How people turned multilingual?

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
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From AV thread:

So, slavery and colonialism are the only reasons for ones being multilingual?

Are there are any other reasons behind it?

What are the areas / countries, where people speak / have to speak maximum number of languages?

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

What is your opinion on this?

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

I think interaction between different races (speaking different languages) is the reason behind multilingual society. It may be due to colonialism or due to trade interaction.

Yesterday, I was listening to Dr Asrar Ahmed's introduction about Quran where he was discussing language of Quran. He said that Quran was revealed in Bedouin Arab's language as Makka's own language was affected by different dialects and languages as it was the main trade center in Arab.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

There can be lots of reasons why people can become multilingual:

  • Traveling
  • Migration
  • Academic interests
  • Geographical Location
  • Inter-racial family history
  • Economic gain
  • Politics

The list is endless...

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Most mainland Europeans are multilingual and it has nothing to do with the notion of enslavement.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

A major reason for Sindh to be multilingual also include Sufi movement. There are many mureeds from Punajb who visit sufi shrines of Sindh and vice verse. Due to this, Punajbai, Saraiki are not alien languages in Sindh.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

I believe, majority of languages have common mother languages, mostly Sanskrit and Persian. South Indian language like Telugu has more sanskrit words than Hindi :), there cannot be one clear explanation in this, it is like evolution of language is like Human evolution, it is complex like us :)

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

so one reason for knowing multiple languages is common vocabulary and syntax

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

^ What you're saying is only makes it easier to learn a language. However, it's only the people who either have a genuine desire or the need to learn the language end up learning a language different from their own. If the above statement is true, most Britons would have German or French as their second language or all Urdu speakers would be so wonderfully familiar Punjabi.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Thats right. I remember once my grand father visited Qazi Ahmed as there was some sufi gathering there and the main peer there knew my grandfather.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Multilingualism mainly came through interaction with different cultures. Go back 6000 years back, the people of Indus Valley civilization were trading with Melluha. How can one explain the fact that it would have been possible without knowing each other's languages?

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

I don't know the syntax and level of common vocabulary in European languages, but here in Pakistan (especially the route of Indus river from mountains in northern areas to coastal areas in southern Sindh), all languages got big chunk of common vocabulary and syntax and if a person pay little attention and have a reasonable grip on his/her mother tongue, he can easily learn other languages.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

There are many Punjabi zamindars in Qazi Ahmed (near Nawab-Shah), Mir-pur Khas and even in areas near Kotri Barrage. Sufi traditions did promoted society towards multilingualism and that is why Sufi poets used to write poetry in multiple languages. Sachal Sarmast of Daraazan (near Khairpur state) wrote poetry in 7 languages and thats why known as Haft zaban shayar.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Some of my mother's relatives used to live in Nawab Shah I believe, they moved to Lahore 20 years or so back. Anyways you are right, people from Punjab and Sindh pay regards to some of the most important Sufi's regardless of where they are buried. These people used to preach equality in their lives in any case.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

This is song from Rohi (Cholistan) and we heard this song in Sindhi weddings since our childhood.. without knowing that its Saraiki.

Rani Pathani - Saraiki Lok Geet - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxzwS7t6jhc)

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Abida Parveen’s most famous songs have been sung in Punjab, some of which I didnt know were Sindhi.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Even this "marsoon marsoon Sindh na daisoon" seems more Seraiki than Sindhi.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Abida Parveen is really a multilingual person. She sung in Sindhi, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian, Saraiki and lately in Hindi while rendering Kabir Das dohas. She had sung Ameer Khusro much earlier.

Shazia Khushk is another singer from Sindh, who also sung in Balochi. Most of the tribes like Leghari, Jatoi in Sindh speak at least three languages. Balochi, Sindhi and Saraiki besides Urdu and English (when they reaches educational institutes).

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

Its 'mar wesoon, mar wesoon, Sindh na daison' and were uttered by Hosh Muhammad Sheedi, a freedom fighter from 19th century who fought against army of Charles Napier. The language is Saraiki.

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Re: How people turned multilingual?

ok, makes sense. In any case many words used in Sindhi and Saraiki are the same like "kheer" for milk...