The sad fate of Punjabi in Pakistan

[Toramana]

Punjabi is the mother tongue of well over 120 million people. It is the language of two groups: the Sikhs of East Punjab in India (who use Sanskritised script), and the Punjabis of West Punjab in Pakistan (who use Persianised script). The two groups cannot read or write each other's writing, but their oral communicability is one hundred percent.

Before the partition of India in 1947 these two peoples used to live side by side. Some of the richest poetical traditions--

http://www.punjabics.com/Reports/LINGUISTIC%20CLEANSING.htm

[asad71]

1.In India Punjabi/Gurmukhi is the state language of Punjab. It is one of the state languages of Capital Delhi, Haryana and Hmachal. The language has prospered in literature, media, music, cinema,etc.

2. In Pakistan the oddity is that the majority community speak Punjabi at home and among themselves, but is not recognized as a language. Sind and K-P have own state language but not Punjab.

[JattApache]

The pakistani punjabis speak mainly urdu, they prefer urdu because they don't like the punjabi language, they have shame
But they prefer persian languages, pashto, arabic etc....

[Wahe Guru]

The pakistani punjabis speak mainly urdu, they prefer urdu because they don't like the punjabi language, they have shame
But they prefer persian languages, pashto, arabic etc....

Only many of the educated types like to speak in Urdu, otherwise most Punjabis there will still talk in Punjabi.

During the earthquake, TV crews were covering the affected area in "Azad Kashmir", and nearly everyone was replying to the crews in Punjabi. Hardly anyone replied in Urdu. Very few in Azad Kashmir are Kashmiris. Most of that area was originally in Punjab, but Ranjit Singh or British gave it to Dogra rulers.

[JattApache]

Only many of the educated types like to speak in Urdu, otherwise most Punjabis there will still talk in Punjabi.

During the earthquake, TV crews were covering the affected area in "Azad Kashmir", and nearly everyone was replying to the crews in Punjabi. Hardly anyone replied in Urdu. Very few in Azad Kashmir are Kashmiris. Most of that area was originally in Punjab, but Ranjit Singh or British gave it to Dogra rulers.

I know that in england, the " mirpuris " pakistanis claim to be kashmiris, but in reality, they are ethnic punjabi, and they speak potohari ( close to punjabi )

[haviZsultan]

Punjabi as a language is not even taught in schools while Pashto is taught till 9th grade. Only recently some schools have started adding it. It is in decline mostly because of the closeness of Urdu to it and many Punjabis adopting it.

I strongly believe that culturally Pashtuns are in a much better position when compared to the Punjabis who are rapidly being urduized.

Pashtuns don't know what they have. Instead of focusing on non-essential things Pashtuns can focus on important things like strenthening their language and building language institutes or even colleges that give instruction in Pashto.

Theres a lot Pashtuns can do but ideologically they are being purposely confused. I also want to warn against not taking part in institutions and being alienated. It will only weaken the Pashtun. Pashtuns must work hard to get into every field in Pakistani society whether it be the judiciary, government or the army.

Don't worry about being called dal-khors by northerners.

[IamDZJ]

so sanskrit is what the hindus use and that is what the punjabies in india use but even though the language is same, the punjabies of pakistan use urdu and neither has knowledge of each other's written punjabi.
that must make things very difficult. all their documents probably have to be in english. yeah, that is sad.

[Wahe Guru]

so sanskrit is what the hindus use and that is what the punjabies in india use but even though the language is same, the punjabies of pakistan use urdu and neither has knowledge of each other's written punjabi.
that must make things very difficult. all their documents probably have to be in english. yeah, that is sad.

Hindi uses a different script (called Devanagri) to the script (called Gurmukhi) used for Punjabi in India, but they are similar scripts.

Many urban Hindu Punjabies in India started writing and speaking Hindi (which as we know is even closer to Urdu than Punjabi). They thought Hindi = Hindu but that is not true. Bengalis and Tamils are Hindus (majority of them) but they speak & write their own languages.

In Pakistan, educated Punjabi Muslims thought Urdu = language of Muslims and "better" than Punjabi language ("language of uneducated villagers"), therefore they mostly do not write Punjabi at all, but I think there are some Punjabi language publications which are written using Urdu script.

Before partition Urdu was the official language in all Punjab and therefore Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims used to learn to write Urdu fully. But many Hindus would also learn to write Hindi and Sikhs would also learn to write Punjabi in Gurmukhi.

If a Muslim wants to read Punjabi from India, they can learn Gurmukhi script easily and people with interest do that.

yes, you are correct Punjab got divided totally including writing and speaking due to religion especially under British rule (divide and conquer). But I don't think Punjabi language in Pakistan will die out. Most of the singers in Pakistan Punjab, sing in Punjabi. Same songs in Urdu do not sound good at all. There is a lot of folklore in Punjabi language too.

[tor_khan]

Pakistan and India, despite 'independence' are still slaves to one upmanship and an inferiority complex exacerbated by English. If I was much of a TV drama watcher, I would say it is much easier to watch actors speak in scripted Urdu and Hindi because chances are you will hear it less adulterated. On the other hand if you put these actors and media personalities on a couch and give them 'free' conversation they go on to murder their respective languages with English.

English is fine, but it pains me that media/governments accept the mish-mash. You wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) really pass off English as being of a good standard with two or three lines of optional Hindi - so why the reverse?

Previously we have had these kinds of debate on this forum about Pashto, and I have specifically chosen to use Pashto in Pashto script when making my responses to the matter because I think my own language deserves more respect than to be discussed endlessly in English. Since I don't have that same level of attachment to Panjabi, I can only expect Panjabis to address their own language concerns. However, two points I will make.

1. Since Pakistani Panjabis in the majority suffer Angrezi/Indian complexes, they push (unnaturally) more for Urdu than their own language. The only beneficiaries are Urduiites in Karachi because that language gets priority. There's nothing wrong with Urdu as a language per se by the way. However the Panjab having dispensed with their own language and replaced it with 'Urdu' (even in a crappy Angrezified form) are now out to tacitly promote this new linguistic identity as somehow better than what they originally had.

2. In the broadest sense, if Panjabis had some pride in what they were themselves, the rest of Pakistan wouldn't have to suffer to make up for their inferiority complex. It might help somewhat, but overall I refute HaviSultan's assertion that simply by becoming institutionalised can Pashtuns in Pakistan in promote their language and culture. The reason is simple - the state is only interested in the Panjab version of Urdu, English or 'Islamic' culture.

[Karachi]

in rural areas punjabi is still the main language, however in the cities (Lahore, Islamabad) Urdu is mostly spoken. I also dont think it will die out though

also dont forget that urdu is also used for religious purposes in pakistan, so that's it is a given a important status by every one