Sikhs Of West And Punjabi Language - Why Nobody Talk About It?

[Blessed3]

I love speaking Punjabi, it's a beautiful language. At home we speak Punjabi more than English. I was born and bred in the Uk however my family are proud of being punjabi.

[ekgurjaskhalsa]

Muslims have abandoned their language in favour of Urdu, the Hindus have abandoned their language for Hindi. Only Sikhs have taken up the cause of standing up for Punjabi and because it is the language of Punjab. .

Unfortunately, Sikhs in India are abandoning Punjabi. Many kids have stopped speaking Punjabi. They only speak Hindi or English.

Many see Punjabi as language of "Gwaar" and "Anpad"

Schools play a huge role in discouraging children to speak Punjabi. There are many schools in Punjab where only Hindi or English is allowed.

I got my schooling from catholic school in Punjab and I remember our teachers would scold us for speaking Punjabi. Whenever we spoke Punjabi, we were looked down. We were even punished. They claimed that since its English medium school everyone should speak English but they had no problem with kids speaking in Hindi.

The way Sikhs in West have saved Sikhi, it is our responsibility to save Punjabi and Gurmukhi.

Teach your kids Punjabi, take them to sunday school at local Gurdwara, speak to them in Punjabi only.

Encourage them to speak Punjabi.

[JSinghnz]

Unfortunately, Sikhs in India are abandoning Punjabi. Many kids have stopped speaking Punjabi. They only speak Hindi or English.

Many see Punjabi as language of "Gwaar" and "Anpad"

Schools play a huge role in discouraging children to speak Punjabi. There are many schools in Punjab where only Hindi or English is allowed.

I got my schooling from catholic school in Punjab and I remember our teachers would scold us for speaking Punjabi. Whenever we spoke Punjabi, we were looked down. We were even punished. They claimed that since its English medium school everyone should speak English but they had no problem with kids speaking in Hindi.

The way Sikhs in West have saved Sikhi, it is our responsibility to save Punjabi and Gurmukhi.

Teach your kids Punjabi, take them to sunday school at local Gurdwara, speak to them in Punjabi only.

Encourage them to speak Punjabi.

Hope your message goes to the parents both in India and overseas and they speak and teach Punjabi to their children.

[simran345]

Some people in from India don't even understand when u talk to them in punjabi and it's not to do with th accent or pronunciation, they r just simply jealous and ignorant and only wAnt to have selective hearing. For example they want to go abroad but don't want to learn English at all or mix in but when it comes to buyin a TV then they seem to know all about that. But even if western people can probably speak more pure theth punjabi than them they will still put them down, when they only can speak one language too. So it's great th ones that have learnt to, but what about th ones that don't wAnt to learn English when they have to also and take advantage of their relatives when wanting something that has only to do with money. But yet we are expected to know everything when we go to India, nobody helps us then or even bothers to explain anything.

The difference now is our parents and those came before had to learn th language to live in th country, but nowadays they don't wAnt to try.

And they talk this weird kind of punjabi now, not th gud old punjabi our elders spoke. Like a slang type, and it's all about th latest iPhone or sunglasses not about compassion or care within relatives, that's probably why some westerners think oh wats th point when they don't get no gratitude when they give it, but r expected to give iPhones laptops BLA bla latest toys, yet some families here get their toys from charity shops or th cheapest one for their kids as they r expensive.

India has changed with kalyug, vice versa so has western countries, but like th sayin goes, thaali dho hathan nal vajdi, ek nal ni.

Rant over.

[jkvlondon]

The difference now is our parents and those came before had to learn th language to live in th country, but nowadays they don't wAnt to try.

And they talk this weird kind of punjabi now, not th gud old punjabi our elders spoke. Like a slang type, and it's all about th latest iPhone or sunglasses not about compassion or care within relatives, that's probably why some westerners think oh wats th point when they don't get no gratitude when they give it, but r expected to give iPhones laptops BLA bla latest toys, yet some families here get their toys from charity shops or th cheapest one for their kids as they r expensive.

India has changed with kalyug, vice versa so has western countries, but like th sayin goes, thaali dho hathan nal vajdi, ek nal ni.

Rant over.

I had Massive arguments with my Masi (4 years senior)she pro Hindi,I pro Punjabi , she is born and bred Indian and her son is four months younger than my eldest and could not speak word one of Punjabi, despite going to school in Punjab for his first thirteen years. She was really against speaking or teaching him Punjabi even in the home , she felt somehow he would be at a disadvantadge if he did speak Punjabi which is funny cos she is a really good Punjabi speaker. I am UK Born and Bred but I feel that I would not be doing my job as a parent if I didn't try to teach my kids Punjabi, even though I am not very, very fluent, I mean for them not to be able to read bani for themselves I feel would be a great betrayal of trust they have in me. My Cousin only started to learn Punjabi once his Mum and Dad moved back to London from Jalandhar and he spent time with my Mum and speaking with my Eldest son (jokes and turns of phrases initially)and realising it gives you a certain freedom to express yourself truly.

