000. op. cit. p 87.
11. Ibid: 88.

Additional references

• ††Dantas, Norman, 1999. The Transforming of Goa, Other India Press, Mapusa, Goa.
• Kelekar, Ravindra, 1998. Goals and Strategies of Development of Indian Languages, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore.

Avita Gonsalves is a lecturer, nature lover, homemaker and a Goan. She is from a small, beautiful village, Molcornem. After finishing her graduation she pursued a master’s degree in Sociology where she grew, not only as a student, but also as a ‘true Goemkar’. Her passion is teaching as it helps her exchange views with her students in an easy manner, which she hopes will make the world a better place. She is a hard worker and believes that life is a learning process until the end, as nobody can ever be a ‘master’ with just a degree.

Attribution

Ashamed of Speaking in Konkani, Avita Gonsalves. 2009. An edited version of the master’s dissertation project at the Department of Sociology, Goa University. The work is licensed under the Creative Commons, copyright with individual author. Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License.