Learning Urdu/Hindi

[B. K. Rana]

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Hindi and Urdu seem to be similar but why not start Hindi  first ?  I wish to share my experience with you there. 
 
My mother tongue  is Magar language but I learnt Nepali. Hindi and Nepali are similar languages, however, learners of both speech communities feel difficulty in the beginning. A Hindi speaker feels it very difficult to speak Nepali. My observation has been that a Nepali speaker can learn Hindi much faster than a Hindi speker does so with Nepali. This is beacaue Hindi influence in South Asia is much greater.
 
Since my teens I learnt Hindi by myself. I can, read, write and speak Hindi fluently. I took the following course:
 
a) read Hindi literature particularly: novels, history and anthropology;
b) watched Hindi movies;[ I still watch nice Hindi movies]
c) listened to BBC Hindi news bulletin every day [ twice: morning and evening];
d) always tried to speak with native speakers;
 
 I can understand Urdu and speak it little  but  I can't write a single Urdu alphabet. I can understand Bengali, speak it much lesser than Urdu. But I can write Beganli alphabets.
 
One more tip> You may watch  ZEE TV in USA also. This may help you.
 
BKR

hamza at SENT.COM wrote:
VYAKARAN: South Asian Languages and Linguistics Net
Editors: Tej K. Bhatia, Syracuse University, New York
John Peterson, University of Osnabrueck, Germany
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Esteemed scholars,

I am seeking advice on how to best continue my studies of Urdu/Hindi. My
primary goal is thorough oral and written competence.

I have been studying what I call the Urdu-Hindi language complex on a
part-time basis for four years in the U.S.A. The results of these
efforts have been unsatisfactory. While I can read the two main scripts
and have a decent grasp of the phonetic bases, my comprehension of the
spoken language is poor, my conversational capabilities are dismal, and
my vocabulary is inadequate. I am trying to determine the best way to
mitigate these and other deficiencies. Naturally, I also need to better
understand the associated cultural contexts. No doubt ancillary studies
of Farsi, Arabic, the base Prakrits, and Sanskrit would also be ideal.
(I have studied introductory Arabic in this connection.)

On another note, almost everyone I meet considers my intent to pursue
this study in earnest to be a sign of mild insanity. I admit that I
cannot imagine how it will benefit me in any practical way. On the other
hand, it has been my only consistent interest in the past several years.

I apologize if these questions are too general or simpleminded for this
mailing list. I would appreciate any insights.



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