Language and Patriotism? second attempt.?

Question

Why language is considered important for Patriotism?
I think Language should be considered as mode of communication.
Why people give added importance to their so called "Rashtrabhasha"?
This question is most important to my Indian friends but no damage if any foreign friend wishes to reply.
For my foreign friends I will add here that "Rashtrabhasha" is a Hindi word and it means National Language.
Am I to be considered "Unpatriot" if I do not know my national language?
Who made this parameter and why do we think it is correct?
I have a question for so called Patriots,
Why we have so many Ministers in government who do not know our National Language?
Are they willing to be patriot and throw them out or revolt against them?
And if they cannot do any thing on this should we consider them “Unpatriot”?
No offence against any one but I think we need a new awakening.
By saying "Mera Bharat Mahan" "My India is Great" are very really Patriot?
What do we need to be real Patriot?

I am sure this has been posted on http://in.answers.yahoo.com and that is my country (India) site for yahoo answers. If you are seeing my country site not my fault...

Please do not confuse mother tongue with national language.

How justifiable it would be for children aged between 5 and 10 years to learn 3 to 4 languages above other subjects?
With today's competitive education can child improve his/her skills by learning more languages instead of maths and science?

Answer 1

Your question is important. Language should not have anything to do with patriotism - your language IS a language of India, and you live in that country, so you are no less patriotic because you do not speak Hindi, the Rashtrabhasha.

Your country is a difficult case, though, because there are so many languages and it is such a large country. Any time a government designates a National Language, it is usually to create a sense of belonging and identity. In the process, many languages die - there are many examples of this: the loss of hundreds of Native American languages by settlers, the complete extinction of the Tasmanian people and language by the British. Fortunately, there are many people today who are trying to keep languages alive, and so things are changing. At some point in time, it will be very important for the smaller languages in the world to be intact, because they contain knowledge that hasn't been absorbed into other languages (for example, Hawai'ian, which has the richest vocabulary of aquatic and marine life of any language in the world).

It is unusual that there are government ministers who do not speak the national language, and it is fundamentally 'odd' that there is a National Language in your country when obviously there must be a NUMBER of national languages (for example, the Catalonian region of Spain, where both Spanish and Catalan are considered co-national). Perhaps one day India will have to accept that one language is not enough, unless the government is willing to put money toward education for those who do not speak it.

Answer 2

I am fully with you to the extent that any language is a midium of communication. In my view, language can't be the only parametre to gauge one's patriotism. No one can be more patriotic or less patriotic simply by following or knowing a particular language. Having ministers in the central govt cabinet of ministers from all over the country ( with inclination to various languages) itself shows that all are equals. Else, you should mean it to be the double standards of politics. What really matters is - what one actually thinks of the nation, national integrity, national soverignty, its all round development and welbeing of every citizen of the nation. If one is really true to the nation, how does really any language matter ? Is it that only those who knew English or Hindi were the one who fought the freedom struggle and none else ? NO. There were so may others from other regions and languages all over the country. Then why this language dispute?..Yes... there has to be some common language for common understanding..but at the same time..all other languages are also eqally important.Why don't you make it compulsory in education to learn English, Hindi, mother tongue and one more (other regional) language so that you understand maximum people and their aspirations and what the nation really wants...Personally, I know to read, speak and write in English, Hindi, Marathi and Kannada, besides, understand a lot in other South Indian languages and Gujarathi & Rajasthani. Why any hesitation to learn Hindi ( as is used to be in some south Indian state...I need not name one) or why neglect or treat in some other fashion the people who don't know Hindi or English ? Come out of all these ilusions and prejudices...yaar...Think large and wide... think about the nation. Think about going forward as a team to achieve good for our beloved country.

Answer 3

i don't know what a "Rashtrabhasha" is (i'm guessing its no longer an English word) yet i think of you're puzzled. Language has little or no to do with patriotism. Patriotism must be seen as simply by language modifications yet there have been languages in the previous there have been international locations. I communicate 4 distinctive languages and that i stay in a bilingual usa--does that make me unpatriotic? no longer possibly. many international locations taht are very proud of their usa and language oftentimes learn the languages of alternative international locations. look what number Asians desire to learn English now and those are some very patriotic international locations.

Answer 4

You are mixing many thing in one. Language should be considered as mode of communication..perfectly right. but dificulty arise due to different language. Why one should object to learn a language that is 'Rastrabhasha'. Take the case a of south indian face if they dont know hindi in north part of india or in the Train. as also north indian face in south.

Bur you only answered you question by saying Language should be considered as mode of communication. Bad part is we easily accept English to comunicate with each other...when that place should be taken by RASTRABHASHA.

Answer 5

Patriotism is an emotional appeal, in which language also have its own influience. We can not express our love towards our mother more effectively then in our mother tongue ?

Answer 6

I would rather say "Vandé Mataram" that being sanskrit and not a rashtrabhasha...does it make me unpatriotic!

Answer 7

Please, post on your own country's site.