Can we learn Kannada without going to classes?
Kannada had roughly 43 million native speakers by 2011. The language is also spoken as a second and third language by over 12.9 million non-native speakers in Karnataka, which adds up to 56.9 million speakers. Kannada literature has been presented with 8 Jnanapith awards, the most for any Dravidian language and the second-highest for any Indian language. Based on the recommendations of the Committee of Linguistic Experts, appointed by the ministry of culture, the government of India designated Kannada a classical language of India. It is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in the southwestern region of India. The language is also spoken by linguistic minorities in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Goa and also by Kannadigas abroad. It is one of the scheduled languages of India and the official and administrative language of the state of Karnataka. The language is written using the Kannada script, which evolved from the 5th-century Kadamba script. In July 2011, a centre for the study of classical Kannada was established as part of the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysore to facilitate research related to the language.
With such a rich history and multiple benefits accompanying it, there’s no doubt that Kannada is worth learning. The best way of learning any new language is through opting for classes but it’s not the only way. If you do not wish to enrol yourself in classes then you can self-study the language.
The process of self-study includes the following steps:
Set logical goals
The first step of learning every language is to set logical and reasonable goals. Goals act as motivators and ultimately also help you assess your progress. It is also important you set sensible goals based on where you stand, how much time you can dedicate and multiple other factors which are subjective to each.
Practice-based on your set goals
Once you have set your goals, practice daily based on these goals. If your goal is to achieve proficiency in speaking Kannada, then focus on practising your speaking skills. Similar to this, if you wish to achieve proficiency in reading or writing Kannada, focus on practising those daily.
Test yourself periodically
You have set appropriate goals and you have been practising daily. Now it’s time to test yourself. It is important to test your knowledge at specific intervals of time, so as to understand how much you’ve accomplished or identify any areas of improvement and rectify them.
Keep yourself entertained
Studying on a daily basis can get tiring and boring. In order to avoid this, it is important you enjoy the learning process. Therefore, watch Kannada movies with English or native language subtitles. Listen to Kannada music in your free time or podcasts on topics that interest you Kannada while you work.
Converse with others
By the time you reach this step, you should’ve gained enough confidence to initiate or actively participate in conversations held in Kannada. You’ve been practising daily and have tested yourself repeatedly, therefore, there is no harm in conversing in Kannada with natives or other learners. You can even ask for feedback.
Finally,
The above-mentioned steps will help you master Kannada through self-study. It is important to remember that Kannada would be a rather difficult language to master for a native English speaker while it’ll be much easier to master for any native Indian language speaker. With that said, no language is truly difficult or easy to master and Therefore, with a rigid schedule, time, effort and dedication, you can master Kannada in no time.
There’s an amazing new way to learn Kannada! Want to see what everyone’s talking about!