Fatima_Dr. Arfa Syeda Zahra_Reimaging Linguistic Diversity of Pakistani Languages

Interview with Dr Arfa Zahra

Assalam-o-Alaikum. Today I have with me Dr. Arfa Syeda Zahra to talk about Urdu. Dr. Arfa has been working in the field of education for the past 50 years and is currently serving as a professor of history at FC College. Ma'am, if you don't mind, can I start the interview?

1

Yes, of course. My name is Arfa Syeda Zahra.

2

Thank you. Tell us something about your childhood. Where did you grow up and where you got your education.

1

I grew up in a very beautiful place. Even today, it is not a big place. It is a small village. There was a military college, Jhelum, Government Girls High School. I studied there.

2

When your education continued, did you ever feel the pressure to speak in any language other than Urdu? This was a new trend in Pakistan.

1

Pakistan has just recently come to know of it. At that time, the Pakistanis were very happy about the fact that they were there, I have been to seven colleges. Which ones would you like to tell us about? I am speaking in one language. The second is Punjabi, the third is English, the fourth is French, the fifth is Persian, the sixth is Arabic and the seventh is Hindi.

2

Amazing. How was your journey in the FC College so far?

1

Very good. Would you like to tell us something else about it? Look, the life of a teacher should be good. Because the biggest wealth he has is in his students. And if he is in such a fortunate school where he is allowed to teach, what more can a teacher want? What do you like most about the Urdu language? I like it because it teaches more than just differences, it teaches harmony. It teaches people to live together, not to live apart. Is there an Urdu poet or a piece of poetry that you like? It is very difficult to choose one. You can choose one of the classic poets or a person. I like them a lot.

5

Not just one, but thousands.

1

Those names are such that everyone knows. Siraj Aurangabadi, Wali Dakkani, Rafi Sauda, Ghalib, Nazir Akbar Abadi, Faiz, Noon Meem Raishid, I like them a lot. If you want, I can keep taking their names.

2

Has Urdu played a role in changing or improving your personality?

1

Languages are always expressions. And expressions of your thoughts. You say what you think. And the way you have a temperament, you choose words like that. You choose the words according to your culture. You live on the same level. In the past, living on the basis of culture, ethics, and modesty was considered good. Today, this is considered weakness. A modest person is weak. A person who speaks with modesty is very weak. He doesn't know how to tell who He is. To tell who you are, you need a good tongue, a good choice of words, and a good tone. All these are old things. Do you think that in our society, Urdu has its true status?

2

This question is for everyone. Women have their status, politics have their status.

1

In this society, nobody has the status of anyone. Every person, everything is empty. And Urdu does not have it because we have a very subdued and slave-like mentality. Learning languages, knowing languages, speaking languages is a good thing, not a bad thing. But, to misuse our culture, our thinking, our capital, I still don't understand how to use other things in a wrong way to show that we are moving forward.

2

If someone wants to develop interest in Urdu, what advice would you give them? They have to leave the society to their own devices.

1

I don't know why we call it the national language. It has to be carried forward. It has to be taught. And it is not just about reading Alif, Bay, Tay. Do you understand the nature of the language, the meaning, the references? Do you know the tone of the language? Do you understand that the biggest beauty of a language is that it can reach you to others? Your expression is your introduction. The language you speak will be the same as your introduction. If you don't pay attention, any language will be in danger of being destroyed.

2

Don't do this to Urdu. To protect Urdu...

1

What is the danger? What is there to protect? Do you want to keep it in a basement? Do you want to keep it in a strange room? As long as languages are used, as long as the existence of languages is accepted, as long as languages are considered trustworthy and proud. Language lives on.

3

Otherwise, it will die.

1

Do you like listening to music?

3

Do you listen to a lot of Ghazals or songs?

2

I like music a lot. I like all kinds of music. Good and bad.

1

I am not sure if it is a ghazal, a folk, or mine or someone else's. It is good, it touches the heart, it touches the strings of my heart, it soothes my tongue. I like it a lot. And now, one last question. What was your favorite food to eat as a child?

2

It seems that in the Pakistani society, until this question is asked, neither the personality nor the answer is complete.

1

When I was growing up in this country, there was no importance of prioritizing individuality in this country. Because there was no desire to be a personality, there was no meaning of liking and disliking that we have today. Food was a household tablecloth. Everything was on that tablecloth, was what the family ate. And we all have our own liking. We have the right to choose our own path. This is the case in food. In Pakistan, there was no emphasis on rice, meat, and other things. I used to eat simple food. And I used to eat it with a lot of love. I have always been... Your national food is Biryani. I am from the generation that grew up on Pulao and I still like it a lot.

2

Okay, with this we have reached the end of our interview. Ma'am, thank you very much for taking out your precious time for me. This conversation was very interesting for me. I hope you enjoyed it too.

1

Thank you so much that you thought to include me in this interview, I am very grateful.

