Some Observations After Visiting Punjab for the First Time in Over a Decade

[dallysingh101]

Had a weird experience at a new job I was on (was only a one dayer). I was the only brown face there bar one freshie with a pagh. When we introduced ourselves I asked where he was from and told him I was from Malwa, he told me Majha. Then he started talking Hindi to me???   I was a bit confused first. Then he did it again, and I said to him: "I'm from malwa, you're from majha, why are you speaking hindi with me??" I don't know what he mumbled in response. Something like "I do both."

I tell you' I've met a few desi pendu labourers  on sites lately that have been f**king lazy. Me and this guy didn't really get on. I hope I don't have to work with him much. 

Another thing I realised about freshy pandus, is if you try and help them with their labourer workload from the kindness of your heart, the panchoday try and run off and duck doing the work altogether, lazy, sneaky  peasants.  

[BhForce]

18 hours ago, dallysingh101 said:

Then he started talking Hindi to me???   I was a bit confused first. Then he did it again, and I said to him: "I'm from malwa, you're from majha, why are you speaking hindi with me??" I don't know what he mumbled in response. Something like "I do both."

One of the stupidest things that some Punjabis think is that Hindi is a more "refined" language than Punjabi.

No, Hindi is not more refined. It's just that Punjabis themselves are not refined.

I do understand that there are variations in the "feel" of languages: say, French vs. German.

But there's barely a difference grammatically and syntactically Punjabi vs. Hindi.

The difference is just that people often speak in a more refined way in Hindi because they are speaking it in refined contexts: A nice showroom in the city. A government office. A reception desk in a skyscraper.

Punjabis could speak Punjabi in a refined manner, too. But they don't.

[BhForce]

On 7/19/2023 at 1:48 PM, dallysingh101 said:

I think back home they are just steadily regressing into their previous Panjabi tribal identities/state, which is dangerous because it means that we aren't evolving along Sikh cultural moorings. 

I'll disagree with you to an extent. I think it's OK to have "previous Panjabi tribal identities/state" in the background as long as:

1) It's not egregiously anti-Sikh stuff (like killing girls or mundan of boys)

2) You don't denigrate the "previous Panjabi tribal identities/state" of other Sikhs.

If those two conditions are fulfilled, then the "previous Panjabi tribal identities/state" just exists as a cute little "interesting" thing about someone.

[dallysingh101]

5 hours ago, BhForce said:

One of the stupidest things that some Punjabis think is that Hindi is a more "refined" language than Punjabi.

No, Hindi is not more refined. It's just that Punjabis themselves are not refined.

I do understand that there are variations in the "feel" of languages: say, French vs. German.

But there's barely a difference grammatically and syntactically Punjabi vs. Hindi.

The difference is just that people often speak in a more refined way in Hindi because they are speaking it in refined contexts: A nice showroom in the city. A government office. A reception desk in a skyscraper.

Punjabis could speak Punjabi in a refined manner, too. But they don't.

I think a lot of what you're saying is true. I think the whole tone of Panjabi is different to Hindi and Urdu. It IS more 'rough'. That's why apnay speaking hindi sound shockingly feminine to me. 

But yes, theoretically Panjabi could be spoken in a refined way but many of us are rough ourselves.  

[dallysingh101]

5 hours ago, BhForce said:

I'll disagree with you to an extent. I think it's OK to have "previous Panjabi tribal identities/state" in the background as long as:

1) It's not egregiously anti-Sikh stuff (like killing girls or mundan of boys)

2) You don't denigrate the "previous Panjabi tribal identities/state" of other Sikhs.

If those two conditions are fulfilled, then the "previous Panjabi tribal identities/state" just exists as a cute little "interesting" thing about someone.

It doesn't work like that does it./ Certain identities are actually predicated on a ridiculous supremacist mindset. That's the reality. 

[BhForce]

1 minute ago, dallysingh101 said:

I think a lot of what you're saying is true. I think the whole tone of Panjabi is different to Hindi and Urdu. It IS more 'rough'. That's why apnay speaking hindi sound shockingly feminine to me. 

But yes, theoretically Panjabi could be spoken in a refined way but many of us are rough ourselves.  

Compare the speech of, say Maskeen ji, or other polished kathakars to the average Punjabi on the street. That's what I mean.

It's a matter of fully enunciating words, using fewer contractions, using elevated vocabulary, not swearing, and polished diction.

If you do that, most Punjabis will think you're not authentically Punjabi!

[dallysingh101]

12 hours ago, BhForce said:

If you do that, most Punjabis will think you're not authentically Punjabi!

Or you come across as a 'pajama'. 

 

I was taught to speak polished Malwa Panjabi from a child, but as soon as I turned teenager and went out in the working/wider world and had to work with other rural apnay I soon realised it marked me out - actually they didn't hesitate to tell me straight up, asking me why I was talking like that. I adapted.   

I know it's wrong, but I'm messed up too: a Sikh talking Hindi does my head in. Probably for the same reasons that olders subtly made me talk 'less polished' when I was younger (as alluded to above).  

[Kau89r8]

On 7/19/2023 at 9:45 PM, dallysingh101 said:

 

 

I'm glad you're laughing for a change btw.

no no laughing ... my life destiny does not have it in me to know what happiness joy is 

[Kau89r8]

On 7/14/2023 at 6:05 PM, californiasardar1 said:

 

Please learn how to write coherently.

teach your future wife and she'll get her green card quicker 

[Kau89r8]

On 7/17/2023 at 11:38 PM, ChardikalaUK said:

It just gives them an excuse to behave as they do in India. 

I was at a mela yesterday in Southall, the vast majority of the crowd were savages. Mostly illegal single men. They are the worst of our community here. At least the apne who came here from the 60s - 80s came with wives or called them over later. These guys are just drunk perverts who urinate on the street. 

No wander when get the opportunity punjabis who live in those areas will move to gora areas. Happening in Canada US Punjabi populated areas ...they move to rural white areas chance they get...

Southall has become interesting though. I like the new developments happening. I mean i give credit to Afghani Sikh community for what they have done they saved Southall ow Punjabis Sikhs 70 80 90s move out Gurudwaras would have been empty. Credit goes to Afghani Sikhs ..