benglai & bangladeshi

[mehwish]

I would really like to learn to speak bengla.If anyone knows of some good books or software , anything actually that might assist me in this ..would you please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.

[Khilari]

Originally posted by mhnew
Bangladeshi is a nationalistic identity.
Bangali is one who speaks bangla as his/her mother tongue.
Bangla is the language you read and write.

asw

i agree with your great concise explanation.

however... i know a few ppl who dont! they happen to be from Kolkuta/Calcutta ("Kolikat") and are Hindu.

they make the following distinction (bizzarly):
-bengali - someone who speaks 'proper bangla' ie not using words taken from arabic and urdu such as "pani" - jol, "morich" - kacha lonka! etc
-bangladeshi - a muslim from bangladesh!

it may not be correct, but it is how they distinguish themselves from us. so to a hindu bengali who now resides in Calcutta, I am a "Bangladeshi" whereas they are "Bengali"

how strange.