Language Interview

Josh Mannion

Interview

Background Information:

Interviewee: Samuel “Sam” Markose

Age: 17

Birth Place: Mumbai, India

Birth Language: Hindi                                

Year moved to US: 2005

School Attended in India: St. Pius High School (Catholic School – only 2% of India’s population is Catholic). A high school in India includes elementary and high school level grades but it is referred to as “high school”.

Grade when left India: 5^th Grade

Grade entered in US: 6^th Grade

Current School: Centennial High School - Ellicott City, Maryland (currently on the wrestling team)

Current Grade: 11^th Grade

Questions:

Why did you move to the United States from India?

We moved to join my father’s sister who was living in the U.S.

Do you think moving to the U.S has improved your life?  Why/ Why not?

No. Not improved but it is very different now.  Both my parents had really good jobs in India and probably made more money in India. I think that I would have been just as happy in India as I am here in the United States.

Did you learn to speak English before you moved to the United States?

Yes, I learned to speak English throughout my education in India. English is the 2^nd language in India. India was ruled by the British until 1947. Because of British rule, English is India’s second language.

Did you find it difficult to learn English? Explain.

No because the school that I attended was an English medium school.  Therefore, all my classes other than Hindi were taught in English.  

Do you still speak Hindi when you’re around your family or at home? Why/Why not?

Since I have been living in the United States, I primarily speak English.  In fact when I try to speak Hindi, my father tells me that he can’t understand me sometimes. I’m currently trying to refresh my fluency in Hindi by way of the internet. I also speak Malayalam which is my grandmother’s native language (she is from Kerala, India – southern part of India). She lived with us for many years in India, she could not speak Hindi or English so we had to learn to speak Malayalam so we could communicate with her.

At times do you find it difficult communicating with others (written or spoken) because of a language barrier? 

No, in fact there is more of language barrier when communicating with my family in India who don’t speak English. Because my Hindi is not as good as it once was, I have a hard time understanding and communicating with them when I visit them each year. This is why I want to improve my Hindi.

If Hindi and English were spoken by everyone, given a choice, which language would you rather speak on a daily basis? Why?

I prefer English because it is the language that I seem to know better.

Are the schools in India any different from the Schools here in the United States? If so how?

Yes they are different.  First the schools are much harder in India.  The tests in the school I attended in India did not have any objective questions.  All tests were essay questions. Second, students never addressed any teacher by their name.  It was always just “sir” or “teacher” with no surname following.  Third, all schools required the students to wear uniforms just not private schools. Fourth, the school year in India is from June 1^st through March 31^st.  School break is during the months April and May.  Finally, many of the high schools only have grades through the 10^th grade.  After completing the 10^th grade, the student would go to college.  If a school had grades through 12^th grade, they were referred to as Plus-Two schools.

In relation to the written language, how is Hindi different than English?

Hindi language uses a very different alphabet. The alphabet characters are completely different. However, like English we have both vowels and consonants. Also like English, we read and write from left to right.

How is the culture different in India than the United States?

Since I lived in Mumba,i which is considered the economic capital of India, there were a lot of people living there from other countries which created a very diverse culture. However for a teenager there are a lot of differences in the culture compared to the US. For example, in India, it is very rare to date while in high school.  Usually dating does not occur until you are in college.  Also, the driving age in India is eighteen.  Additionally, where I lived, teenagers never had jobs (if you did it was very rare) until you were out of college. In the US there are a lot many teenagers and college students that work.

What aspects of the American culture did you find difficult to adjust to and how did you adjust? Do you feel that you have completely adjusted to our culture?

I only had a small problem adjusting to the school curriculum when I first started school in the US.  It took me about three months to adjust. However, today I feel that I have completely adjusted to the American culture.

Aside from your family in India, What do you miss the most about the country? Why?

I do miss my family in India but we visit almost every year. In fact I was in India about a month ago to attend my grandmother’s funeral service. After just visiting, I can confidently say that I really don’t miss much about India.  I have completed adjusted to the American way of living. This is my home now. In fact, my family (mother, father & sister) has recently been granted US citizenship. Since I was under the age of eighteen, I was granted citizenship automatically with their citizenship.

Overall, would you rather live here in the United States or move back to India?  

     My preference is to continue to live in the United States.  I’m a US citizen. Unless my parents make me, I                          don’t think that I will ever move back to India.