[Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.

Fri Jun 13 12:08:11 PDT 2008

I neglected to make one point clear. 

Yes, since it started in the Sentinel, it has to be finished/striaghtened in there only. 

Or else, the Sentinel readers woudl have a bad impression on us. :) 
Then coming back to Dilip Deka's valid point - if we're so concerned, why are we writing/discussing/reading about it on The Sentinel - the english newspaper from Assam? What happened to Doinik Oxom, Oxom Batori, Oxomiya Pratidin, etc.??

Is it like, 'Kaak-nu buliba Koka, aataaire daari-suli pokaa'? 

I am just clue-less!! But I myself would plead guilty, as I am writing this in English also, instead of Assamese. And honestly, if it was any easier I would write this in Assamese. :)

“In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass.”

> From: absarangapani at hotmail.com> To: assam at assamnet.org> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:46:15 -0500> Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> > > Discussing this subject in the Sentinel, an English newspaper, is the same as discussing the topic of death of Oxomiya bhaxa in English that Kamal Deka complained about. What happened to the Assamese newspapers? Are they not at the same intellectual level?> There is one good reason for using the Sentinel and the Assam Tribune. The readers of these newspapers are in the same boat as we ex-pats are - skeptical if their future generations will retain anything Assamese. :-)> > Here is an excellent point made by DD. > Though the reason for it could be technology, lack of availability of an 'Assamese keyboard', etc. > > BTW, reading 'Oxomiya Pratidin' has not been possible lately, even after I signed up for it. The font was too small and it was like a jpeg file - could not change/expand anything to read or go forward. What am I missing?> > Let's face it! English is everybody's favorite, or else, hundreds of English medium schools would not have sprouted around in Assam. Now, may be there is a good reason for it - that, only if you know English, you can "survive" in most part of the world. > > > > > > > > > > “In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass.”> > > > > > > Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:18:53 -0700> From: dilipdeka at yahoo.com> To: assam at assamnet.org> Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> > I saw this in Rajen Barua's email, " BTW I will send a verson of this writing to Sentinel so that people in> > Assam will not hold to the wrong impression that we donot speak in Assamese> > at all. etc"> Discussing this subject in the Sentinel, an English newspaper, is the same as discussing the topic of death of Oxomiya bhaxa in English that Kamal Deka complained about. What happened to the Assamese newspapers? Are they not at the same intellectual level?> There is one good reason for using the Sentinel and the Assam Tribune. The readers of these newspapers are in the same boat as we ex-pats are - skeptical if their future generations will retain anything Assamese. :-)> Dilip Deka> ======================================================================================> > > ----- Original Message ----> From: Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com>> To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world <assam at assamnet.org>> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 7:55:49 AM> Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> > Dear Barua,> > Excellent response, I couldn't have said it better. While Assamese NRIs may> have their faults, I cannot imagine that any single one would ever claim the> following: (Color/bold mine).> > *" It is too facile of an argument,* *often made by the expatriate Asomiyas,> that teaching children their native language interferes with the English> language development. It would, therefore, be better to focus on English> than teach a language that is going to be of limited use in this country.> This line of reasoning, in my opinion, does not seem to have two legs to> stand for a few simple reasons."*> > IMHO, even if some kharkhowa believes the above, I hope they are not> that naive to declare that to someone else.> > I hope the Sentinel publishes your letter so that everyone can get a> balanced view.> > --Ram> > > > > > > On 6/13/08, Rajen & Ajanta Barua <barua25 at hotmail.com> wrote:> >> >> > Dear KJD> > Thanks for the intellectual and timely article on Oxomiya Bhaxa (Assamese> > Language) published in the Sentinel. This is an important and sensitive> > subject and you have touched some truths. However I find that overall, the> > article has given a rather one sided and distorted view of the Assamese in> > America, and people in Assam might get the impression that we Assamese in> > America donot speak Assamese at all. It is basically to correct this view,> > that I have decided to comment on your article.> >> > First I am glad that you are addressing the 'Assamese language in America'> > and not 'Assamese language in Assam'. These are two separate issues. Writing> > about the 'demise of Assamese language in America', you are hitting on the> > bull's eye and on a real problem. The same is however not true for the> > Assamese language in general as many of us like to imagine. The Assamese> > language in general will flow as long as the river luit will flow.> >> > As you have pointed out like many other languages, the 'Assamese language> > in America' will eventually die out. If any one does the numerical analysis,> > this is inevitable, and frankly speaking there is no point in being> > emotional or critical about it. The Tie Ahoms lost their mother tongue in> > Assam the same way. The issue of inevitability is however not reflected> > your article. Rather you are showing as if it is a news for all of us and> > especially to the Assamese people back home.> >> > That being said, let us not bring death to the 'Assamese language in> > America' prematurely. The fact is the Assamese language in America is not> > dead yet. You wrote "....most of the Asomiyas, belonging to the in-between> > generation, if not all, do not speak their mother tongue at all." I am sure> > most Assamese in America would not agree with you. In fact, we still have> > most Assamese converse in Assamese when we meet together in Assamese parties> > and we have many Assamese children who speak fluent Assamese. Not only that,> > we have writers and poets in the country who writes in Assamese. Thus your> > statement, "The Asomiya language in the USA has already been put to sleep by> > the Asomiyas themselves," is a bit exaggeration, highly controversial and> > frankly speaking not true.