Learning a new language is always challenging. But when that language happens to be your native tongue, the pressure to do well is high. There are expectations to learn a “pure” form of Marathi, one that does not include English words. This version isn’t accommodating of the very real challenges faced by today’s learners.
We believe that the sole purpose of a language is to facilitate communication. In this case, we want our students to be able to bond with their loved ones back home through this common language. Our goal is to teach everyday, colloquial Marathi so that families spread out across the world can connect over their heritage.
Marathi speaking youth, even in Maharashtra, rarely speak the purest form of the language. Our Marathi conversations are interspersed with English words, and this comes to us naturally. We want to provide the foundation for spoken Marathi, one that enables learners to build on as they see fit, without worrying about perfection.
Isn’t that the beauty of a language? Its uniting power, even if it is spoken “imperfectly”, without impeccable vocabulary, grammar, or syntax. How we put across our feelings, emotions, and thoughts, despite a few English words finding their way in, is really what makes a language powerful.
We don’t want you to feel the pressure to be perfect. Marathi is inclusive, welcoming anyone who wishes to learn. We encourage building on the basics, and really making this language your own. Conversations are what is important to us, and isn’t that what we ultimately need a language to do?