Dear John, I would like to take off from two interesting points which you make in your note on Konkani.
JM: > "masters" were kept in the dark when Goans wanted to communicate with each > other, ensuring secrecy in their communications? ____________________________________ You bring to mind subversion through dialects in languages. Every dialect may be said to be subversive; since, immediately the issue of in and out groups come into play. What we call Konkani has lived long through its dialects and sub-dialects, in its forming communities as well as in the exclusion — by not making certain aspects transparent to outside groups (twice born included) through specific communicative properties. Individuals, of course will allow access to those they wish to share their world with. What one presently reads as Konkani in its full spectrum, was not available to any and everyone unless one was relatively erudite. I also mean this in what is supposed as native intelligence. Now with the pace and variety of book publishing, research and access, many can attain proficiency — will, and inclination permitting. Furthermore, any pure language at certain points moves towards a certain death, as well as are reborn though reshaping. This is more true of languages that do not current shape power; the least but poignant examples being Sanskrit and Latin. They are alive indeed, but as in the living dead; comparatively Konkani is on fire. Languages redevelop and get reestablished through collective consciousness, as fuelled through reading, quintessential interactions (imagine talking in French and the dynamics it brings into play, right down to body language), questioning and living it in a myriad of ways, even if only by amassing a large vocabulary. The conjunctions will soon follow! ___________________ JM: > But it snot too late for the next generation of Goans, as long as everyone > who speaks and writes it, ensures it is used to the max! Let me say very gently; it is not late for anyone. You must only be in your late 40s, or early 50s. Here is why. From what I read on this web, it comes across that netters who live abroad, have lived so,and will forever live outside of Goa, are reasonably secure financially. I am basing this on the references made to how reasonable, and cheap various acts in Goa are —whether it be to rent transport, stay in hotels, eat at beach shacks, buying a whole fish etc. The general tenor — and a high one at that is that it is cheap (perhaps to mean relatively inexpensive). To my mind, nothing should deter a committed person, unless it is a paucity of time — from hiring a tutor while in Goa, a Konkani undergraduate or graduate student who will be thrilled to earn some money. Furthermore, there will be the kind of sharing that can only take place when one encounters a young mind and being. Of course one could also work with more erudite and senior teachers. Other than this, if people can study complex topics, procedures, methodologies, or Action Script 3, and so forth — Konakani at a basic level is well relatively simple. Venantius