Saturday, August 13, 2005

No language is their language

Today when I was travelling in a bus, I found three young men, must be in their twenties, communicating in sign language. I guess, they were all from the same institution, as they were wearing the same coloured shirt and trousers. Their wild gesticulations attracted everyone's attention. More so, they were sharing some joke, for there were smiles and mild laughter too. Now a days, with many such people among us out in public -- unlike in the past when they led a sequestered and condemned life -- their gesticulations distract no one. One feels good to see them well-assimilated into our society.

Watching them, I couldn't help thinking for a moment about the meaningless language controversy that refuses to die down in our country -- English vs local language; Hindi vs local language, English vs Hindi, one local language vs another local language. For the group to which these three youths belong no language is their language.

2 comments:

  1. Y,"Expressions of silence" maybe:) Whenever i see them in buses and other places i feel so good abt it,they r so engrosased in their own world filled with silence but still communicating and happy doing so:)

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  2. Hmmm.. nice article and a good observation. And I like the way you have compared this with the language controversy.

    ReplyDelete

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