For the past three months I have been working hard to master the basics of the Gujarati language. But it has not come easy. From tone differences, to gender variations, I have worked vigorously to properly speak basics of the language in an Indian rather than American context. I’ve had to immerse myself into the “collective identity” of Gujarati culture. I can’t speak about Gujarati culture’s relationship to Gujarati without first mentioning India.
Few countries in the world have such an ancient and cultural diverse population as India's. Spanning well over 5000 years, India's culture has been enriched by consecutive waves of migration, which were immersed into the Indian way of life. It is this diversity, which is a special hallmark of India. Its physical, religious and racial variety is immense. As a result, its linguistic diversity is greatly impacted. An example of that is Gujarati. It has evolved from Sanskrit but was also heavily influenced by Persian linguistic elements. Underneath Gujarati culture lies the continuity of India as a civilization and social structure from the very earliest times until the present day. Indian religions, festivals, rituals, artifacts, monuments, costumes, music and dance, language and literature, all impact the Gujarati language and how it is preserved.
I have found most useful, the history and cultural behind the Gujarati language. I have learned what are and are not norms for society, and therefore I am more equipped in the ability to hold conversation with natives. For example, I would know not to ask about the weather in Gujarat because it is not a common question to be asked as it is here in Virginia. The weather is almost always constantly the same in Gujarat.: hot, or rainy in the rainy season. In the chapter, “Sociocultural Factors” H.D. Brown noted the concept of social distance. It gives explanatory power to place culture learning within second language learning. Understanding social distance is imperative to understanding the cognitive and affective proximity of Gujarati and American-English language culture. Our cultures in essence are relatively distant. Gujarati culture for example is far more patriarchical that US culture, and family and society plays a much larger role. On the other hand, egalitarianism, meritocracy, women’s equality, and individualism drive US culture. A part of my language learning process involves just understanding the basic cultural differences in our societies.
In addition to family and society concepts, H.D. Brown introduced the differences between collectivists and individualist societies. This coincided directly with my interpretation of the differences in US and Gujarati culture. “Saving face” is an example of one cultural component that Gujarati’s hold near and dear to their hearts. This can be defined as doing something that prevents loss of dignity or self-esteem. This translates into respect for one’s elders and those with more knowledge. In Gujarati culture, this means biting the bullet even if you do not agree with the way things are done by a specific individual. While I admire the humble concern for others in Gujarati culture, I also admire the fact that people speak up more in American-English culture. This can be translated in the way men and women are treated even. One of my language partners told me that in Gujarati, she refers to her father with the formal (tume) you form and to her mother in the informal (tu) you form. I found this extremely different than America-English language culture where everyone is referred to with the same words.
All in all, I’ve learned so much so far from the cultural and linguistic connections in Gujarati. I have been amazed in the differences in western and eastern cultures but I am eager to keep an open mind and learn as much as I can about Gujarati. Language policy and politics will not get in the way of my goal to learn the beautiful Gujarati language.
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