• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

Learn Punjabi Blog About Learning Panjabi

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
It is wonderful. And just what a blog should be... an exploration. Here is an article. It attracted my attention right away.
Tonal languages

I suspect in Panjabi one of the hardest things I will have to be able to master is the different tones. I understand the basic concept, and can hear the difference if pointed out to me, but I am not sure I will find it easy to reconize by myself to start out with. However, I suppose I could be wrong.

Any time over the past many years that I have tried pronouncing things in a foreign language, I have found people generally told me that I have a decent accent (not too thick and horrible to listen to I guess) trying out even 1 word or 2. I imagine I currently have a pretty thick accent in Panjabi but I have been working on it privately with several people, going over difficult words for me to pronounce in person over and over again until they are semi-content with how I say a word…or until I get frustrated and say let’s come back to it later. ;-)

My personal theory is that being very musical helps with hearing the accent, the tones, etc. in any language. Music is a language of its own, which I learnt quite young, and if you have perfect pitch in music and can imitate (with your voice) the exact tone a note is on, imitating an exact tone in spoken language will surely be easier.

What is interesting, is that when I say a sentence in Panjabi aloud, I can hear that it does NOT come out as i would hope it would. I hear my OWN accent in it right now. Heck, some people who talk who were born and raised in Canada and don’t pick up quite as much as someone born in a Panjabi-speaking part of the world sound like they have an accent to me…it is actually quite interesting. When I read a book silently to myself, my “voice in my head” sounds perfectly unaccented. When I read it aloud, it sounds worse. Oh well…try and try again is what I should keep telling myself!

namritanevaeh ji

When you find these remarkable sites, do let us know. But also give us more insight into your impressions too. We want to share your thinking and understand your point of view.


:winkingkaur:
 

namritanevaeh

Writer
SPNer
Oct 14, 2012
220
303
Surrey, Canada
It is wonderful. And just what a blog should be... an exploration. Here is an article. It attracted my attention right away.


namritanevaeh ji

When you find these remarkable sites, do let us know. But also give us more insight into your impressions too. We want to share your thinking and understand your point of view.


:winkingkaur:

Shukriya, I appreciate that you liked it. It's actually my blog. :)
 
Jul 25, 2013
21
94
Hello Namritaneveah Ji,

Happy to know that you are learning Punjabi and your experiences are quite interesting. I read in your blog how you have certain problems regarding minute pronunciation differences between certain words. I would suggest you check out this site where I contribute in the pronunciation of various Punjabi words....
http://www.forvo.com/ or its Punjabi version,
http://pa.forvo.com/

Hope you would like it and you can also add other words for learning their pronunciations.

Thanks
 

aristotle

SPNer
May 10, 2010
1,156
2,653
Ancient Greece
@namritanevaeh Ji,
The blog is actually very good. Learning Punjabi can be quite a challenge, especially its nasal and tonal components, and secondly the articulations of the words. But a flying eye view of your blog shows you are actually enjoying this task.
Best of luck with you learning, and if any help is needed, feel free to drop me a PM, I'll be too happy to help.
:peacesign:
 

namritanevaeh

Writer
SPNer
Oct 14, 2012
220
303
Surrey, Canada
I don't know if one of you is cuckoobird ;-) who posted a couple of comments. They're always welcome for sure.

For "charassee", I copied that word directly out of a "teach yourself Gurmukhi" primer. I can only blame it if I wrote it wrong. ;-) LOL

For the large title photo that has Gurmukhi script writing out "my homework..." etc., I didn't create that, but I did find it online and found it quite humourous so I used it...

As for meharbani, thanks for correcting that...I was taking a wild guess. I figure I am probably reading at about a grade 2 level, and quite likely writing at a similar level. I can recognise some words just at a glance now, the more commonly used ones. guru, nanak, sahib, ji, Canada (since I see that in articles in the newspaper frequently here!), Waheguru, blah blah...there are lots I don't "read" anymore...but also many that I still have to sound out letter by letter to get what they say. And much like an English speaking child could write out "I wont to reed a bouk" instead of "I want to read a book" I could probably write out quite a bit in bad grammar still. ;-) LOL
 
Jul 25, 2013
21
94
Haha I must admit that it was I who commented as cuckoobird. Disqus suggested this username to me, so I kept it.:grinningsingh:

I like your blog a lot especially the part when someone tries to learn Punjabi as a second or third language. Do write more about it since I'm following you now.

And yeah I hope you don't mind me pointing out certain errors. Sometimes I tend to be a Punjabi spelling Nazi (yeah you got it right :noticemunda:) ...Well you can say that's partly because of the frustration I used to have as a child when two different books of Punjabi had two (or more) different spelling styles for the same word. So now that I know most of the spelling rules I tend to point out the mistakes...(can't help it)

And please be aware of these minute things as some Punjabi books have quite spurious learning material as you said is the case with 84 (chaurasi)... You can drop me a PM if you have any queries, or any other things to share about ma langue bien-aimée, Punjabi. :happysingh: I'd be more than happy to help.

