I am neither a writer nor reader of Konkani. The Konkani I speak, hybrid with Portuguese words, strained to my regret and shame, is not even fluent and easy. If a Konkani publication is gifted to me I cannot understand most words in a sentence. Thus I must be considered as a person with no bias, in favour or against of the subject of script of the Konkani language now in turmoil.
Presuming that the eminent priests Fr James Couto, teacher of Konkani at the Saligao Seminary, Fr. Mousinho de Ataide, Professor of Canon Law at the Rachol Seminary, Fr. Lino Florindo, Professor and Dean of Theology, Pilar Seminary and my friend Fr. Moreno de Souza, editor of Konkani Roti thus most affected in the script and who must have learnt Konkani in Roman script, feel and support Nagri script and that the official language Act should be left untouched, is a matter that deserves serious attention of the Roman script apostles. Thinking and highly educated persons such as Tomazinho Cardozo and Wilson Mazarelo must not be moved by emotion but by the point the others have made about the Nagri script, bringing Hindus and Christians further together, their existing oneness being the trump card of Goa, cherished by the people of Indian and the Central Government. Prince Jacob may be very popular Konkani playwright and actor but can he claim to be an intellectual like the above mentioned priests? His threat to the Government would have been justifiable if the Government had prevented the tiatrists from functioning. Use of Roman script is not banned. Besides, only a section of the population is tiatr aficionados. Not the majority. And in what script the much revered Shenoi Goembab whose memory is celebrated every year by great éclat, must have written? Certainly the demand of the Roman script writers for equal assistance financial or technical has legitimacy and thus deserves support of all. But this is another matter. The Roman script adherents must also think of the future. Their children who have now learnt the Nagri script in schools will write plays and songs in this script. It is with pride and affection that the Konkaniwadis embraced the Konkani speakers of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, each writing Konkani in the script of their mother tongue. They now support Nagri for Konkani for greater expansion. This must not be overlooked. Government must remain firm and not give in to street hooliganism. The tiatrists must know or shown their place. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list Goanet@lists.goanet.org http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