4

Thank you!

3

Interview with Dr Arfa Zahra

Assalam-o-Alaikum. Today I have with me Dr. Arfa Syeda Zahra to talk about Urdu. Dr. Arfa has been working in the field of education for the past 50 years and is currently serving as a professor of history at FC College. Ma'am, if you don't mind, can I start the interview?

1

Yes, of course. My name is Arfa Syeda Zahra.

2

Thank you. Tell us something about your childhood. Where did you grow up and where you got your education.

1

I grew up in a very beautiful place. Even today, it is not a big place. It is a small village. There was a military college, Jhelum, Government Girls High School. I studied there.

2

When your education continued, did you ever feel the pressure to speak in any language other than Urdu? This was a new trend in Pakistan.

1

Pakistan has just recently come to know of it. At that time, the Pakistanis were very happy about the fact that they were there, I have been to seven colleges. Which ones would you like to tell us about? I am speaking in one language. The second is Punjabi, the third is English, the fourth is French, the fifth is Persian, the sixth is Arabic and the seventh is Hindi.

2

Amazing. How was your journey in the FC College so far?

1

Very good. Would you like to tell us something else about it? Look, the life of a teacher should be good. Because the biggest wealth he has is in his students. And if he is in such a fortunate school where he is allowed to teach, what more can a teacher want? What do you like most about the Urdu language? I like it because it teaches more than just differences, it teaches harmony. It teaches people to live together, not to live apart. Is there an Urdu poet or a piece of poetry that you like? It is very difficult to choose one. You can choose one of the classic poets or a person. I like them a lot.

5

Not just one, but thousands.

1

Those names are such that everyone knows. Siraj Aurangabadi, Wali Dakkani, Rafi Sauda, Ghalib, Nazir Akbar Abadi, Faiz, Noon Meem Raishid, I like them a lot. If you want, I can keep taking their names.

2

Has Urdu played a role in changing or improving your personality?

1

Languages are always expressions. And expressions of your thoughts. You say what you think. And the way you have a temperament, you choose words like that. You choose the words according to your culture. You live on the same level. In the past, living on the basis of culture, ethics, and modesty was considered good. Today, this is considered weakness. A modest person is weak. A person who speaks with modesty is very weak. He doesn't know how to tell who He is. To tell who you are, you need a good tongue, a good choice of words, and a good tone. All these are old things. Do you think that in our society, Urdu has its true status?

2

This question is for everyone. Women have their status, politics have their status.

1

In this society, nobody has the status of anyone. Every person, everything is empty. And Urdu does not have it because we have a very subdued and slave-like mentality. Learning languages, knowing languages, speaking languages is a good thing, not a bad thing. But, to misuse our culture, our thinking, our capital, I still don't understand how to use other things in a wrong way to show that we are moving forward.

2

If someone wants to develop interest in Urdu, what advice would you give them? They have to leave the society to their own devices.

1

I don't know why we call it the national language. It has to be carried forward. It has to be taught. And it is not just about reading Alif, Bay, Tay. Do you understand the nature of the language, the meaning, the references? Do you know the tone of the language? Do you understand that the biggest beauty of a language is that it can reach you to others? Your expression is your introduction. The language you speak will be the same as your introduction. If you don't pay attention, any language will be in danger of being destroyed.

2

Don't do this to Urdu. To protect Urdu...

1

What is the danger? What is there to protect? Do you want to keep it in a basement? Do you want to keep it in a strange room? As long as languages are used, as long as the existence of languages is accepted, as long as languages are considered trustworthy and proud. Language lives on.

3

Otherwise, it will die.

1

Do you like listening to music?

3

Do you listen to a lot of Ghazals or songs?

2

I like music a lot. I like all kinds of music. Good and bad.

1

I am not sure if it is a ghazal, a folk, or mine or someone else's. It is good, it touches the heart, it touches the strings of my heart, it soothes my tongue. I like it a lot. And now, one last question. What was your favorite food to eat as a child?

2

It seems that in the Pakistani society, until this question is asked, neither the personality nor the answer is complete.

1

When I was growing up in this country, there was no importance of prioritizing individuality in this country. Because there was no desire to be a personality, there was no meaning of liking and disliking that we have today. Food was a household tablecloth. Everything was on that tablecloth, was what the family ate. And we all have our own liking. We have the right to choose our own path. This is the case in food. In Pakistan, there was no emphasis on rice, meat, and other things. I used to eat simple food. And I used to eat it with a lot of love. I have always been... Your national food is Biryani. I am from the generation that grew up on Pulao and I still like it a lot.

2

Okay, with this we have reached the end of our interview. Ma'am, thank you very much for taking out your precious time for me. This conversation was very interesting for me. I hope you enjoyed it too.

1

Thank you so much that you thought to include me in this interview, I am very grateful.

4

Thank you!

3