A sort of Guyanese Hinglish ( Part 1)
(Excerpt of an interview with Harry Hergash, Georgetown, Guyana, September 2013.

Hergash was among the first batch of students of the University of Guyana. He is a founder and president of the University of Guyana Guild of Graduates, Ontario, Canada. Harry was taught Hindi by his parents then studied the language at the Hindu College, Cove and John.Hergash recently released the book, ‘A Collection of Indian-Guyanese Words & Phrases and their meanings’)

PP I’d like to start this discourse by quoting a few words of commendation said by Harry Persaud and cited in the book: ‘Words are essential symbols expressing multiple experiences, values and customs in the daily lives of a people, hence, we come to know the construct of a culture and its reality by its language usage’. There is a whole lot being said in these few words. But I know you have your own reasons for writing this book….Let’s hear those reasons.

HH Yes, there are several reasons but the driving force to a large extent is tied up with what Dr Persaud said there in his commentary on the book. I believe language is an essential part of a people’s cultural heritage; and in Guyana, as far as I know, the Indian ancestral language, or if I may say, languages because there was more than one language brought to Guyana

PP Namely.

HH Like Bhojpuri, Bengali…also if we look at the Southern languages – we have Telegu
PP I hear of a Madrasi language; how does that fit into the picture, if it’s a language?

HH My feeling is that Telegu and Madrasi are southern languages which fall within the Dravidian group of languages – there were called Madrasi because in those days Madras was a Presidency under the British, and the people from South India came from the [state] Madrasi Presidency; today Madras is a state in South India but in those days it was a presidency – the British had three presidencies around that time, so I think it was an all encompassing term for the languages.

PP Oh, here’s something of interest – my wife comes from a Madrasi lineage and she still uses some of the more colourful words

HH That’s interesting, now that you mentioned this, allow me to jump ahead – I am doing something else looking at [the novel] ‘Hendree’s Cure’ with the permission of the author, Moses Nagamootoo.
To tie that with the impetus for writing this book – the words and phrases and the language have been in a decline to an extent where I have to say the Indian ancestral language is in danger of becoming extinct.

PP There are still a handful of speakers here….

HH ….which you may be able to count on the fingers of one hand. But such speakers are mostly overseas. In the case of the South Indian languages, they are almost completely gone. Just a few words existing and those few words are not as well established into the Guyanese creolese as the North Indian dialects. Incidentally several of the languages that came were grouped together and called Hindustani; it wasn’t called Hindi or Bhojpuri as we are now hearing from scholars. Bhojpuri was only one of the many dialects that came from North India
Now you would know from history that the North Indians were the majority of recruits who came [to Guyana as indentured labourers] so it is not surprising that their words and phrases have dominated the scene. Now there is a danger in that although some words like mamu and cha cha have a greater usage in the wider society, their usage within the Indian community is dying out.

PP Danger? I’d look at it as fortunate – if the wider society is using some of those words (and many such words are in currency in the foods and songs we consume).
But let’s take a closer look at this decline. Allow me to return to the text, page XII….were there other subtle things that caused the decline?

HH There are a number of factors and it is interesting, and I am hoping in the near future to ventilate my thoughts on that. But one of the reasons is the snobbery associated with the use of the English Language and the looking down upon the Indians who could not speak proper English – that was a major factor.
I remember when I was studying Hindi…

PP In Guyana?

HH Yes, Hindi was being taught in the temples in the evening and many people passing on the road would make noise and mockery….(to be continued)

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

What’s happening:
• The 2013-2014 issue of The Guyana Annual magazine is now going into production. This issue is dedicated to A. J. Seymour and will focus on the increased interest in photography, the expanding arenas for cultural activities, what’s happening in the Diaspora (Guy-Aspora) and will continue its role championing the cause of locally based emerging writers and of Guyanese writers in general, offering space and encouragement for their work.
* The first reprint of my book ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’ is now available.

(by Petamber Persaud)