Goud Saraswat Brahmins of Cochin - Language

Language

Most Cochin GSBs speak a dialect of Konkani among themselves. Cochin konkani has incorporated large number of Malayalam words, extent of Malayalam influence varies from place to place. GSBs of Cherelai and Ernakulam and Tripunithura area of Cochin speak purer Konkani. As one moves southwards influence of Malayalam becomes more pronounced.

Almost all of Cochin GSBs write/read/speak Malayalam. Older GSBs hailing from predominantly GSB areas tend to speak grammatically wrong Malayalam with an accent. Malayalam spoken by Cochin GSBs is often caricatured in films and on stage in the past. Younger generation of Cochin GSBs have better command over Malayalam. A Good number of Cochin Konkanis have knowledge of Hindi. English is equally popular. Many GSBs of Cochin also understand Marathi as it is very close to Konkani.

There have been some efforts to develop Konkani, centred most around Cochin, but often they tend to be individual efforts. GSBs of Cochin by and large are indifferent to such efforts. T.D. High school of Cochin offers Konkani as third language. Konkani literature is insignificant save some poems and devotional songs.

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