The last time I studied Dzongkha was 4 years ago, while I was preparing for the Bhutan Civil Service Examination. Since then, and even while I was in college, I have been so out of touch with Dzongkha. Sure, it is the primary language that I converse in. However, I had not read or written anything in Dzongkha for years. I am sure that is the case for most of us. If that isn't worrying, then I don't know what is.
I wouldn't say that Dzongkha was my favourite subject or the subject I was best at in school. I considered it quite boring but with enough effort, I would do well in the exams. I thought that was enough. But as an adult, clearly, it is not. I wish I had put in more effort especially into learning formal Dzongkha speeches. I am in awe as I watch His Majesty's speeches as he speaks with such ease and eloquence. I am even envious of a few bhutanese celebrities and BBS anchors who speak so fluently without so much as an uh... or and um...
I am so used to speaking in Dzonglish now that I can speak neither fluently. Additionally, I realised that it is very rare for me to use my Dzongkha reading or writing skills anywhere. Most of the information that we are exposed to is in English- books, social media, news, and so many others. Even the Dzongkha we see on social media is typed out in English (i.e. the title of this post).
I have also noticed that many people, especially those who are not in school anymore, take pride in the fact that they cannot read or speak proper Dzongkha. When someone has trouble speaking proper English, they are usually embarrassed of it. However, when it comes to Dzongkha, not being able to read or speak proper Dzongkha is funny and comes with a certain pride. It almost feels as though being able to speak English fluently and not being able to communicate in Dzongkha connects to being a part of a higher social class.
That's kind of crazy to me because it would absolutely be embarrassing for me to not be able to speak a full conversation in pure Dzongkha. First of all, it is our national language. Second of all, it's something we have been studying for more than 12 years (for those who have studied in Bhutan). Gloating about not being able to speak, read or write in proper Dzongkha after that many years of studying it is pretty much going around saying that you're dumb.
Especially in today's age, we see toddlers who speak English so much that it is pretty much their first language. I have even seen cases where children are not able to converse with their grandparents because they don't speak the same language. Now, parents might be thinking that speaking fluent English helps kids do better in school or have higher chances of getting good jobs. However, the way I see it, there are millions of people who are great at English. But when it comes to Dzongkha, the number becomes less with each generation of children. Trust me when I say this, the future will be in the hands of those who can speak fluent Dzongkha. If you plan to work for the government or join politics, Dzongkha is a must. Your kids will learn English anyhow- all their subjects are taught in English. But Dzongkha is where the jackpot is!
Of course, it is very ironic that I am writing this out in English. However, this has been something I have been noticing for a while now and it needed to be addressed. Personally, I have been making small efforts to get back in touch with Dzongkha. I am trying to journal every morning where I write in Dzongkha and English on alternate days. I have also been trying to catch the Dzongkha news on BBS. These are two things that I have incorporated into my routine that doesn't require much of an extra effort or time. Next, I plan to read a Dzongkha novel and learn how to type in Dzongkha.
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