Solving the Language Imbroglio

By Tomazinho Cardozo
Posted on 2008-08-31
The debate on the language issue in the Goa Assembly on August 26 was interesting. Many MLAs expressed dissatisfaction over the treatment given to Konkani in Roman script. There were others who also expressed discontent over Marathi not being accorded equal status along with Konkani in the Goa Official Language Act.
The terminology of the Goa Official Language Act of 1987 is: “Konkani shall be the Official Language of Goa and Marathi shall also be used for all official purposes.” Another important aspect of this act lies in its definition. It defines Konkani language in these terms: “Konkani language means Konkani in Devnagori script.” In fact, this Act attempts to wipe out the very presence of Konkani in Roman script.
The strength of Konkani language was always in its followers who read and wrote Konkani in the Roman script. If one observes the history of the Konkani language in the pre and post liberation period one concludes that it was Konkani in the Roman script all the way. The first Konkani journal “Udentichem Sallok” was in Konkani in the Roman script. The first novel “Kristao Ghorabo” was in Konkani in the Roman script. The screenplay of the first Konkani film “Mogacho Anvddo” was also written in Konkani the in Roman script. In the 50s, 60s and 70s there were over 18 journals and periodicals published in Konkani in the Roman script.
After liberation, many dailies in Konkani in the Roman script took birth in Goa. However, these newspapers did not survive for a long time because, I feel, first, they were not managed professionally and second the language used in these papers was not people-friendly. The monthly ‘Rotti’ which was established in the year 1915 and the Weekly “Vavraddeancho Ixtt” which was published in the year 1932 still continues.
Another major phenomenon that took place after the liberation of Goa was the conversion of all Catholic Christian religious literature into Konkani in the Roman script. Volumes and volumes of religious literature were translated into Konkani in the Roman script. Konkani written in the Roman script became the religious language of the Goan Christians. Till date Konkani in the Roman script is the church language in Goa. The publication of over 60,000 copies of the Bible in Konkani in the Roman script by the church as recent as last year bears the testimony of the popularity of Konkani in Roman script in Goa. Besides, in practically all the parishes of Goa, a monthly bulletin is published and the Konkani written in these bulletins is the Roman script.
In spite of the Konkani language standing tall, on the strong foundation put by Konkani in Roman script, the Goa Official Language Act of 1987 did not give any importance to Konkani in Roman script. The introduction of the definition of Konkani language in the Act - Konkani language means Konkani in Devnagori script - shattered all the aspirations of the protagonists of Konkani in the Roman script. The Goa Konkani Akademy was formed for the development of Konkani. It only developed Konkani in the Devnagori script. Due to this publication of books and other material in Konkani in the Roman script decreased and the readership too lessened. It was only in 2005 thanks to the agitation by the followers of Konkani in the Roman script that the government was compelled to instruct the Goa Konkani Akademy to spend money from their budget for the development of Konkani in the Roman script.
There is no doubt that the Digamber Kamat Government has shown concern for the development of Konkani in theRoman script. Mr Digamber Kamat was instrumental in making a provision of Rs 15 lack to the Dalgado Konknni Akademy for the promotion of Konkani in the Roman script, he kept his promise and named the main auditorium of Ravindra Bhavan at Margao after Joao Agostinho Fernandes. His assurance to form the Goa Tiatr Akademy within the next two months definitely proves his good intentions as far as Konkani in Roman script is concerned. However, all these and even more cannot sufficiently bestow the respect and the honour on Konkani in the Roman script, which it rightly deserves.
The Goa Official Language Act of 1987 looks after the interests of Konkani in Devnagori script and Marathi language in almost equal terms. This injustice must be done away with immediately. And it can be done by amending the definition of the Konkani language in the Goa Official Language Act of 1987 as “Konkani language means Konkani in Devnagori/Roman script”.