{"id":4197,"date":"2013-07-13T01:54:05","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:54:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4197"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:54:05","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:54:05","slug":"32-language-vol-12-on-education-volume-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/12-on-education-volume-12\/32-language-vol-12-on-education-volume-12","title":{"rendered":"-32_Language.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

 <\/span>Languages<\/span><\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

To unite East and West, to give the best of one to the other and
\nmake a true synthesis, a university will be established for all kinds of
\nstudies. Our school will form a nucleus of that university.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In our school I have put French as the medium of instruction. One
\nof the reasons is that French is the cultural language of the world. The
\nchildren can learn the Indian languages at a later stage. If more stress is
\nlaid upon Indian languages at present, then the natural tendency of the Indian
\nmind will be to fall back upon the ancient literature, culture and religion.
\nYou know very well that we realise the value of ancient Indian things, but we
\nare here to create something new, to bring down something that will be quite
\nfresh for the earth. In this endeavour, if your mind is tied down to the
\nancient things, then it will refuse to go forward. The study of the past has
\nits place, but it must not hamper the work for the future. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Should French be considered as a special language, to bring the
\nchildren into contact first with you and then with a certain vibration of
\nbeauty? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Something like that. <\/span><\/p>\n

All I can say is that we are considered to be one of the best \u2013
\nperhaps the very best \u2013 school in <\/span>India<\/span> for teaching French and I think it would be a good thing to
\ndeserve this appreciation. <\/span><\/p>\n

In my relations with the children here, I always speak to them in
\nFrench.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 218<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Why should science be taught in French? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

There <\/span>are many reasons of which the deeper ones you ought to know in
\nyour heart without needing to be told. <\/span><\/p>\n

Among the exterior ones I can say that French, being a very
\nprecise language, is better for Science than English which is far superior for
\npoetry. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are also a few practical reasons among which is the fact,
\nfor all those who will have to earn their living when they are grown up, that
\nall those who know French thoroughly well have most easily found employment. <\/span><\/p>\n

Blessings. <\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>9 February 1969<\/span><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

French is indeed the most precise and clearest language. But from
\nthe spiritual point of view it is not true that French is the best language to
\nuse; for English has a suppleness, a fluidity which French does not have, and
\nthis suppleness is indispensable for not deforming what is vaster and more
\ncomprehensive in the experience than what mental expression can formulate. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>January 1950 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Concerning
\ntranslation) <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Bont\u00e9<\/span><\/i> = Kindness
\nand goodwill Bienveillance<\/i> is to see the good side of everything. It is
\nnot mere optimism which closes its eyes from bad. It is rather a psychic vision
\nwhich sees the Good everywhere. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are many words which cannot be translated. Sri Aurobindo’s
\nhumour and irony cannot be translated into French. English humour when
\ntranslated into French sounds stupid and flat; French humour when translated
\ninto English becomes cruel <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 219<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

and meaningless. These two languages seem to be so similar and yet
\ntheir genius is quite apart.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>4 July 1956<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

I shall send you the book [Pri\u00e8res et M\u00e9ditations] tomorrow; but
\nyou must study grammar well if you want to understand what you read. <\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>20 June 1932<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Where should I learn good French style? <\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It is taught in advanced grammar courses, and there are also
\nspecial books. One of the principal rules of style is that in a prose passage
\none should not use \u201cI\u201d except when it is absolutely impossible to avoid it, and
\nin any case one should never begin two consecutive sentences<\/i> with \u201cI\u201d.
\nThis gives you an idea of what you must do to give some style to your daily
\nreport! <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>20 July 1933<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

French must be written with simplicity and clarity. <\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>29 September 1933<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

French gains by being written with simplicity and clarity; an
\naccumulation of complicated images always renders the style pretentious. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My dear little smile, <\/span><\/p>\n

You are absolutely right, and I don’t see
\nwhy, instead of <\/span>
\nreading interesting things, you should start doing boring
\nexercises.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 220<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\n            <\/span>To learn a language one must read, read, read \u2013 and talk as much
\nas one can. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>With all my love. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

