Two Languages

In England, my land lady and I were having a chat about things Indian - the number of languages, the many dialects and such things. I took out a currency note and showed the languages on it.

My landlady, Sandra, asked how many languages I knew. Three: Kannada – my mother tongue, Hindi that I had (not) studied in school but had learnt in Ranchi, and English. I knew a wee bit of Bangali too as most of my friends in Ranchi were Bangalis. I had learnt the script and could read at least the name boards.

How about other Indians? Most educated Indians know two languages, at least, and many know more, etc. Not an exact picture, but the best possible one.

My landlady said, pensively and self deprecatingly, “I can manage only two languages myself”.

The daughter, Sarah, was incensed that her mother was lying. “Momma, what two languages do you know?”

“English and slang…..”