What to do ? -VI

Continued from V

One cannot try to extrapolate the “culture of his or her language” to other languages on the premise of sustaining purity of mother tongue. It is bound to damage the phonetic elegance that makes each language distinct and specific. With the rare exception of Tamil [to some extent Malayalam] all other languages have phonetic rigidity. Every subtle sound counts. In fact, the British make an unmistakable variation between the sounds - ‘K’ and ‘C’ in names and consonants while speaking. It just cannot come to us unless we “observe” how it is done. One cannot be totally immune to the cultures of a language, if the individual desires attaining clarity and wider acceptance. Observation in all stages of daily life is the key that opens up all vistas –essential and ideal for progress. Learning the varied forms of usage must be our routine irrespective of the language. So, ‘what to do’ is not a state of helpless dormancy for any one. It should be rather availed of as “God-sent” occasion to observe without an obligation to respond. ‘Reading without responding’ is really a blessed occasion for studying so many things. These include human relations, idiosyncrasies, mannerisms, manners, languages, words and their usages, besides the names of varied items which are sold by vendors in other territories of our country. In our routine ambience we cannot avoid responding. That is why I deem travel situations as ideal for unbiased observation free of any riders. To begin with the exercise looks less exciting. But, once we pick up some rudimentary usages the process gets simplified and enjoyable. The lone advice is to avoid giving replies unless you are absolutely sure of the meaning of what you say. If a reply is essential, answer in a very slow pace assembling word by word. It conveys more than what you intend saying. Slow utterances even if wrong are generally pardoned and they do not provoke any one.

I intend making it very clear that, unless we try to use what little we know, the prospect of furtherance stays low. Attempts can help us better. Like a child let us grope. None mistakes the child’s attempt.  In an unfamiliar territory any one is a ‘child’ in the practical sense of the term. Every journey is an occasion to learn. We cannot go round the country in order to learn. It is wiser to use the journey to learn a few things. Also in all railway stations, the name of the place in rendered in bold versions in vernacular, Hindi and English. From the more familiar version one can decipher the less known forms by trying to “read” signs. Even small terms like Police outpost, Station master, Toilet etc can be methodically learnt by constant effort to read. Sitting inside the compartment, one can also see these. Most vendors shout of their products. By listening to them station after station, the sound and the product become familiar. Often the name is not clear for a new comer. Repeated listening makes it clear in due course. In some metropolis the vendors use more names from different languages. They can be listened to for faster learning. In the ultimate analysis, regularity of vigilant observation helps a lot. The few hours on every journey are worth their value for learning.  At the end of the journey we take leave of every new acquaintance by exchanging wishes. Soon enough we forget all of them with such regularity, that it has assumed a phrase “Rail friendship”.   Let us not forget “what to do” even if we forget the rail friends.                                                                                                         Ends  at last 

GOOD LUCK.      .                                                    Prof.  K. Raman