Is the Kannada language worth learning?
Kannada, less commonly known as Kanarese, 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. The language had roughly 43 million native speakers by 2011. Kannada 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. It is one of the scheduled languages of India and the official and administrative language of the state of Karnataka. Kannada was the court language of some of the most powerful empires of South and Central India, such as the Chalukya dynasty, the Rashtrakuta dynasty, the Vijayanagara Empire and the Hoysala Empire.
The Kannada script, which originated from the 5th-century Kadamba script, is used to write Kannada. Kannada has been attested epigraphically for around a millennium, and literary Old Kannada flourished during the Ganga dynasty in the 6th century and the Rashtrakuta Dynasty in the 9th century. Kannada has a thousand-year literary legacy that is unbroken. Kannada literature has earned the most Jnanapith awards of any Dravidian language and the second most of any Indian language.
The Government of India declared Kannada as a classical language of India based on the recommendations of the Committee of Linguistic Experts appointed by the Ministry of Culture, and a centre for the study of classical Kannada was founded as part of the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysore in July 2011 to encourage research related to the language.
To be able to manoeuvre anywhere you plan to reside long-term, it’s a smart thing to learn the local language. Learning even a few rudimentary phrases will go a long way toward connecting you with the local community.
There is no such thing as a difficult or simple language. The availability of required related tools, such as students, books, online support, native speakers, and much more, determines whether studying is easy or difficult. The majority of teachers are simply Kannada speakers who pretend to be able to teach, despite their lack of expertise or knowledge of complicated Kannada grammar or how to teach languages!
Officials from the government make a lot of fuss over people who don’t speak Kannada and insist that they learn it. A newcomer, on the other hand, receives almost no assistance from the Karnataka government or the Department of Kannada and Culture in learning Kannada or receiving adequate preparation and support for aspiring teachers and learners.
Learning a new language is often beneficial, and Kannada is no exception. There are many advantages of learning Kannada.
If you are planning to remain in Bangalore for an extended period of time due to a job or official assignment, I strongly advise you to study Kannada for your own good!
- Learning Kannada would make it easier for you to interact with Kannada-speaking people.
- It assists you in making connections with the local community.
- Vendors, government employees, and others will consider you more readily.
- You can read flyers, signs, and bus lines, among other things.
- You will have a greater understanding of Kannada culture if you are fluent in the language and have read any of their literature.
- Karnataka is a lovely town, and there are many interesting places to visit near Bangalore. Knowing Kannada will help you get around in remote areas and ensure that you are never alone.
- It aids in the comprehension of the area’s history.
- When you speak in their native tongue, people are more at ease.
- You will also avoid being taken advantage of by locals who prey on others who do not speak the language.
- According to modern neuroscience, learning more languages is beneficial to your health; the more diverse the languages you learn, the healthier.
- Learning a foreign language will broaden your mental horizons in ways you never imagined.
- You can instantly read most Telugu if you study the Kannada language, so it’s a ‘two for one’ deal.
- Kannada media and culture, like all media and cultures, has gems that can only be understood with a thorough understanding of the language. Consider the film “Beladingala Baale” as an example.
- Then there are the obvious advantages of learning Kannada, such as being able to communicate with Kannadiga neighbours, maids, shopkeepers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, masons, auto drivers, at the vegetable market, fruit seller, the courier guys, the photocopy man, the ironing man, the man who runs the taxi company, even the lady security guard in the metro, immigration staff, traffic, or even the lady security guard in the metro.
Finally,
I recommend that you begin by learning and understanding the most widely used terms, such as What, Why, Who, How, Name, Place, Here, There, Come, Go, and so on.
Always have a journal with you. When you come across new vocabulary, add at least 10 to your list each day. Someone should be able to explain that to you. The same words are often found in various ways. Make a concerted attempt to comprehend it.
When you have free time, continue to revise the terms.
Try spinning them into sentences until you’ve collected about 100 words. Don’t just translate each word from your native tongue into Kannada. Recognize the structure of the expression.
Recognize the rules of grammar. Use the smartphone – there are a plethora of useful applications. To name a couple, @Kannada Baruthe and @Learn Spoken Kannada. Also, get a Kannada to English dictionary. You can also use Google Translate.
If keeping a notebook is too inconvenient, use Evernote or another similar app to keep track of your words.
Listen to Kannada songs and watch Kannada movies. Radio Stations can be listened to. When you’re home, say the sentences out loud. This will help you get more familiar with the sounds and pronunciations.
And notably, put it into action. In Kannada, speak with bus conductors, auto drivers, traders, and shopkeepers. Request that your friends/colleagues converse with you in Kannada and correct you when you make an error. I hope this information is useful.
There’s an amazing new way to learn Kannada! Want to see what everyone’s talking about!