
Kannada is considered to be one of India’s oldest pieces of literature. For that matter, there are many stories, tales associated with this language. Also known as Canarese or Kanarese, this language is mostly spoken by Kannada people residing in Karnataka. Being the oldest language, it holds a great record of many historical facts. Now learning Kannada is in your mind but still in dilemma. Learning Kannada could be a rewarding yet fascinating, and occasionally frustrating experience (to be honest). Not able to decide on whether to learn Kannada or not or seeking any rational base to come to the decision. I know Kannada worth studying, well let’s discuss the same here.
How long does it take to learn Kannada:
i) Rich Literature:
The fecund quantity of Old Kannada literature has led to Kannada being officially and formally labeled as a classical language of India. And as it is a Dravidian language, it has a lot in common with other major literary languages such as Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam (but a little less in common with Hindi and Urdu). Today, it’s spoken mainly in the South Indian state of Karnataka, home to major cities such as Bengaluru and Mysore; heritage sites such as Hampi and Pattadakal; and incredible natural sights such as Agumbe and the Kudremukh mountain range. You will also hear it is spoken in many of the neighboring states, however, and amongst the diaspora communities. There are many variants in spoken Kannada as it depends upon where you live in Karnataka. Also, one important point is that like many other Indian languages, Kannada possesses beautiful, flowing script and several loan words from Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, and English. So by knowing it all about its literature, Kannada may seem to be fascinating and quite interesting to learn and acquire.
ii) Way to understand more of Karnataka and its people:
If residing in Karnataka, where Kannada is spoken as mother tongue, one should learn Kannada to get connected to locals. Wherever you decide to live for a longer duration, it is always good to learn the local language. Learning at least a few rudimentary very basics of the language, can take you a long way and help you connect with the local culture. Karnataka, after being hugely popular around the world as the IT hub of India, the state has become a treasure trove for many potential investors. Before the dawn of IT infrastructure, Karnataka was primarily conversing in Kannada, and a little bit of Telugu, Tamil, and Marathi. Even today natives prefer to talk in Kannada and expect the response in the same language. Won’t it be good to learn Kannada to understand people and have a good connection with them?
iii) Influence of other languages:
Many of the ancient languages have quite a good amount of influence on the Kannada language. Sanskrit has influenced this language to a larger extent. Rather Kannada is the 3rd heavily Sanskrit-influenced Dravidian language just after Telugu. One of the historical facts about the Kannada language, in connection with other languages or other cultures, indicates that the great Greek dramatists of the 4th century BCE were familiar with both the Kannada country and the Kannada language. One can learn Kannada which may open doors for other languages too.
iv) Helps to set up locally:
Idea is to promote cultural exchange between different communities in a place or state. If someone coming or already residing in Karnataka and plans to spend more than two years here should understand that learning the language would help them the most in day-to-day life. Knowing Kannada may help in establishing an association with native people thus helping in receiving more business opportunities.
There exists many options to give this language a try and avail its benefits by knowing it. To truly belong to a city, to connect with all its citizens, speaking the local language is essential and very important. And it’s not really difficult! So if you are new to Kannada, still perplexed in deciding, have a look at the above-discussed ways Kannada can help you with.
Conclusion:
With these, you can decide whether Kannada is worth studying! Tell us what you think!