When friends ask me why I don’t watch Telugu movies, I simply say that my husband does not follow contemporary Telugu. But the real reason is this.
I am not keen on watching them. Quite honestly, I am not keen on talking to current generation Telugu kids either. I am more comfortable communicating in English or even Hindi but not Telugu. Sounds bad! huh? Sounds like I am trying to disown something? Really, it is not what it seems to be. The reason I am not comfortable with Telugu or around Telugu people is that I am badly disappointed with the turn the colloquial form has taken. There are a lot of raunchy terms used in day to day conversation. A lot of children and adults do not even realise that it sounds bad. A lot of others think it is fashionable to speak thus. Somehow, I don’t agree. It happens many times that I don’t agree with things a lot of people seem to like and agree with. But this, I wouldn’t even put a caveat here and there that there might be a teeny – tiny possibility of me being wrong.English is different. English always appealed to me as being masculine. But, Telugu to me is like a Goddess, beautiful, calm, and yet, powerful. I had always believed that there are only two forms of conversational Telugu. “Prakruti” and “Vikruti”. The form in vogue now seems to be “Vikara akruti”. If this means I am never going to speak Telugu, I don’t mind. But I am dead against usage of some words and some kind of grammar.
Another thing I cannot stand is speaking Telugu as if it is some kind of derived language. Some people make statements like "emi nuvvu doing" or "nenu busy gaa cooking". I find it highly revolting. The moment I read or hear such statements, I feel like a hundred caterpillars on my skin. Sorry folks! I do not intend to hurt anybody. But that is how I feel. Here too, I don't regret differing with majority of the population. Hybrids in language are just not in!
Hmmm...I really don't know...what would make my grandma happy...would it be hindi or english which i could speak with reasonable ease or the colloquial Sindhi that i manage...what would she like to hear from her grandson...agreed language has taken a turn for worse thanks to (dunno what :) but can't it be taken as an attempt of that all angrez kid who mixes/matches/okay ruins his mothertounge reach a bit closer to his folks?just a thought..
ReplyDeleteI must say I share similar sentiments...only in my case its Chennai Tamil!
ReplyDeleteAhem! Partly I agree with Mohit and with Vibu (he did not post a comment here - but this is what he said, "well.. its ok.. actually").
ReplyDeleteI only have a problem with people mixing Telugu and English. I never found it difficult to mix Hindi and English. I do it almost everyday. But guess what! I attribute it to the fact that I like speaking Hindi.
OMG! I am confused now. Do I really not mind when people make use of multiple languages not because they are not good at one particular language but because it is in fashion these days? Of course not! I do. I am dead against Telugu + English.
Again, does this mean I am not quite the secular person I think I am. I have different values for Telugu and for other languages!
Vibhushan, I am confused!
Akshay, naaraz mat hona. please please :)