Languages
See also: Konkani, Marathi language, and Portuguese languageThe Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987 makes Konkani in the Devanagari script the sole official language of Goa, but provides that Marathi may also be used "for all or any of the official purposes". Portuguese was the sole official language during Portuguese colonial rule. It is now, however, mostly spoken by only the elderly and educated populations and is no longer an official language. The Government also has a policy of replying in Marathi to correspondence received in Marathi. Whilst there have been demands for according Konkani in the Roman script official status in the state, there is widespread support for keeping Konkani as the sole official language of Goa.
Konkani is spoken as a native language by about 61% of the people in the state but almost all Goans can speak and understand Konkani. Other linguistic minorities in the state as per the 2001 census are Marathi (21%), Kannada (5%), Hindi (5%), and Urdu (4%).
| Languages in Goa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Konkani | 61% | |||
| Marathi | 21% | |||
| Hindi | 5% | |||
| Kannada | 5% | |||
| Urdu | 4% | |||
| Others | 4% | |||
Read more about this topic: Goa
Famous quotes containing the word languages:
“The less sophisticated of my forbears avoided foreigners at all costs, for the very good reason that, in their circles, speaking in tongues was commonly a prelude to snake handling. The more tolerant among us regarded foreign languages as a kind of speech impediment that could be overcome by willpower.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)
“Science and technology multiply around us. To an increasing extent they dictate the languages in which we speak and think. Either we use those languages, or we remain mute.”
—J.G. (James Graham)
“It is time for dead languages to be quiet.”
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972)