Department of linguistics starts workshop on ‘To Develop Phonetic Notation for Special Urdu Characters’
Aligarh: Department of Linguistics, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is taking a proactive role in promoting Urdu language all over the Country with its five-day workshop on ‘To Develop Phonetic Notation for Special Urdu Characters’, which began on Friday.
The programme is aimed at developing a high accuracy annotated phonetic system with correct pronunciations allowing non-Urdu speakers a quick grasp of the language.
Attending the inaugural function of the workshop, Dr Aquil Ahmad, Director, National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, New Delhi said that there is need to make Urdu understandable beyond regions and ethnicity and I am sure that this workshop will find solutions to the phonetic problems associated with the language while keeping the ethos of Urdu speakers in consideration.
He informed that NCPUL is going to organise a number of workshops to develop phonetic notations for Urdu characters.
Presiding over the function, AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor remarked that NCPUL under the leadership of Dr Aquil Ahmad has the right enthusiasm to promote Urdu language.
Professor Mansoor said that there is a need to take inspiration from Rekhta Foundation, whose founder Mr Sanjiv Saraf is promoting Urdu not only in India but all over the world. The Vice Chancellor pointed out that he recently attended a Rekhta Foundation programme for promotion of Urdu in the United States of America.
The Vice Chancellor also informed that AMU will collaborate with NCPUL on several programmes on Urdu promotion and other topics during the Centenary celebrations of the University.
Prof Masnoor with the guests and faculty members also released the ?AMU Journal of Language of Media Discourse.?
Eminent Bangalore based Urdu poet and prose writer, Dr Shaista Yusuf said, “Everytime, I try reading Urdu couplets on various web portals, I realise that it is imperative to have a structure which clearly corresponds the symbols and sounds of Urdu language.”
I am sure that workshops like these will be beneficial and we just have to wait for the success to come, she added.
Dr Shaista also spoke on the need of introducing new symbols for making Urdu reach the masses.
In a special address at the inaugural function, Prof Shafey Kidwai, Chairman, Department of Mass Communications said that there are many languages in India and the world over, which are written in more than one script.
“Language is not a prerogative of a specific community and there is a need to develop Urdu writing in other scripts such as Roman to make its reach to all language lovers in the country and abroad,” he emphasised.
Prof Imtiaz Hasnain discussed the necessity of devising better and comprehensive symbols for special Udru characters having pronunciations that can be easily learned and used by non-native speakers for learning Urdu.
Prof Masud Anwar Alavi, Dean, Faculty of Arts also gave his views on the occasion.
Welcoming the guests, Prof M J Warsi briefed them about the activities lined up for the five-day workshop.
Dr Nazrin B Laskar conducted the programme, while Dr Abdul Aziz Khan proposed the vote of thanks.