In a first for Konknni as a language, Mangalore based organisation Jagotik Konknni Songhotton (JKS) has released a survey to help asses the state of Konknni at the global level. Launched last week, the Hanv Konknni- Global Survey is aiming to reach every corner of the world in an effort to help keep the language alive.
The 14 page questionnaire is part of JKS’s Konknni Language Planning efforts that its secretary general Eric Ozario says will initiate the future for Language Planning for Konknni. “This is the initial step where we will be assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the Konknni language and culture. It is certainly a big issue and we need to make sure Konknni is alive for the future as well,” says Ozario.
The questionnaire that was released last week will be circulated to every Konknni speaking person around the world. And taking it all around the world is the aim of the organisation. To achieve this, JKS have decided to use three means. The English version of the questionnaire has been uploaded to the daijiworld website and in a matter of an hour, the survey got responses from 12 people around the world.
Its global approach, the organisation aims to fulfil is through the 400 odd Konknni associations around the world. For Konknnis based in other countries like the Gulf, US and UK, Ozario says clubs and local organisation have been approached asking their members to respond to the survey.
The plan also involves appointing of field surveyors for places like Goa and neighbouring Konknni speaking communities approaching them individually.
“The second step to this entire project is to draw up a roadmap to see where Konknni stands now and where we want it to go. The third is to implement it,” he says.
Apart from English, the questionnaire will also be printed in five other scripts including Devanagari, Romi script, Kannada, Malayalam and Perso Arabic. The purpose, says Ozario is to make sure no one is left out.
“This survey is not going to be religion based or caste based or script based. We simply want people to tell us how much they use the language so we can decide where it stands right now and where it is to go,” he says.
The descriptive questionnaire available online comprises mostly of a yes/ no and multiple choice answer but not limiting itself only to the language. One of the first few questions asks, “Are you proud to be a Konknni?” Divided under several sub headings including Konknni at home, socially and culturally it dwells deep into the extent of where and what aspects of life the language is used in.
Questions related to cuisines and folklore and folk art as well as performing arts are also part of the survey. Education, media and publications, the popularity of Konknni products in the market and a general enquiry to the people’s notion of where the language is heading also makes a mention.
Interestingly, the Goan assembly also makes a mention in the questionnaire. The reason says Ozario is that after the entire exercise is complete, a Konknni Language Policy will be drafted a copy of which will be sent to the various states that have Konknni speaking communities. Goa being one of the biggest ones is also included in the list.
“As an organisation, we can and will do all that we can in keeping the language alive, but the one thing we lack is resources. This is where the government comes in. It is the duty of respective state governments to help promote and keep their state languages alive now and for the future. And when we complete this entire exercise, we too will be submitting it to the government of Goa for implementation,” he says.
Konknni expert Fr. Pratap Naik who is also part of the JKS’s Steering Committee that is heading this Language Plan and helped in the formulation of the questionnaire along with Ozario says the survey itself is a milestone in the making. “The detailed questionnaire will certainly help collect a lot of information from Konknni speaking communities about their dialect and association with their mother tongues. In the history of Konknni, such a survey has never been conducted in the world. And it will surely help dispel the myths related to the language as well as throw light on the various issues it faces,” says Naik.
Review Bureau
