Initially she didn’t feel confident enough as she hadn’t grown up in an English-speaking environment even though her parents are «fairly fluent» in English. There are actually households in India where different generations of a family would speak English with each other in private settings. It wasn’t till middle school that she finally gained enough confidence to speak English.
As being able to speak this language well is «imbued with a certain sense of superiority» even in India, some younger people might start ignoring their own mother tongues. Of course, with India being so big, English eventually acquired its own varieties inside the country and «grammar may differ from state to state». Apoorva emphasizes the role of the native culture which finds its way into the way people use the language.
She said she had been contemplating issues surrounding language acquisition and use more after completing her undergrad in Literature which gave her «a renewed passion for languages» and «a newfound respect for my own language». Reflecting more on her adolescence, she recollects how even for formal requests back at school students still had to use English. Also, in formal gatherings rarely would you find someone asking you questions in Hindi or any other language spoken in India. So, Apoorva often heard fellow Indians approaching her with the questions such as «What’s your name?», «How are you doing at school?». Then the conversation might «transgress» into another language.
Apoorva admits that she is still struggling with syntax which is so different from her mother tongue – Hindi. For example, she is annoyed by how every once in a while she still uses wrong articles. Another thing she can’t get her head around is how some grammar rules might vary from country to country. After studying in institutions around the world where English «has been a medium of instruction for centuries», Apoorva concludes that sometimes it was «just the matter of taste».
There were instances when she felt somehow upset by her interactions with native speakers of English. She remembers how after arriving in London for her Masters she had to struggle trying to understand what the receptionist at her bed-and-breakfast was saying. Back home it was not a problem to approach people and ask them as many questions as you needed, but that man seemed to have gotten annoyed as it might not be so common in the UK. So, he turned to his friend and said, «She will not be able to survive in England. She can’t speak English!». Apoorva’s friend in her turn replied, «But she has a degree in English so she probably knows more than you!».
Ironically, Apoorva notes, the first department of English Literature was actually founded in India (Bombay) in the 19th century. In the UK English wasn’t considered to be important for studying, so they were focusing on Greek and Latin. From the scientific perspective, Indians are «supposed to have the most perfect pronunciation of English». So this case «was a pinch of salt» as Apoorva was proud to have maintained her «Indian/Hindi accent».
At this point, Apoorva describes herself as «well-versed» in English. She feels so natural using a combination of languages that it is actually difficult to express herself «in one language entirely». Speech that «flows from Hindi to English and Urdu and back to English» is «an expression of who I am», says Apoorva. This is so much «part of my identity and I’m not trying to fit in either mode». This, as she calls it, «mélange» of languages is an essential part of her linguistic personality.
Reflecting on the image she projects onto others based on her language choices, Apoorva says that outside India people might have a different impression of her when she’s not speaking English. But once she starts doing that, they might change their impression of her. As it is a «superior» language, suddenly others «take notice of you».
Here in the US from the moment she landed, people have been saying «You speak English so well». But that might come «from the ignorance that Indians don’t speak English very well». Apoorva is adamant that there are a lot of people she knows who speak much better, their grammar is «fantabulous», so she takes these comments «with a pinch of salt». She feels lucky that unlike some people who have to make an effort to acquire this language, she learned it as part of her school curriculum back in India.
Her linguistic journey continues as after 4.5 years of working in the field of Higher Education Administration Policy, she got a Fulbright scholarship to study at Teacher’s College (Columbia University).
Finally, when it comes to some tips as to how to master a language well, Apoorva believes the key is to find a way to feel comfortable in it. Speaking in any language «involves your own style». So you don’t have to imitate your teacher’s language. Once you achieve that level of comfort and whatever you are saying is perfectly right in your own head, you will be very confident. «Don’t think of it as a language outside yourself», but rather «make it your own».
∞ It was enlightening to hear about a linguistic adventure of someone living in a country where English has a different status than in mine. It is obvious that the way any language is used and treated in any given state can be subject to change, but what cannot be denied is that in general English learning and teaching experiences would be different in India and Russia.
Delving into Apoorva’s internal and external beauty as well as her beautiful English was an absolute pleasure. That was how I knew I was going to continue working on this interview project – even just for meeting such smart and truly articulate individuals as Apoorva. I couldn’t help but notice how eloquent she was and how her own individual style of putting her thoughts into words shone through during our talk. It is true indeed that a radiant personality cannot possibly be hidden – no matter what language one chooses or has to speak.
Whenever I got to meet Apoorva throughout my year in the U.S., I felt that special bond we had, which shows how coming from different countries might not matter as long as you have one language you share – even if the way you both speak it might differ in terms of pronunciation, syntax, vocabulary choices, etc.
As I felt I had gotten off to a good start with my project, I was more than ready to dive deeper into an intrinsic linguistic fabric of the Big Apple as well as my home state of New Jersey…
A humble and hard-working bilingual
(Masumi, Japan)
Languages spoken: Japanese, English, Chinese.
Field of study/career: Linguistics, Business (Baruch College, CUNY).
I met Masumi from Japan on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Coney Island, Brooklyn, around an hour’s subway ride from Downtown Manhattan. For the International Coastal Cleanup Day, One To World, an organization whose mission is to promote intercultural understanding, organized an event bringing together international students and scholars. It was a really interesting way of meeting new like-minded people, which is particularly essential during the first days of an extended stay abroad.
Getting together with a multilingual team for an environmental cause to pick up some trash along the coastline was a nice experience. At this point being in the US felt more like an extended vacation with everything being new – including the host university campus as well as the NJ and NY area. Being able to spend a day at a beach wasn’t something I believed I would do so casually and I’d never seriously thought being in NYC would allow me to do that.
Masumi must have been the first Japanese I’d ever met. She was what one would expect a typical
