5 Indian Short Stories Vol.2

The Language Game

In the town of Gahiza , the local government body faced a problem. The majority of people living there didn't know the local language Gazi. 

The population consisted of the locals and many outsiders who migrated from elsewhere to establish their own business or to find work and about 40 per cent of the population spoke Gazi while the other half spoke a bunch of other languages.
This was a great inconvenience to all, as the locals didn't understand the outsider's language and the outsiders couldn't understand the locals who were fluent in only Gazi and the fear was that the use of Gazi would slowly decline.

 People were frustrated by this. It was difficult to ask for proper directions or even make an order at the restaurant. While few outsiders were learning the local language, the prediction by a local government survey was that the majority of locals would soon learn the other languages that were spoken by the majority of outsiders in the hope to do business with them. These outsiders were to bring industrial jobs which were very needed In the town.

In the government body, some officials argued that there was no point in reviving the language from its declining use as it would be a tough task and that people would adapt to the situation.
The others argued saying it was part of their cultural and historical identity and that people should at least know the language well enough to converse in it. 

Now it was decided to revive the near-dead language. Which made everyone scratch their heads for any solution. Thankfully among them was a smart minister named Shashi who was always relied upon during situations like these to handle. He said it would not be an easy task but can be done. The others agreed as they wanted their grandchildren to know their mother tongue.

Shashi carefully explained his plan and everyone's face went from surprise to bewilderment to hope and confidence. There was a risk by undertaking the plan but was worth taking up for their identity's sake.

The following days at all famous places across the town that gathered huge crowds, signs and boards were put. They contained letters of Gazi and how to pronounce them in various other local languages.

At bus stops and auto stands, boards were put up telling how to ask for directions in Gazi or to tell the driver where to go in Gazi. Even in restaurants and small chai shops they're were instruction boards on how to order certain things in Gazi.

This had a small impact, but the punch always comes after the jab.

After a few days, the government announced a game to the public that would be held monthly.
There would be crossword and puzzle contests in Gazi held at the town hall.
Also, a pop quiz in Gazi would be held and the best part was there was a reward for each contest. Public speaking and debates too in Gazi were organized. 

In the games, you were to be awarded based on the amount of progress you make in the game or by the correct amount of answers you give.

This excited everyone and all of a sudden the learning curve of Gazi had increased. People enjoyed the games while learning and earning. They would spend the entire month trying to grasp the language.

After a year the games were discontinued as the budget for it ran out, but it had done the job. Now almost everyone in the town from the locals to the outsiders who migrated for labour jobs in the town spoke the language well or had a decent understanding and even the young ones were taught it. The dead language was thus revived while people spoke in whatever language they wished, Gazi was one of the most popular languages in town to be used actively.