‘Can't Speak Kannada': Man Thinks ‘Status' Drives Neighbour's English-Only Parenting

News18

13-06-2025

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The post by the Mysuru resident highlighted how, for many children, English is becoming the default language, even at home.
The discussion over the importance of regional languages continues to stir strong opinions. Now, a social media post is sparking conversations about how children in urban areas are gradually losing touch with their native languages. For many, English has become the default even at home, while regional languages are slowly fading into the background.
Sharing his own experience, user Ganesh Shankar, who lives in Karnataka's Mysuru according to his Facebook bio, on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, 'Neighbour's kid converses only in English not in Kannada or even his mother tongue Tamil, because status it seems and he had an accent already."
See the post here:
Neighbour's kid converses only in English not in Kannada or even his mother tongue Tamil because status it seems and he had accent already.— Ganesh Shankar (@ekaksharaa) June 12, 2025
In the comments, many people echoed the concern, sharing that they've witnessed the same trend in their own surroundings.
One user commented, 'This is such a sad new-age phenomenon! Same scenes here. Little kids don't understand Hindi or their mother tongue. Only English with an American accent."
Another said, 'This is becoming the new normal. Kids speak only English nowadays."
'We are Indians, we must be proud to talk our language, let it be Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, etc.," someone remarked.
An Indian living in Australia pointed out, 'I think it's a thing in India. My daughter and a few families here in Melbourne actively ensure they speak Kannada. Also, there's a Kannada school here, funded by the government. Crazy what's happening there."
Another comment read, 'I think if kids don't pick up their mother tongue, their connection to their roots is almost over. No amount of top-down push can change that later. I will blame the parents for denying the kids their natural, cultural identity."
'Saar yella cartoon influence. A friend's nephew, 4 years old, spoke English with a British accent, thanks to Peppa Pig. As parents, we must take the lead in speaking our native language at home. Kids may switch to English, but gently bring them back. Personal experience," a person noted.
In a detailed comment, one user explained how this growing disconnect has evolved over the past two decades. They pointed out that 'the emphasis on learning Kannada as a subject in schools isn't strong," and noted that children are often discouraged or even punished for speaking it.
Another reason, they said, is the 'dubbing ban" in Kannada, which prevents many cartoons and shows from being available in the local language. As a result, children grow up consuming content primarily in English or Hindi. They also blamed the attitude of some parents who, due to an inferiority complex, insist their children speak only in English, further widening the gap from their mother tongue.
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