I agree his attitude was similar to what you described about being 'on trend' having the latest electronics, clothes etc not so much dharmic (he's a nice kid just never been instructed in what being a Sikh is) , as opposed to mine who have 'If I get something great, if not it's still OK' mine hate 'textspeak' - where people speak the same way they text, so when they catch their Mama doing it they pull him up on it, he certainly has being a bit more expressive now in English as well as Punjabi.He also has learnt to have more outward looking attitude rather than selfish one from Mum, he loves going to Gurudwara and doing sewa.

I think in the West because we had direct challenges against our culture and religious beliefs straight away, we have worked hard to protect and enshrine their value in our hearts whereas those in India are like those frogs sitting in cold water pans slowly getting heated up they don't see the attacks because it is so slow and stealthy ...they will get boiled alive before realising the danger they are in (of losing everything).

[simran345]

I had Massive arguments with my Masi (4 years senior)she pro Hindi,I pro Punjabi , she is born and bred Indian and her son is four months younger than my eldest and could not speak word one of Punjabi, despite going to school in Punjab for his first thirteen years. She was really against speaking or teaching him Punjabi even in the home , she felt somehow he would be at a disadvantadge if he did speak Punjabi which is funny cos she is a really good Punjabi speaker. I am UK Born and Bred but I feel that I would not be doing my job as a parent if I didn't try to teach my kids Punjabi, even though I am not very, very fluent, I mean for them not to be able to read bani for themselves I feel would be a great betrayal of trust they have in me. My Cousin only started to learn Punjabi once his Mum and Dad moved back to London from Jalandhar and he spent time with my Mum and speaking with my Eldest son (jokes and turns of phrases initially)and realising it gives you a certain freedom to express yourself truly.I agree his attitude was similar to what you described about being 'on trend' having the latest electronics, clothes etc not so much dharmic (he's a nice kid just never been instructed in what being a Sikh is) , as opposed to mine who have 'If I get something great, if not it's still OK' mine hate 'textspeak' - where people speak the same way they text, so when they catch their Mama doing it they pull him up on it, he certainly has being a bit more expressive now in English as well as Punjabi.He also has learnt to have more outward looking attitude rather than selfish one from Mum, he loves going to Gurudwara and doing sewa.I think in the West because we had direct challenges against our culture and religious beliefs straight away, we have worked hard to protect and enshrine their value in our hearts whereas those in India are like those frogs sitting in cold water pans slowly getting heated up they don't see the attacks because it is so slow and stealthy ...they will get boiled alive before realising the danger they are in (of losing everything).

The older generation is ok, but sorry to say th 2nd generation n below just dont seem to care about anything, there's no respect no more. No compassion as long as they get wat they want. Not sure whether coz they been spoilt or it's th norm nowadays. Seems to be an issue of jealousy n hatred towards westerners, even if they got it good. And schools there tend to speak Hindi not punjabi. So th problem is not just abroad but in th very land where punjabi originated.

Here people want to know about their roots th ones that do. But over there they are being modern and see punjabi as low standard in some areas. Even my cousins won't speak it, although they are in pinds n their grandparents speak it. So it's all changing in India no wonder here nobody wants to know. The love has gone n it's all about money now.

[JagsawSingh]

So th problem is not just abroad but in th very land where punjabi originated.

I think you missed the common point most have been making on this thread, i.e the fact that Punjabi is thriving and being saved "abroad" more than it as ever been done before. The problem is purely within India.

[jkvlondon]

Unfortunately, Sikhs in India are abandoning Punjabi. Many kids have stopped speaking Punjabi. They only speak Hindi or English.

Many see Punjabi as language of "Gwaar" and "Anpad"

Schools play a huge role in discouraging children to speak Punjabi. There are many schools in Punjab where only Hindi or English is allowed.

I got my schooling from catholic school in Punjab and I remember our teachers would scold us for speaking Punjabi. Whenever we spoke Punjabi, we were looked down. We were even punished. They claimed that since its English medium school everyone should speak English but they had no problem with kids speaking in Hindi.

The way Sikhs in West have saved Sikhi, it is our responsibility to save Punjabi and Gurmukhi.

Teach your kids Punjabi, take them to sunday school at local Gurdwara, speak to them in Punjabi only.

Encourage them to speak Punjabi.

I remember reading a horrifying story recently about how a boy was beaten and his arm broken by teacher in Punjab for having the gall to say Fateh to the Sikh Teacher, that same k@@jer handed him into head's office instead quicklt doing fateh and warning the boy that he would get in trouble from school authorities (sorry for the colourful language but anyone with that level of berehimi deserves it). Punjabi is OUR language and we ALL must fight to save it, and develop love for it, reprint all the poetry,dharmic pustaks of old, our history from purantaan sikhs before our descendents lose all touch with their true roots.

[simran345]

I think you missed the common point most have been making on this thread, i.e the fact that Punjabi is thriving and being saved "abroad" more than it as ever been done before. The problem is purely within India.

Yes Jagsaw paji u r right th prob is in India, n abroad people r speaking it.

[Mehtab Singh]

This guy puts atleast a couple of hundred thousand people to shame...