How language impacts understanding of cultures. For one to live in harmony, it is important to understand the people around you. And if they’re of a different ethnicity and culture, one must learn the language to understand the nuances of their behavior, ranging from their choice of words to the dishes they’d set out for entertaining friends over dinner.
[quote text_size=”big” author=”Nelson Mandella”]
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, it goes to his HEART
[/quote]
Urdu is a camp language—an amalgamation from Farsi and Arabic contacts during the invasions of the Indian subcontinent by Persian and Turkic forces from the 11th century onward, then combined with the Hindi language during the Mughal sultanate. It was one of the predominant languages in the Indian sub-continent during the British rule, and post partition in 1947, it became the national language of Pakistan. Its space commands tremendous amount of respect and dignity. Urdu attaches a high iota to respect, wherein the language categorically differentiates between respect and candidness in a very seamless fashion. Therefore, the word “You” is translated according to the degree of candidness and respect. For example, a mom is addressed by her child as “AAP”. Conversely, “You” is translated into “Tum” when a Mom is addressing her child. So the level of respect that must be expressed in various age groups is thoroughly used in Urdu language.
Children of Pakistani or South Asian heritage who are born and /or raised in the US can gain immense exposure, learning and above all deep intellectual intelligence by learning Urdu language. They gain confidence, strength and growth, by understanding their natural roots. It gives them a natural boost in understanding their true identities, values and culture.
~ by Faiza Irfan