Monday, January 30, 2006

Learning Hindi


This topic has been discussed a few times in my yahoo group and things come around in cycles its back to the same thing...

Learning Hindi...

I have made no attempt to seek outside help with learning, because well for one very good reason and that is my husband speaks hindi I should not need to go outside the home and pay someone.

I have made small efforts along the way and although my enthusiasm waivers I feel my husband is no supportive at all.

On numerous occasions I have asked him the "hindi word " for something and as u do when learning a language you learn by repition, so I ask my husband to repeat it again and again so I can HEAR the word. after about 4 attempts he looses interest or worse shuts me down with a
"Your not doing it right" and thus the lesson usually comes to an abrupt end.

He did use to teach me odd words when we were in the car, but that stopped after we came back from India.. I dont know if my using some words in India has anything to do with it..
maybe people were laughing at me ? Maybe I sounded stupid ?

or maybe he doesnt want me to learn?

Every other Indian/Western couple I know do not have this problem,

their husbands bring hindi movies into the home and teach them hindi.. my husband refuses to admit that hindi films now come with english subtitiles.. (his exscuse was I wouldn't understand them )

I even bought myself a Hindi Language CD... I practiced and practiced built up enough confidence to try it out on my husband.. and all he said was " people will laugh the hindi is too formal"

so I stopped learning it..... Even if I do pick up words, i dont think I will ever be given enough confidence to speak it without any support.

My husband is even developing a translation program and didnt do a Hindi sample version until he needed it for someone else. He could make me my own program with ease.

So what's going on ? am I missing something ?

4 comments:

voixd'ange said...

You got me. I had a similar problem with my Ex husband. Being from Kerala, he spoke Malayalam. When our sons were
born I begged him repeatedly to speak to them in Malayalam so that they could learn his language. He refused. Years later he confessed that he was afraid that they would speak English with an accent if he taught them Malayalam...Now they are grown and barely know a word of it, much to their regret. It still makes me angry to think about it.

Yes, Indian films most certainly come with English subtitles. I should know, I own Devdas, Dil Se, Veer - Zaara, Shakti and Legan - and I have every intention of buying every film with Shah Rukh Khan I can get my hands on. What a hottie! (Maybe that's what your hubbie is really afraid of! ha ha)

Nishu said...

oh my god!! This is seriously an issue!!

beleive me, when foreigners speak hindi, they do it in such a graceful manner that for a moment we, indians, fall in love with their voice!! They sound so cute with that innocence of baby which is really astonishing! U can ask ur hubby about this!!

U must have noticed how parents enjoy that moment when a small baby starts speaking...its full of innocence. The zeal in it, to explore the things, creates a shining aura around it, which actualy engulfs the parents mind, heart n soul to undefined happiness.

U know, even when tamilians, malyalais or kannadigas speak hindi, it sound cute. Thou' ppl sometimes need refinements so that they dont sound vulgar but the inherent cuteness always remains as it is..

whereever i'll go, i'll make sure that my coming generation knows hindi. Its among those language which has scientific backing and the grace to distinguish between elders n juniors. It can be modified to many varients n accents unlike many other languages!

And above all, u can make frens more often if u talk in hindi..its very causal language in the whole world. My managers prefer to converse in hindi among themselves!!
Well, i will say, Learn it, watch movies,try to talk in hindi to ur hubby and soon or later u'll learn it. U can use english to hindi dictionary also. And above all, it makes ur accent neutral! Indians speak english with neutral accent!

yum said...

Is it he who wanted you to learn hindi or your own interest?

It doesnt sound to me as though he thinks it important or doesnt want to invest the time in it. Maybe he doesnt have patience for it, or maybe he doesnt know how to go abt teaching(my hub cant teach either). Maybe he feels embarrased or self conscious for some reason. I dont understand why he doesnt want you to see the movies. That seems odd. and yes, they do have subtitles. But I dont think one can learn much that way.

Personally, I think its very unlikely to be able to learn enough of a language without actually being around speakers of that language on a regular basis(2+ way speakers, not just ur husband).

Oh, Nishu has a point... It is cute to hear people speak with an accent.

Keshi said...

I myseld dunno Hindi..but I dun need to learn it :)

Good luck to u!

Keshi.