Thanks Ram for clarifying the point. I will write to Santinel first as a response to KJD's letter published there so that Sentinel readers donot get a distorted view. In time, I will also probably write in Assamese may be in Prantik.
However to clarify the point further, I do not see anything wrong in discussing issues related to Assam or Assamese language in English. The problem comes only when we do the deliberations under the name of Oxom Xahityo Xobha. I actually meant that. I think all deliberations, spoken and written, done under Oxom Xahityo Xobha should be done in Assamese language. If we are concerned about the future of Assamese language, we should be able to show that we at least do our Oxom xahityo Xobha meetings in Assamese. Otherwise, what is the point of having a branch of Oxom Xahityo Xobha in America? If we want to discuss literary issues in Englsih, let us form a separate Assamese American Literary Society. Rajen Barua . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ram Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world" <assam@assamnet.org> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 10:22 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor. > IMHO, while I agree that something like this could have been debated in the > Assamese media. > > But to be fair to Barua, the letter did come out in the Sentinel first, and > Barua only responded. Barua did not choose the venue for the discussion nor > the readership, and he probably needed to set the record straight to at > least the Sentinel readers. > > I am sure he will at some point, also write somthing for the Assamese > language papers. > > --Ram > > > > On 6/13/08, Dilip and Dil Deka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> I saw this in Rajen Barua's email, " BTW I will send a verson of this >> writing to Sentinel so that people in >> > Assam will not hold to the wrong impression that we donot speak in >> Assamese >> > at all. etc" >> Discussing this subject in the Sentinel, an English newspaper, is the same >> as discussing the topic of death of Oxomiya bhaxa in English that Kamal Deka >> complained about. What happened to the Assamese newspapers? Are they not at >> the same intellectual level? >> There is one good reason for using the Sentinel and the Assam Tribune. The >> readers of these newspapers are in the same boat as we ex-pats are - >> skeptical if their future generations will retain anything Assamese. :-) >> Dilip Deka >> >> ====================================================================================== >> >> >> ----- Original Message ---- >> From: Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world < >> assam@assamnet.org> >> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 7:55:49 AM >> Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor. >> >> Dear Barua, >> >> Excellent response, I couldn't have said it better. While Assamese NRIs may >> have their faults, I cannot imagine that any single one would ever claim >> the >> following: (Color/bold mine). >> >> *" It is too facile of an argument,* *often made by the expatriate >> Asomiyas, >> that teaching children their native language interferes with the English >> language development. It would, therefore, be better to focus on English >> than teach a language that is going to be of limited use in this country. >> This line of reasoning, in my opinion, does not seem to have two legs to >> stand for a few simple reasons."* >> >> IMHO, even if some kharkhowa believes the above, I hope they are not >> that naive to declare that to someone else. >> >> I hope the Sentinel publishes your letter so that everyone can get a >> balanced view. >> >> --Ram >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On 6/13/08, Rajen & Ajanta Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> > >> > >> > Dear KJD >> > Thanks for the intellectual and timely article on Oxomiya Bhaxa (Assamese >> > Language) published in the Sentinel. This is an important and sensitive >> > subject and you have touched some truths. However I find that overall, >> the >> > article has given a rather one sided and distorted view of the Assamese >> in >> > America, and people in Assam might get the impression that we Assamese in >> > America donot speak Assamese at all. It is basically to correct this >> view, >> > that I have decided to comment on your article. >> > >> > First I am glad that you are addressing the 'Assamese language in >> America' >> > and not 'Assamese language in Assam'. These are two separate issues. >> Writing >> > about the 'demise of Assamese language in America', you are hitting on >> the >> > bull's eye and on a real problem. The same is however not true for the >> > Assamese language in general as many of us like to imagine. The Assamese >> > language in general will flow as long as the river luit will flow. >> > >> > As you have pointed out like many other languages, the 'Assamese language >> > in America' will eventually die out. If any one does the numerical >> analysis, >> > this is inevitable, and frankly speaking there is no point in being >> > emotional or critical about it. The Tie Ahoms lost their mother tongue in >> > Assam the same way. The issue of inevitability is however not reflected >> > your article. Rather you are showing as if it is a news for all of us and >> > especially to the Assamese people back home. >> > >> > That being said, let us not bring death to the 'Assamese language in >> > America' prematurely. The fact is the Assamese language in America is not >> > dead yet. You wrote "....most of the Asomiyas, belonging to the >> in-between >> > generation, if not all, do not speak their mother tongue at all." I am >> sure >> > most Assamese in America would not agree with you. In fact, we still have >> > most Assamese converse in Assamese when we meet together in Assamese >> parties >> > and we have many Assamese children who speak fluent Assamese. Not only >> that, >> > we have writers and poets in the country who writes in Assamese. Thus >> your >> > statement, "The Asomiya language in the USA has already been put to sleep >> by >> > the Asomiyas themselves," is a bit exaggeration, highly controversial and >> > frankly speaking not true. >> > >> > Leaving aside the above exaggeration, let us see the reasons cited by you >> > for the eventual demise of the Assamese language in America. You wrote, >> "It >> > is too facile of an argument, often made by the expatriate Asomiyas, that >> > teaching children their native language interferes with the English >> language >> > development." Frankly speaking, I find this absolutely a wrong >> assumption. I >> > donot think there are any such unfortunate and ignorant Assamese in >> America >> > (or elsewhere) who sincerely believe the above outdated theory and that >> is >> > why they donot teach Assamese to their children. The actual reason why >> the >> > parents donot teach Assamese to their children is plain and simple. We >> are >> > too laid back, hobo diok and lazy. At the same time, there are many >> parents, >> > like us, who speak to their children in Assamese. Now formal teaching of >> > Assamese is a different matter altogether which must have to be a >> community >> > effort. As communities we are small everywhere and where we can, frankly >> > speaking we are lazy and take our usual 'hoobo diok' attitude. It is not >> > because we Assamese donot have pride in our culture and language, as we >> have >> > said. On the other hand, I think we (the NRI Assamese) have too much >> pride >> > in the Assamese language and culture. That is why we celebrate Bihu >> almost >> > everywhere in the globe now a days. That is why we meet annually in two >> > places at the same fourth of July every years in America. >> > >> > Coming to your concluding remark on teaching Assamese, "One would fall >> off >> > the chair to learn that the entire affair is conducted in English! I am >> at a >> > loss to understand as to how on earth one can pass one's culture and >> > heritage on to their progeny by merely holding Bihu function once in a >> year >> > without impressing upon their children the importance of learning their >> own >> > language which is the essence of any culture." On this I am with you. I >> > agree that it seems a bit hypocritical for the Assamese in Houston to >> debate >> > in English during the Bihu about the 'demise of the Assamese language in >> > Assam'. I think it is not only hypocritical bu rather wastage of time. I >> > would have rather spent the time teaching Assamese to our children, which >> in >> > fact I had suggested strongly. >> > >> > Overall I think your article will play very well in Assam where people >> are >> > ready to judge the NRIs on wrong assumptions like we the NRIs like to >> judge >> > Assam often time on wrong assumptions. I hope we are learning. >> > >> > Incidentally some of us are trying to come up with a scheme to teach >> basic >> > Assamese to the children. Please watch out for some good news. >> > >> > BTW I will send a verson of this writing to Sentinel so that people in >> > Assam will not hold to the wrong impression that we donot speak in >> Assamese >> > at all. etc >> > >> > Thanks >> > Rajen Kokaideu >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: kamal deka >> > To: Rajen & Ajanta Barua >> > Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2008 9:04 AM >> > Subject: Letter to the Editor. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > The Demise of Asomiya Language in America >> > Half of the world's 6,000 languages, as >> > estimated by the United Nations, will go the way of the dinosaurs in less >> > than a century. In fact one falls out of use about every two weeks. >> Usually, >> > the life of a language comes to an end when the speakers of the language >> > stop speaking it for any reason. The Asomiya language in the USA has >> already >> > been put to sleep by the Asomiyas themselves, which is the product of >> > parental failure to inculcate a sense of pride in our ancient culture and >> > language. After all, diet and dialect are perhaps the emblems of any >> > society. The abdication of the Asomiya parents makes it easy for the >> Asomiya >> > children here in America to follow the path of least resistance by >> imitating >> > their American peers. The result : most of the Asomiyas, belonging to the >> > in-between generation, if not all, do not speak their mother tongue at >> all. >> > It is too facile of an argument, often >> made >> > by the expatriate Asomiyas, that teaching children their native language >> > interferes with the English language development. It would, therefore, be >> > better to focus on English than teach a language that is going to be of >> > limited use in this country. This line of reasoning, in my opinion, does >> not >> > seem to have two legs to stand for a few simple reasons. >> > First, research consistently points to the >> > cognitive and academic advantages of being bilingual, no matter what the >> > second language is. But the Asomiya parents are not dissuaded by >> > multilingual pre-schoolers reading earlier and faster than their >> monolingual >> > counterparts. The young child's alloplastic mind is fertile ground for a >> > multitude of ideas. Far from stunting mastery in English, learning >> another >> > language enhances a child's ability to learn English by expanding >> linguistic >> > structure and syntax. Furthermore, most children passively acquire >> English >> > through ubiquitous interactions with teachers and fellow schoolmates at >> > school, television and on the street. Conversely, they imbibe their >> native >> > language only at home. >> > Secondly, when Americans themselves have >> > begun to realize that this land is not a melting pot but rather a rich >> > mosaic, it is ironic that many of us still cling to the archaic >> philosophy >> > of Romans in Rome. Thankfully, the Asomiyas here in America do not live >> in >> > such a rigid world where they have to choose between extremes. >> > Thirdly, there is another powerful benefit >> > that is relevant to our children growing up here and that is in helping >> them >> > a strong sense of identity which can help lead to better self-esteem and >> > self-confidence. >> > The Asomiya diaspora of the USA insists >> and >> > claims that the foremost reason of celebrating Bihu is to transmit - and >> > preserve - our culture to the next generation. One would fall off the >> chair >> > to learn that the entire affair is conducted in English! I am at a loss >> to >> > understand as to how on earth one can pass one's culture and heritage on >> to >> > their progeny by merely holding Bihu function once in a year without >> > impressing upon their children the importance of learning their own >> language >> > which is the essence of any culture. >> > Kamaljit Deka, >> > Sugarland, Texas. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > The information contained in this e-mail is intended only for the >> > individual or entity to whom it is addressed. >> > Its contents (including any attachments) may contain confidential >> > and/or privileged information. >> > If you are not an intended recipient you must not use, disclose, >> > disseminate, copy or print its contents. >> > If you receive this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by >> > reply e-mail and delete and destroy the message. >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > assam mailing list >> > assam@assamnet.org >> > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> assam mailing list >> assam@assamnet.org >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >> _______________________________________________ >> assam mailing list >> assam@assamnet.org >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >> > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > assam@assamnet.org > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
