Polyglot - Knowing many Languages

Polyglot - Knowing many Languages

 

If you know many languages you are at an advantage over others. I have written about polyglots earlier. I want to reproduce the last para from there before I proceed further:

 

I know Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and English. French and German – I have forgotten as quickly as I learnt them; I have retained just enough skill to ascertain the language of an article and perhaps translate the title.  Sanskrit was my second language in School. I cannot avoid exposure to Hindi as Modi's government is imposing it on everyone in devious ways.

 

Info given above may be presented as a table for easy comprehension / comparison.

 

Language	Read	Write	Speak	Understand If spoken	Remark
Tamil	Y	Y	Y	Y	Studied
Telugu	N	N	Y	Y	Local influence
Kannada	N	N	Y	Y	Mother tongue
English	Y	Y	Y	Y	Studied
French	Y	N	N	N	Sufficient to translate titles / headers
German	Y	N	N	Y somewhat	Ditto. Studied
Malayalam	N	N	N	Y
Sanskrit	Y	Y	N	Y partially	Studied
Hindi	Y	Y	N	Y	Studied
Sign Language				Y

 

It is the last row that brings me on par with dogs and certain other animals. We have a few street dogs that take shelter in our terrace. My daughter and I 'speak' to the dogs in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi etc depending upon our moods. They understand all our languages well but behave as if they are deaf, especially when we want them to go out! Even human beings may benefit If they pretend to be deaf and do not respond, on certain occasions!

 

 

Fwd: Sounds from neighbourhood

Sounds from neighbourhood

I am exposed to many types of sounds in my neighbourhood. They tell
many stories: interesting to hear, interpret and have some fun.

The day starts with Allahoo Akbar prayer from a nearby mosque at 5'o
clock in the morning. Then Hanuman chalisa from a temple on the main
road via loudspeakers. A cart carrying Saibaba makes a round at about
9 in the morning blaring chants all the way.

My gate has a latch where two halves meet. Opening and closing the
gate make different noises. I can make out whether it is the maid, or
the postman or the "Chatta wala" who is opening it depending upon the
time. If the gates are fully opened, the hinges make a unique
crackling noise – just yesterday I oiled them!

Other sounds are not time bound. Some are mechanical or metal made. My
left-side neighbour has a large metal gate that opens by being pushed
along rails. Whenever it is opened, I know they are taking the car out
or bringing it in. My right-side resident has a single gate. When the
servant opens it, it makes a different noise than when a vendor opens
it. I can make out who is going in / out.

The opposite house has a double gate and a single gate. There is a
bachelor staying on the first floor. When he returns home late in the
night, he stops the car smoothly. Closes the car door as if it is a
new car on its first day of use. Opens the gate as silently as
possible and tip toes up the stairs accosting his girlfriend. The same
gate makes a jarring noise when used by the office boy employed in the
office on the ground floor.

Vendors create their own sounds. "Koorkaailei" is an automated sound
from speakers in a vegetable vendor's cart. An indecipherable sound
tears your ears from the fruit vendor. The courier guy puts out such a
wail that you tend to drop everything on hand and rush to the door.

If you are keen in observing through your ears, not just eyes, you can
'see' a lot and understand the environment / surroundings better, for
your own good.

============

Dr P Vyasamoorthy / 9490804278