Sanskrit and Hindi

[Jodhaa]

Edit: didn't read your 2nd post until after i'd posted my reply.

Looks like Hindi it is to begin with.

Thank you for your detailed reply anyway! I still learned something. Yes, it would seem that Hindi first as a form of direct communication is my best bet, although it might be useful to learn the Sanskrit pronunciations and meanings for certain things - at least learn enough to understand some of the puja rituals.

Thank you to everyone for your replies so far

[Equinox]

Vannakkam Jodhaa,

As some members have mentioned, which regional group do you aim to communicate with? If it's the whole of North India in general, then Hindi would be good. If south, then Tamil. But I'd suggest that you go for Hindi first because of the larger amount of speakers. If the majority of people at your temple are Hindi speakers, then go for it. But do they speak in Hindi or English amongst themselves? It would be weird if they speak only English and then one day you suddenly speak to them in Hindi.

One of the most important things to remember about learning a new language is the application part. We always tend to forget that. Little do we realise that if we don't apply what we learnt in any way afterwards, sooner or later, it will tend to fade away from our memory. If you learn Hindi, do make sure you use it as much as possible, be it by watching Hindi movies and trying to understand them without subtitles, or even reading a novel in Hindi. You could also try writing in Hindi. Of course, all this only if you're not going to speak in Hindi because of the unavailability of speakers. If there's enough Hindi speakers around you to keep your Hindi nourished nonstop, then you don't have to worry much. We might be excited at the beginning of a language class, but where and how do we plan to use the language after learning it to ensure it stays in our mind?

I faced this problem when I was learning my own mother tongue, Tamil, and eventually forgot most of what I learnt due to inapplication and negligence. My environment is so very westernised. All my relatives and Indian friends have English as their first language, even both my grandmothers and all my older relatives and family friends. I've never heard them speaking in Tamil. My parents were responsible enough to send me for private Tamil classes when I was 6. I was good at it, being able to recognise the alphabet and to read and write short sentences. After a few months, I lost my interest, because I had no way to use it. I had nobody to speak Tamil with, no books to read in it(except my lesson books), and definitely nothing to write about in Tamil. So I got bored of it and stopped. And went again when I was 10. I faced the same problem then too, so I quit. But I'm determined to learn Tamil again once I'm done with university. There's just so much to read in Tamil, even if there's nobody for me to speak that language with. Today, I only converse in Tamil with restaurant waiters and temple workers, all of whom are from India. That too only very, very short, basic sentences, before I start stuttering and making a fool of myself. I can't seem to end my Tamil sentences. Then I'm forced to repeat the whole thing in English or Malay again.

The attempt is definitely amusing to the person I'm speaking with(they sometimes smile or giggle or give me some confused look, before I understand that I'm making a fool of myself), and I'm sure they think of me as some tourist or non-Indian impersonator trying to be friendly with them in their mother tongue. Sadly, it's my own mother tongue too. I've become a stranger, and in effect, a 'wannabe' of my own mother tongue. Crazy right? I can't even read or write short sentences in Tamil anymore.

Sanskrit is a great language to learn, but unless you plan to be thorough in it, like studying scriptures, a basic lesson would do. If you have the time and interest to study our Hindu scriptures, then it would be great to take a class. But if you just want to learn and understand basic stuff like mantras, then get a book. There's also a free app for your Android if you didn't know, Sanskrit Primer. I'm recommending because it's easy to access and seems complete. It might not be suitable for everyone though.

So yea, think about how you're going to apply it. Then your answer might become clear.

PS: I'm not trying to discourage you in any way, just giving my honest opinions and shared my limited experience as best as I can for you to consider and decide.



Aum Namah Shivaya

[Jodhaa]

I'm not trying to discourage you in any way, just giving my honest opinions and shared my limited experience as best as I can for you to consider and decide.



Aum Namah Shivaya

Your advice and concerns are definitely valid and are something I have spent some time thinking about. It's true that if you "Don't use it, you lose it." I spent 3 years learning Spanish in Highschool and almost all of it is gone. Reason? I grew up in an area with almost no native speakers. So, I couldn't practice.

At the moment, I am lucky enough to live near a temple where many of the devotees are bi-lingual in Hindi, so for now the resource is there if I am brave enough to embarrass myself for a while. But I have also thought of what will happen if we move. (Something that is very likely in the next year.) What guarantees are there that I'll be near a large enough Indian community that I'll still be able to practice? I can't really do much about that by worrying about it though.

My long term goals involve travel to India - not just as a tourist, but to spend a significant amount of time there. I'm hoping that in combination with my smaller, short term goals it will be enough to keep me motivated. Only time will tell.

Thank you again for your advice!

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: For me, the consideration and ultimate reason why I didn't learn another language (in my case it would have been Tamil) was that it was too difficult. I started classes, but dropped out after 5 weeks or less because I just couldn't keep up. So I am assuming, Jodhaa, that you know you're good with languages. For people like me, all this deciding which language to learn would be moot, because I couldn't learn any of them.

Aum Namasivaya

[Viraja]

Perhaps you can PM me some survival phrases?

Shanti

I am, as EMji put it about himself, similar to him, quite bad at languages. Never had the patience to learn any language other than 'English'! (Glad atleast I had enough patience, though it all mostly came from being schooled at English medium schools, to learn English as much as I can be proficient in it).. Being so poor at languages, I don't know what to tell you... All I can think of is to encourage you citing those actors for a model -- they act in so many different languages, and they learn it all 1 by 1, so it is doable... as long as you make it a daily practice of learning 1/2 hr - 1hr the chosen language and are not afraid to speak it with others who have that language as their native tongue.

Good luck! Soon you shall be one of the few Westerners who can speak and write an Indian language, if you stick to it!

[Jodhaa]

I wouldn't say that I am talented with languages. like I mentioned, 3 years of Spanish left me with barely the ability to ask where the restroom is.

I do try to look at language as a puzzle or a game. Then it's a challenge and not a burden. That's not to say I don't get frustrated, I do. And it's too early to tell if I am good with languages - all I know is that so far i find the process enjoyable. That's not enough to proficiency, but it might help me get over the seemingly insurmountable wall that is verb conjugation.

As someone once told me "You speak English - one of the most difficult languages to learn for someone not born into it. Even though you were, really think about all the absurd rules and exceptions you've had to remember. If your brain can do that, it can do Hindi."

I will say that so far Hindi appears much more logical that English. Still, my brain is used to the illogical structure of English so I must get used to the logical again. There's a lesson in there somewhere, I know it

[satay]

Namaste Jodhaa
May I ask why you want to learn hindi or Sanskrit?

[Believer]

Namaste,

Namaste Jodhaa
May I ask why you want to learn hindi or Sanskrit?

Most people seem to be glancing over Jodhaa's posts and missing the critical information?

My motivations were to socialize in a different (and perhaps richer) way with people I know at the Temple.......I will feel more connected.

The deeper connection you establish by speaking to people in their native tongue!

Pranam.

[satay]

Ah, I see. Thanks Believer.

[Equinox]

Vannakkam,

But I have also thought of what will happen if we move. (Something that is very likely in the next year.) What guarantees are there that I'll be near a large enough Indian community that I'll still be able to practice? I can't really do much about that by worrying about it though.

If that happens, don't worry. Try reading stuff in Hindi (books, magazines, etc) then. Will keep your Hindi fresh I'm sure.


Aum Namah Shivaya