WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/36094

Disclaimer: My following comments have nothing to do with the topic of the discussion between Mr Raihan and Mr Avijit Roy!

Just out of curiosity I clicked on the pdf link and browsed the first page of what seemed quite a lengthy commentary by Mr Raihan.

On the first page Mr Raihan resorted to not only English words, spelled witn Bengali letters, but he also asked questions fully in English.  What "style" of "Bangla" is this, I am curious.  Perhaps Mr Raihan can explain...in English?

I left Bangladesh 23 years ago.  I was quite comfortable in Bangla and, in fact, received distinction marks in both my SSC and HSC in Bangla literature.  I have little doubt Bangla is a rich, resourceful language.  I am equally sad it has not received as much respect in the world free market of languages as it deserves, although it is likely the 5th or 6th largest-spoken language.

I am quite comfortable in English language as well.  But unlike some others, I do not pretend I have forgotten Bangla.  However, living in the US it is more comfortable for me to speak and write in English for understandable reasons.  Nonetheless, it is my position that Bangla does not receive any magnification of meaning if the writer asks questions in English, using Bangla letters!

While I realize the case of Mr Raihan might be different I also recall meeting some Bengali aatels, whom I shall call 'pseudo-aatels' and shall soon explain why the 'pseudo', who felt English words and questions somehow confirmed their superiority among deshi folks.  I consider it pseudo for a reason.  Locally in the US I have met those deshis who just couldn't express one coherent thought in Bangla without puncturing it with English words, or statements.  That, among deshi circles, mind you!

Once in a while when I wanted to amuse myself at social parties also frequented by such aatels I'd approach with a smile, to learn what their aatlami was about.  I'd also ask if the speakers felt more comfortable in either language.  Usually no direct response was offered, although their 'Bang-lish' continued with equal gusto.  To test the waters I'd begin speaking in full English.  Like Neosporin is to a wound it often shut up the aatels flashing 'Banglish' un-erudition.  I'd ask if everyone would feel more comfortable, had I spoken in full Bangla.  If generally agreed I'd then switch into full Bangla.  There was a method to this madness: a psychological angle!

When someone establishes capacity to speak in complete English, he or she may expose the vacuity of those who pretend they know so much English they must punctuate Bangla with it, although they may not really be all that fluent in English. I interpret it as people's pretending among some folks to be that which they are not, folks whose ability in English is more limited but whose cup of awed fallacy to associate English-puncturing of Bangla with intelligence/class might be frothing as well.

Most likely we are either proud of our mother tongue, or we are not.  Anyone presuming he or she would elevate the quality of their speech or writing by ramming it with English words or sentences or even half-sentences is likely insincere and fallacious.  It is a shame because, to those less skilled in English they may project the image that high level discussions of any subject must be sliced and diced with English, (social dramaturgy)  although in reality it is hardly defensible.

In this regard I must commend Mr Avijit Roy, for his admirable work "Aalo Haate Choliyachhe Anadharer Jaatri."  I appreciated receiving a copy of it.  I have had difficulty working through the Bangla words in it describing many matters of science, simply because I did not learn those in Bangla originally.  But taking a step back and recognizing Mr Roy's bigger accomplishment with the book, which might be to help expose common Bengalis to alternative ideas, I must say he deserves "two enthusiastic thumbs up". [in Siskel-Ebert style!]  It must have been difficult, and even excruciating at times, to explain the topics of the book in as lucid Bangla prose as Mr Roy managed to pull off.

When choosing to debate with Mr Avijit Roy in Bangla, maybe we could show more respect to our Bangla mother tongue by endeavoring to discuss in complete Bangla?  If that seems difficult for whatever reason, why not put our arguments in complete English?  After all, why this hodge-podge of Bang-lish? 

While we take pride in February 21 being a global Mother Language Day, let us show the pride in our action as well. Let us reject the pseudo-aatlami of molesting our beloved Bangla with English words, half sentences, and sentences, when it can be clearly shown there was no lack of Bangla words, with which to express the same at least equally well.  We lived as a British colony for almost 200 years but they have "left the building" long ago.  Is it not about time we purge the slavery of the Brits from our minds and quit playing little brown sahibs?

I respectfully invite all to ponder over this matter.

Regards,

Syed M. Islam