10 July 1935<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I want to resume my study of French, particularly for speaking.
\nCan I have some hints? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The best is to speak\u2026\u00a0
\n<\/span>courageously at every opportunity. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Mother, will You tell me the names of some good writers I could
\nread? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

If it is to learn French you should take a textbook of French
\nliterature to study and read one or two books by each author mentioned in the
\ntextbook, beginning at the beginning, that is, with the earliest authors. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>22 September 1936<\/span><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If You like, I will take one book that appeals to me and another
\nfrom the earliest authors, as You advised me. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I did not say that you should read only the earliest authors; I
\nsaid you should read one or two books by each
\nauthor<\/span> mentioned in the literature course, beginning<\/span> with the earliest ones. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>24 September 1936<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 221<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Mother, I have started to read French books \u2013 S has given me a
\nlist. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is good that you read a lot of French, that will teach you how
\nto write.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>7 April 1969<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Today I took class E5 and we continued the reading and explanation
\nof <\/span><\/i>Words of the Mother.
\nAlthough I am constantly pointing to the beauty of the language with which <\/span>Words is written, I am also conscious that I am
\nputting more emphasis on the explanation than on the teaching of English. <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It is quite all right because it obliges them to think in English
\nwhich is the best way to learn a language.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>2
\nMay 1946 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

X has asked Your guidance in a difficulty concerning the education
\nof his two young sons. He has put one of them in an Italian missionary school
\nin <\/span><\/i>Bombay<\/span><\/i> where the medium of instruction is English and he also intends to
\nput the other one in the same school shortly. But now, because of the current
\ncontroversy about the language problem in India, he is feeling puzzled because
\nhe finds it difficult to decide whether it is good to give education to his
\nchildren through the medium of English or whether it should be done through the
\nmother<\/span><\/i> tongue, i.e. <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 222<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

 The mother tongue is all right. But for those who want to do
\nhigher studies, the English is indispensable. <\/span><\/p>\n

Blessings.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>3 November 1967<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

At present many of our Higher Course students do not know
\nsufficiently well any one language in which they could express their thoughts
\nand feelings adequately and sensitively. Is this required or not, Mother? And
\nif so, which language should they learn? Should it be <\/span><\/i>a common or
\ninternational language1 <\/sup>or
\ntheir vernacular? <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

If only one<\/span>
\nlanguage is known this is better. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

From the point of utility some of our students do not want to
\nlearn classical Hindi. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Teach both, the true language and what it has become \u2013 that will
\nbe very interesting indeed \u2013 and more than anything else can cure them of the
\nhabit of speaking bad Hindi. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Do you
\nwant me to continue teaching Hindi in spite of the apathy of the students? <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Continue without hesitation.\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Amrita says that the situation of his Tamil class is much<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n1<\/font><\/span><\/sup>Mother
\nunderlined these words and drew an arrow to them from her answer, thus
\nindicating her preference. <\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 223<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

worse than that of the Hindi one. He says that he will continue
\neven if the students come no more \u2013 he will teach to himself!  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>30 September 1959<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Hindi is good only for those who belong to a Hindi-speaking
\nprovince. Sanskrit is good for all Indians. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

I have the deepest respect<\/i> for Indian languages and
\ncontinue to study Sanskrit when I have time. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Sanskrit ought to be the national language of <\/span>India<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Blessings.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>19 April 1971<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

On certain issues where You and Sri Aurobindo have given direct
\nanswers, we (Sri Aurobindo’s Action) are also specific, as for instance\u2026 on the
\nlanguage issue where You have said for the country that (1) the regional
\nlanguage should be the medium of instruction, (2) Sanskrit should be the
\nnational language, and (3) English should be the international language. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Are we correct in giving these replies to such questions? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Yes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Blessings.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>4 October 1971<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 224<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

(Languages to be studied in
\nAuroville<\/i>)1<\/sup> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(1) Tamil <\/span><\/p>\n

(2) French <\/span><\/p>\n

(3) Simplified Sanskrit to replace Hindi as the language of <\/span>India<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

(4) English as the international language. <\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>15 December 1970<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 225<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\t<span\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 Languages   To unite East and West, to give the best of one to the other and make a true synthesis, a university will be…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-12-on-education-volume-12","wpcat-118-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4197"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4197\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}