Nav Bharat Times 18.09.

2010

Interview to Marged Trumper for Nav Bharat Times by Yusuf Kirmani


Interview of the week
Marged Trumper
Sometimes I speak Hindi
When did you develop your
passion for Hindi?
It’s difficult to say when I
developed my passion for Hindi
because it was related to many
other coincidences. In my
family everyone is a translator
or a linguist and comes from a
different country, that’s why
I’ve been developing the
passion for foreign languages
since childhood. I knew very
little about India, but at the
time when I started my
University studies, I thought I
wanted to learn an Oriental
language. In the end I chose
Hindi, because, compared to
other Oriental languages, it had
more similarities with European
languages. My interest in Hindi
developed to the point that
today it has become my third
language after Italian and
English. Sometimes I even
happen to dream in Hindi!
Hindi is a rather natural
language to me… I mean that
somehow the meaning of some
words comes quite clear.
Another Hindi feature I love is
its richness in synonyms.
Do you have any idea of the
situation of the Hindi language
in India?
I know the situation. Especially
in big cities, the Hindi spoken
by the younger generation is
becoming quite poor. The
reason is that they mix in too
many English words in their
language. Fusion is a natural
process, but the corruption of a
language is totally something
else… If we speak mixing too
much English into the Hindi
language we will lose the
language’s attitude.
English translation by Marged Trumper
Marged Trumper was born into a British-Italian
in Hindi at Venice University and now is going to teach Hindi at Milan University. She has a deepde passion for Indian
music and henna tradition. In Italy she is an ambassador for the Indian
by Yusuf Kirmani:
Hindi even in my dreams
India is becoming
economically very
strong. Everyone wants to
speak English and use
technology, anyway, we have
to keep in mind that keeping
one’s own cultural identity is
more important for a
country. Preserving one’s
own culture and language is
necessary for our
future.
My mother is been working for
Italian Publishers as a translator
for long and she often translates
Anglo-Indian
ndian writers
write as well,
that’s why I know quite well that
nowadays in India and in the rest
of the world,, the literature in
Hindi and in other Indian
languages is not very popular,
because you can’t get enough
money and fame through it. Right
now in the West Wes there is a
fashion of Indian literature, but
it’s all in English. The great Hindi
writers of today are not known to
the world.
What do you think of the
relationship between Hindi and
Urdu?
I think that the biggest
difference between Hindi and
Urdu lies in the culture they
represent rather than the
language itself. They both
represent a precious culture and
we always need to remember
that Urdu was born in India and
not anywhere else. I refuse to
have to choose between one of
the two just because of political
reasons. And by the way
everyone knows that in the
spoken language there is a slight
Interview to Marged Trumper for Nav Bharat Times by Yusuf Kirmani
British Italian family full of scholars and linguists. Marged earned
e her hons degree
ndian culture.
culture Here is Marged Trumper’s interview
broadcasting a few Hindi movies
lately. That’s how I have recently
seen ‘Kabhi alvida na kehna’,
‘Svadesh’ etc. I came to know that
in October ‘My name is Khan’ will
be also released in Italy, but a
movie I want to watch next is
‘Ravan’.
What do you want to say to Indian
people?
Nowadays India is becoming quite
strong economically. Everyone
wants to speak English and use
technology, anyway we have to
difference between the two. keep in mind that the most
important thing for a country is to
You regularly come to India. What keep one’s own cultural identity.
things interest you most here? Preserving one’s own culture and
I’m fond of many things about the language is also very important for
Indian culture,, the main one being the future of a country.
classical music. I’ve been into
Hindustani music for almost 10 years.
I presently learn music from Smt.
Girija Devi and her senior disciple
Sunanda Sharma ji.. I’m fond of the
music tradition of Benares and I
come to India regularly in order to
learn this music and be exposed to it.
Your favorite Hindi books and
writers…
During University I have read many
Hindi novels, some in Hindi itself and
some in translation.. A few novels I
liked most which are now coming to
my mind are Godan by Premchand,
Maila anchal by Renu and a book
which is not very popular, Bahatiahati
Ganga by Rudr.
Have you seen any Bollywood movie
recently?
Before, Bollywood movies weren’t
popular at all in Italian cinema halls,
but now in the last few years Hindi
movies are becoming more and more
popular. Also the Italian television is