One with the crowd

It’s a known fact that the City is a melting pot of different cultures. People who speak different languages and who hail from varied ethnic backgrounds have made their home here.

Interestingly, this mixed crowd is open to learning and picking up as many languages as they can when they are here.

Metrolife interacted with a few people to understand what efforts they are taking towards it.

Non-Bangaloreans are also learning Kannada or are, at least, trying to have a working knowledge in it.

This helps them settle in the City and be comfortable here. Fouzia Khan is a student of computer application in the City. She grew up in Delhi and when she relocated to the City, she made it a point to pick up a book that helped her understand Kannada.

“I started learning Kannada and it helped me a great deal. I used to refer to these books at leisure and now, I know a bit of Kannada. I am trying to learn Tamil as well,” she sums up.
   
Vikash is a Telugite, who moved to Bangalore this year to pursue higher education.

He says that he had a lot of trouble coping with the local language. “You feel lost when you don’t know the local language. So, I started mingling with the people here to try and learn as many words as possible and with time. I actually picked up the language and I am thrilled about it,” says Vikash.   
 
The case is almost the same with those moving from the northern to the southern end of the country. Vijay is a resident of Uttar Pradesh and when he moved to Bangalore, the first thing that bothered him was communication problems. “Initially, I found it hard to understand the local language and communication was a nightmare. I had no choice but to make an effort to learn the basics of Kannada. I started mingling with Kannadigas and with their help and just by listening to them talk, I learnt a bit of Kannada. It has helped a lot,” he says.

Kiran, a Keralite, who is doing his MBA in the City, says, “The people in the City are warm and nice but I found it tough to understand the local language. But being a hosteller, I had roommates who spoke Kannada and Tamil and that is how I picked up both the languages,” he says.

Krishna Rao, who runs ‘Book House’ on SJP Road, says, “We have books that offer beginners a basic knowledge in Kannada and a few other languages. These are self-help books that have words in Kannada and its translation in English. The same goes for other languages  as well.”