Whither Urdu
An old discussion thread is relevant here:
http://groups.google.com/group/urdu/browse_thread/thread/f57ba0ccee1ea8af#
In fact, I am now increasingly convinced that this stupidity of using plural form to convey 'respect' is one of the main reason for decline of Urdu usage. This is why the Urdu youth prefers to switch to English rather than face the dilemma of choosing the right form of the verb. On the net where an innocent misunderstanding can easily result in a flame war, this plural/singular stupidity is a recipe for disaster.
Living languages continuously adapt to the medium. For example, SMS/texting has produced a new form of English. This change only enhances the language, does not diminish it. The internet is a new medium for Urdu and it must adapt here to grow. When Urdu came on the net, the initial adopters were the 'religious' folks who being conservative were not expected to cause any change. Later more 'enlightened' folks (like the founders of this forum) started blogging , but unfortunately being of the old school (raised conservatively), were not up to a revolution. So what could have resulted in avalanche of Urdu activity has become a tedious monotone. After 3 years of this mehfil-forum, a new orthodoxy has resulted where people are exhorted to follow the norm, use the Urdu of 'dastaans,' not to experiment with new ideas. The idea of revolution here is to transliterate as much english in arabic script as humanly possible. This is all the enlightenment and originality which we could muster. In reality, it is neither. The incompetent twits in the Urdu newspapers were already transliterating to the hilt before Urdu came to the net.
As the late Suleri of the old "Pakistan Times" used to title his opinion pieces "whither X", I ask "Whither Urdu?"
