^ Thats true. Since I didn’t see the television coverage that you are referring to so I can’t comment. But yesterday night, in Geo news an elderly gentlemen with white beard was talking about the relied efforts underway in Northern Areas, and he used fairly heavy english words and terms in the middle of the interview, which otherwise was in Urdu. I didn’t find it too too odd, since the gentleman was obviously very well educated, though I am sure many others would be a bit taken aback by the mix.
It's the way people talk naturally. Very few people speak in the "Standard" format of any one language. There are dialects, different language mixes, that reflect who they are, their lifestyle, and where they are from. Resisting the dynamic nature of language will kill the language itself and ignores key aspects of the culture.
Urdu itself is created from a mix of different languages.
The behavior you are talking about may be ‘acceptable’ for people living in a different country lets say UK or US where peole ‘normally’ talk in English (with people who don’t understand Urdu) and talk in Urdu when in company of fellow Pakistanis, so these people have to speak in two different languages hence can mix Urdu and English when speaking to fellow Pakistanis. But people living in Pakistan are not ‘expected’ to be speaking in English esp if they are talking to locals.
Captain1 i hear ya. I myself am always complaining about people who do this. To me its people just wanting to show off because in Pakistan, especially when youre on TV, english speaking people are still considered the cream of the crop.
There are however the genuine cases where people have been exposed to so much english (books, comics, TV, movies, music etc etc) that it shows up automatically everytime their brain thinks speaking in urdu would use up more brain cells. I myself am victim to this sometime but lately (last 2-3 years) i have been making genuine efforts to stick to only one language at a time. This way im forced to learn more words in urdu too.
My spoken urdu is usually english-free although sometimes, just sometimes (1 out of 10000 chance) my instinctive sindhi manages to seep into my urdu and kills the rhythm. For example 42 in urdu is Bayalees. In sindhi its bai-taali. I often end up saying it as Bai-taalees. :p
I don't like it either, though I'm guilty of it too sometimes. But what is even more weird, people here, who aren't Pakistani do it too while speaking their goray language. When we were in France, even they were using certain English terms. And in Dutchyland it's even worse.
English is slowly replacing the world languages. Soon only hidden people like monks and hermits and very very old people will still remember how to speak the other languages.
Ms Sadya. The problem isnt using English words every now and then. The problem is when people totally change tracks and go off talking non stop in english with no urdu in sight, when the conversation had already started in urdu. This is especially irritating for majority of TV viewers in Pakistan who arent very well versed in English.
Why? Pakistan was a Brit colony. It is now a country with enough technological resources that many people watch television shows, movies, etc from all over the world. English is a part of people’s lives, not a complete foreign entity. I’m not saying people should be encouraged to speak English, but neither should they be forced to speak in a way that is unnatural to them.
I’ll admit that it used to disturb me when Urdu songs would be littered with awkward English phrases, because it had a sort of “wannabe” feel to it. But I’ve gotten over that. The US and the UK do not have a monopoly on English; it has become a part of other cultures and societies, and it is theirs as well.
How many of you speak pure Urdu anyway?
You also ignored my comment about the fact that Urdu is a product of the mixing of several other languages. I’m curious to hear your response.
One more thing:
This issue reminds me of what happened with the French Academy in the 17th century. They insisted upon obtaining and maintaining "pure" French, and resisted the inclusion of new words or the integration of words from other languages (both of these reflecting a changing French society). English words are still up for debate. However, the French Academy failed in its goal. Squelching and limiting a language, is limiting how people communicate, which can hinder a culture or make the language feel false, and eventually useless. If a language cannot accomodate a changing people, they will find a new language to use for communication.
Pakistan was a Brit colony, but Urdu was in the subcontinent long before that and is the dominant language in the region (not considering local languages at the moment). English became part of the “elite” class during British control and everyone wanted to be part of the elite class and hence our “passion”, being able to speak English became some sorta pride (for those suffering from inferiority complex). English is NOT part of “peoples lives” in Pakistan, only those people use English who are educated and working in offices (still not ALL office work requires English), English is not used in all businesses. People should be speaking their local language so everyone around understands them unless some people want to be considered “part of foreign culture” or they think that they were born in wrong place.
Besides, you are ignoring understanding of English in overall population of Pakistan.
Why did it change now? Perhaps because the disease is becoming more common or you are living in “English” environment.
When I am in Pakistan, I speak Urdu among friends, family and of course in “mohalla”.
Urdu is a very adaptive language and is a result of mixing of many languages but overall structure has been consistent. Urdu has accepted many many “terms” from other languages but grammar and sentences have remained “Urdu”. Mixing of sentences from two different languages doesn’t make a “language”.
As I mentioned in previous post, a language can adopt “words” or “terms” used in other languages but when it adopts “structure/grammar” then it would loose its existence soon.
