BENGALURU: Language can be intimidating for many. It can be even more nerve-wracking when you are learning a new one or try to converse in a language which you are familiar with but don’t use that often.
Well, Satshya Anna Tharien, a Mangalore-based Malayali, is trying to make the language learning process ‘easy’ through her Hacks to Learn series on Instagram. Started a year ago, be it Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, this 27-year-old takes a creative approach by showcasing the techniques she had used to learn some of the Indian languages.
“'The Hacks to Learn' series was started to share the experiences I had when it came to a particular language. Through my reels, by infusing a creative play, I intend to make a language look less intimidating so that a person who is learning a new language won’t feel scared. I want people to cherish the regional languages. And also, the series will help you get familiar with a few words at least, in that way, you’ll have something in common when you come across a person who speaks that language,” says Tharien, who is a senior content strategist working at an ed-tech startup.
Tharien began the series with Hindi. Through her reels, she highlighted the tricks she picked up in learning certain phrases. “I did a video on Pachaas and Pachees. These two terms were the most confusing during my initial days in Delhi. It was complicated with rickshawalas especially, to bargain, you should know if the figure is higher or lower. Many of my friends liked it and asked me to continue doing the series. With a few episodes in Hindi, I thought to transcend to Malayalam as well,” explains Tharien. Growing up in a family which spoke multiple languages, Tharien never spoke Malayalam fluently. “When I was a child, I didn’t speak Malayalam that often because during those days I considered English to be a much cooler language. To be honest, I regret not speaking the regional language, If I did, I could have spoken it much fluently by now. Through these series, I am making up for the lost time, and I am learning a lot from my audience as well,” says Tharien.
According to Tharien, what pulls her most in learning a language is its etymology and similarity. “Certain words pick my attention with their similarity. When it does, I immediately take note of it,” says Tharien.
“When it comes to languages, I take visual cues, in a way to learn and retain them. For example, in Tamil, earrings are called ‘thod’ so I always picture an earring that is shaped like a frog, ‘toad’,” she adds.