Want to Learn Urdu? There’s an App for That too!

By: Saba Umer

The thirst for language is a replenishing motivation. It is the bridge that transverses gaps between individuals, generations and connects past, present and future. They say the best way to learn a language is to live it. Perhaps that’s why people travel all over the world in the pursuit of multilingualism.  At least that’s the old fashion way to do it; either go to the source of the language, or bring the source to you. In the West, that source for first generation American Muslims (from various nationalities) has been parents or grandparents. English is often viewed as the “outside” mode of communication where as Urdu, for example would be the “in home” language of choice.  The intention is to optimize home or family time in order to pass on the traditional language to younger generations. For some, this has and will continue to be sufficient exposure in order to teach children their parent’s mother tongue, however times are changing. This generation of young people is being born into a high tech, high speed global community. Along with the perceived drawbacks of this lifestyle, one of the little considered benefits is the fact that information, lifestyles, cultures, and languages can be relayed virtually, anywhere at any time.  One entrepreneur has touched on this asset and designed it into a virtual, hand held, language school house for youngsters born and brought up in the West.

Arjumand Azeemi is the co-founder of “Qurtaba”, a company that has produced innovative, new Urdu Apps for the iPhone.  In a world where children are more efficient on iphones and computers then on bicycles, this app takes good advantage of this phenomenon and delivers two fun and creative apps that help young people learn the Urdu language.  The first app is called “Alif Bay Pay”.  It is designed to familiarize children with the Urdu alphabet, by using sound-image associations. The app uses bright, pictures and child-like voices to engage kids. Through it, kids, namely toddlers can learn to recognize Urdu alphabets and also understand vocabulary words. The second app is titled “Urdu Nursery Rhymes”. This app offers six nursery rhymes in Urdu, each one accompanied by simple but appealing imagery. There is also an option in which users can choose whether to hear the rhymes in a child’s voice or that of an adult.  The apps have been kid tested, and seem to work well for children between the ages of two and five. Each one is designed with a child’s psychology and abilities in mind, thus they are easy to navigate and kid friendly. At $0.99 an app, that’s a pretty comprehensive deal for parents looking to pass their language on to their little ones.

But regardless of the apps’ technical and educational appeal the question may still remain; why bother? Why choose this route in order to teach Urdu to younger generations?  Azeemi puts it best when he says “Parents complain that their kids are out of control. I tell them, it’s not about control, but about communication. They speak a different language, you speak a different language, literally and figuratively”.  Qurtaba has acknowledged this very prudent reality, and is offering one way in which a traditional language can be expressed in a very modern way, thus bringing the best of two worlds together, with successful results. Embracing the technology in which the young generation is so immersed and using it in a positive way is a truly unique endeavor.  Language is one the few commodities that lasts, through it, traditions are passed on and histories narrated, thus to maintain it is of utmost importance. As Arujumand Azeemi puts it “language defines culture and culture defines identity.”

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