:peacesign:
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Babandeep ji You are showing some hands-down friendship when you offer your time. Be careful ... I am reading this and saying, "Hmmmmmmm. How can we get Babandeep ji to extend the reach of his services right here, with ideas for Learn Punjabi." Think about it! What could it be?
:interestedmunda:
:whatzpointkudi:
:grinningkudi:
 
Jul 25, 2013
21
94
Spnadmin Ji I am always ready to do my bit in the promotion of Punjabiyat and Sikhi. In fact apart from contributing at Forvo.com, I'm also an active editor at Punjabi Wikipedia where I have written about 1000 articles in Punjabi. You can see it here

https://pa.wikipedia.org/wiki/ਮੁੱਖ_ਸਫ਼ਾ and my contribution is here
http://toolserver.org/~tparis/pages...ia&namespace=0&redirects=noredirects&getall=1

Besides, I help with the Facebook and WhatsApp translation into Punjabi. I'm actually concerned with the under-representation of Punjabi language when it comes to Internet. So this is my way of making small contribution. I'd be very happy to help this site or any person with regard to Punjabi learning.

And yes Ishna Ji, most of the dialectal differences come out as different words altogether and not different spellings, per se. Plus as per the guidelines from Punjabi University (the Oxford of Punjabi language), the standard for written Punjabi is the Majhi dialect (spoken in areas like Amritsar, Lahore) so the question of spelling anomalies doesn't arise. Hope that helps!
 

aristotle

SPNer
May 10, 2010
1,156
2,653
Ancient Greece
Nice to learn about that. In fact, a couple of years back I was one of the major contributors to Punjabi and English Wikipedia, also SikhiWiki. But since, I didn't have enough time to continue with that, I decided to call it quits. That you are working so hard for the cause of beloved Punjabi is very appreciable.
Gurprasad, blessings of Guru be with you....
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Ok Babandeep ji

Then I will brainstorm with the moderators to figure this out. Meanwhile please look at the forums under Punjab, Punjabi, Punjabayat and tell me what we need there to liven things up and make things more complete.

What a windfall/brainfall we have got!
 

namritanevaeh

Writer
SPNer
Oct 14, 2012
220
303
Surrey, Canada
Haha I must admit that it was I who commented as cuckoobird. Disqus suggested this username to me, so I kept it.:grinningsingh:

I like your blog a lot especially the part when someone tries to learn Punjabi as a second or third language. Do write more about it since I'm following you now.

And yeah I hope you don't mind me pointing out certain errors. Sometimes I tend to be a Punjabi spelling Nazi (yeah you got it right :noticemunda:)

:peacesign:

You know the only thing I actually take objection to is that Nazi
Word really. I mean honestly I've never understood comparing one's self to a group of xenophobes that slaughtered millions over religion...yes I'm serious. How about "passionato"? ;-)
 

Ambarsaria

ੴ / Ik▫oaʼnkār
Writer
SPNer
Dec 21, 2010
3,384
5,689
I thought some might be interested in reading this blog:

http://sohnikaur.tumblr.com/ It has to do with learning Panjabi, some challenges, some excitement, some epiphanies...etc.

:)
:tablakudi:
The following has some words translated,

http://www.ijunoon.com/punjabi/punjabi.aspx?word=sohni

An example below and you have good blog so keep it up (beautiful Dragon Fly picture ... as kids in Punjab we used to catch these and tie a light string to their tails and get them to fly .. in hindsight may be a bit nasty :kudifacepalm:,

<table width="494"><tbody><tr><td>Meaning of word sohni

</td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><table style="color: rgb(97, 97, 97); font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial;" height="224" width="494"><tbody><tr><td padma_font_family_property="Arial" style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" class="names" height="28">Punjabi</td><td padma_font_family_property="Arial">a. khubsurat ; sohni ; sundar ; shakalwali ;</td></tr><tr><td padma_font_family_property="Arial" style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" class="names" height="28" width="100">English</td><td padma_font_family_property="Arial">graceful</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" colspan="2" height="10">
</td></tr><tr><td padma_font_family_property="Arial" style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" class="names" height="28">Punjabi</td><td padma_font_family_property="Arial">a. mohni ; sohni ;</td></tr><tr><td padma_font_family_property="Arial" style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" class="names" height="28" width="100">English</td><td padma_font_family_property="Arial">fascinating</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" colspan="2" height="10">
</td></tr><tr><td padma_font_family_property="Arial" style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" class="names" height="28">Punjabi</td><td padma_font_family_property="Arial">a. far far karke bolna ; sohnian gallan karnwala ;</td></tr><tr><td padma_font_family_property="Arial" style="border-bottom:solid 1px #e6e6e6;" class="names" height="28" width="100">English</td><td padma_font_family_property="Arial">eloquent


</td></tr></tbody></table>
 
Jul 25, 2013
21
94
Namritanevaeh Ji

I sincerely apologise if I said something offensive or hurtful...:mundahug:

Yeah I know about this part but I used it because of a lack of word betokening the negative compulsion associated with pointing out the errors.

Yep I'm fervent about the language but how about I say I am this teeny weeny mild case of Grammar Pedantry Syndrome. :geeksingh:

To be frank, I have this whole post on facebook dedicated to me where my friends razz me about how I just can't live without emending their errors (lol I know) but I'm also the one they look for when they have to find out like who's got that word right!!!

Well I was going through the comments below the news about Québec Charter of Values and I couldn't help but notice many Canadians were dismissing it on the grounds of its similarity with early Nazism (and fascism)...So I was like hmm...namrtianevaeh Ji is needed here :p
 

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

📌 For all latest updates, follow the Official Sikh Philosophy Network Whatsapp Channel:
Top