> >> > Leaving aside the above exaggeration, let us see the reasons cited by you> > for the eventual demise of the Assamese language in America. You wrote, "It> > is too facile of an argument, often made by the expatriate Asomiyas, that> > teaching children their native language interferes with the English language> > development." Frankly speaking, I find this absolutely a wrong assumption. I> > donot think there are any such unfortunate and ignorant Assamese in America> > (or elsewhere) who sincerely believe the above outdated theory and that is> > why they donot teach Assamese to their children. The actual reason why the> > parents donot teach Assamese to their children is plain and simple. We are> > too laid back, hobo diok and lazy. At the same time, there are many parents,> > like us, who speak to their children in Assamese. Now formal teaching of> > Assamese is a different matter altogether which must have to be a community> > effort. As communities we are small everywhere and where we can, frankly> > speaking we are lazy and take our usual 'hoobo diok' attitude. It is not> > because we Assamese donot have pride in our culture and language, as we have> > said. On the other hand, I think we (the NRI Assamese) have too much pride> > in the Assamese language and culture. That is why we celebrate Bihu almost> > everywhere in the globe now a days. That is why we meet annually in two> > places at the same fourth of July every years in America.> >> > Coming to your concluding remark on teaching Assamese, "One would fall off> > the chair to learn that the entire affair is conducted in English! I am at a> > loss to understand as to how on earth one can pass one's culture and> > heritage on to their progeny by merely holding Bihu function once in a year> > without impressing upon their children the importance of learning their own> > language which is the essence of any culture." On this I am with you. I> > agree that it seems a bit hypocritical for the Assamese in Houston to debate> > in English during the Bihu about the 'demise of the Assamese language in> > Assam'. I think it is not only hypocritical bu rather wastage of time. I> > would have rather spent the time teaching Assamese to our children, which in> > fact I had suggested strongly.> >> > Overall I think your article will play very well in Assam where people are> > ready to judge the NRIs on wrong assumptions like we the NRIs like to judge> > Assam often time on wrong assumptions. I hope we are learning.> >> > Incidentally some of us are trying to come up with a scheme to teach basic> > Assamese to the children. Please watch out for some good news.> >> > BTW I will send a verson of this writing to Sentinel so that people in> > Assam will not hold to the wrong impression that we donot speak in Assamese> > at all. etc> >> > Thanks> > Rajen Kokaideu> >> >> >> >> >> >> > ----- Original Message -----> > From: kamal deka> > To: Rajen & Ajanta Barua> > Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2008 9:04 AM> > Subject: Letter to the Editor.> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > The Demise of Asomiya Language in America> > Half of the world's 6,000 languages, as> > estimated by the United Nations, will go the way of the dinosaurs in less> > than a century. In fact one falls out of use about every two weeks. Usually,> > the life of a language comes to an end when the speakers of the language> > stop speaking it for any reason. The Asomiya language in the USA has already> > been put to sleep by the Asomiyas themselves, which is the product of> > parental failure to inculcate a sense of pride in our ancient culture and> > language. After all, diet and dialect are perhaps the emblems of any> > society. The abdication of the Asomiya parents makes it easy for the Asomiya> > children here in America to follow the path of least resistance by imitating> > their American peers. The result : most of the Asomiyas, belonging to the> > in-between generation, if not all, do not speak their mother tongue at all.> > It is too facile of an argument, often made> > by the expatriate Asomiyas, that teaching children their native language> > interferes with the English language development. It would, therefore, be> > better to focus on English than teach a language that is going to be of> > limited use in this country. This line of reasoning, in my opinion, does not> > seem to have two legs to stand for a few simple reasons.> > First, research consistently points to the> > cognitive and academic advantages of being bilingual, no matter what the> > second language is. But the Asomiya parents are not dissuaded by> > multilingual pre-schoolers reading earlier and faster than their monolingual> > counterparts. The young child's alloplastic mind is fertile ground for a> > multitude of ideas. Far from stunting mastery in English, learning another> > language enhances a child's ability to learn English by expanding linguistic> > structure and syntax. Furthermore, most children passively acquire English> > through ubiquitous interactions with teachers and fellow schoolmates at> > school, television and on the street. Conversely, they imbibe their native> > language only at home.> > Secondly, when Americans themselves have> > begun to realize that this land is not a melting pot but rather a rich> > mosaic, it is ironic that many of us still cling to the archaic philosophy> > of Romans in Rome. Thankfully, the Asomiyas here in America do not live in> > such a rigid world where they have to choose between extremes.> > Thirdly, there is another powerful benefit> > that is relevant to our children growing up here and that is in helping them> > a strong sense of identity which can help lead to better self-esteem and> > self-confidence.> > The Asomiya diaspora of the USA insists and> > claims that the foremost reason of celebrating Bihu is to transmit - and> > preserve - our culture to the next generation. One would fall off the chair> > to learn that the entire affair is conducted in English! I am at a loss to> > understand as to how on earth one can pass one's culture and heritage on to> > their progeny by merely holding Bihu function once in a year without> > impressing upon their children the importance of learning their own language> > which is the essence of any culture.> > Kamaljit Deka,> > Sugarland, Texas.> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > The information contained in this e-mail is intended only for the> > individual or entity to whom it is addressed.> > Its contents (including any attachments) may contain confidential> > and/or privileged information.> > If you are not an intended recipient you must not use, disclose,> > disseminate, copy or print its contents.> > If you receive this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by> > reply e-mail and delete and destroy the message.> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > assam mailing list> > assam at assamnet.org> > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org> >> _______________________________________________> assam mailing list> assam at assamnet.org> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org> _______________________________________________> assam mailing list> assam at assamnet.org> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org> _________________________________________________________________> Instantly invite friends from Facebook and other social networks to join you on Windows Live™ Messenger.> https://www.invite2messenger.net/im/?source=TXT_EML_WLH_InviteFriends> _______________________________________________> assam mailing list> assam at assamnet.org> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
_________________________________________________________________
Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage.
http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_062008