FOREIGN LANGUAGE………..
Come summer and Surtis are set for either travel or training. While most Tapi towners take off for an annual leave to maternal homes or cooler surroundings, the ones that stay behind ,join classes to learn a new talent. Be it swimming, dances, music etc.classes around town are jam packed with enthusiasts- old and young. As is the case in other towns, grooming and language classes are also very popular in Surat.

Most metros have people who enroll to learn a foreign language like French, German or Spanish. Surat too, has a host of language courses to choose from, that are run by efficient and talented tutors. The most popular courses to learn a ‘foreign language’ in our town are easily the ‘English language classes’. Drive around Surti streets and one can find bold hoardings showing elderly bespectacled gentlemen pointing a firm finger[no pun intended] boldly stating,’ learn English in 70 hours’, ‘Spoken English classes’, 'Fluent English in 62 hours’.
Since these hoardings are at the most prominent places around town, they must be doing brisk business to afford the same. Crash courses to learn English do seem to be the order of the day, but that is not a new concept;Since the late 70’s ‘spoken English’ classes have been very popular with locals who cherished N.R.I dreams but had studied in the vernacular medium. These classes prepared them to apply and understand basic visa power needs and functioning in the land of uncle Sam or its neighboring countries.

Nowadays, English is learnt as part of ‘personality development.’Systematic worksheets are prepared in accordance to the course.’Business English’, ‘Student English’,’ English for good impression’, you name it they have it ,custom made to your needs. As easy as apple pie.But alas! It still remains as a talent learnt and not one that is used. As my pretty, professor friend states,’ in Surat, English is looked upon as a subject and not as a language of communication.’ Speak a straight sentence in English to any Surti and the first thing you will be questioned is,’tamey kyaa na cho?”

It is not as if Surtis do not speak in English, they do so, adapting it in their own way. Most also speak it with a lisp to sound stylish, for e.g.’dhress’for dress or ‘firsht’ for first and so on. Also Wren and Martin can go quiver their bones because Surtis have their own set of grammar,’ don’t fall my bag’,’ Are you Mrs?’Etc.Surtis also write and spell in a phonetic manner ,our municipal corporation has official direction signboards that read,'Narmad Laibrary'!

As has been the culture of Surtis, over the centuries, many languages have found their way into our lingo. We have adopted ‘badam’, ‘pista’,’narangi’,’tadbuj’,’bhet sogaad’,’naukri-dhandho’,nafo toto’,’naseebwaan’etc,words from Persian language,numerous ones like ‘tabelo’,batata’,’pao,’’pagar’,’chavi’from the Portuguese,’adalat’,’jamin’,’zilla’ etc.from the Arabic language. While these and many other foreign words got an official standing in the Gujarati language that Surtis speak as their own, English remains a distant, distinct out caste as such.

Shakespeare’s plays in India were first adapted and performed after being translated to Gujarati ,in Surat; they were done so by the Parsis. The British ship ‘Hector’ first sailed in, during 1608, in Surat, which was actually the ‘Gateway to India' then. English, however, remains a ‘foreign language' here, till date.

Tapi town tattle-Who shook and took the hand of friendship to a 'Jai ho' victory? Slumdogs and millionaires!