Decline of Kannada language, worries renowned film maker

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 30,2017:Speaking at a panel discussion on ‘Language Politics and Medium of Instruction: Challenges in a Multilingual World,’ organised by Manipal University;  Award-winning renowned filmmaker Nagathihalli Chandrasekhar regretted that commodity status offered to languages has led to declining position of Kannada.

He said the snobbish attitude of English medium school has created a huge gap between the Kannada and English medium schools.

“Language learning is on a profit and loss calculation. Increasing consumerism has its worst impact on languages. The government, society, parents and teachers are equally responsible for the decline of Kannada medium schools. If at all measures are taken to improve the status of Kannada medium schools, it is possible only through government, society, teachers and parents.” he said.

“There are bright days ahead for Kannada medium schools and one need not be pessimist or escapist. Kannada has rich legacy. A defence of Kannada is not just an emotional response, but a considered intellectual stance. What we need is a constitutional amendment that protects all regional languages,” he reminded, adding that children who learn Kannada language owing to the intense rivalry with other languages, especially English should be provided supreme facilities in all fields.

Nagathihalli said, “There is an intense nativism in the films I make, much like what is found in Polish or Spanish films. Such films cannot be made in another language, because no other language can capture the native wisdom of such languages.”

Host of game show ‘Thatt Antha Heli,’ Naa Someswara said, “The attack of Hindi on South India is as vicious as Mohammed Ghazni’s attack on India. Hindi should be rejected even as a third language in our schools. Education system that ignores regional languages leads only to the development of the left hemisphere of the brain (logical, analytic), and to the detriment of the right hemisphere (empathy, creativity). Contrary to popular opinion, it is not impossible to teach science in Kannada. Scientific terms can retain their Latin, Greek or English roots. We need not find a new Kannada word for every scientific term.”

Prof Mahabaleshwara, principal of TMA Pai College of Education said, “Kannada schools are on the verge of extinction, thanks to government apathy and misplaced policy.”

Writer Prof Bhuvaneshwari Hegde, said, “A common sense approach to learning is important to be developed among children irrespective of whether they learn in their mother tongues or English. Such a learning is enabled better in a native language environment. People should not hesitate to use technology that aids learning and using of native language.”