Blogs - Namrata

Monday 2 July 2018

THE PUNCTUAL AND SEGMENTATIVE ASPECTS OF VERBS IN HOPI LANGUAGE

“Language is a guide to social reality”- Sapir (1949)
Benjamin Lee Whorf, a great scholar to the new science of linguistics marked the inter-relationship between human thinking and human language. Thus, a new concept “Linguistic Relativity and Linguistic Determinism” known as “Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis” was introduced based on the principle of relativity which states that every individual experiences the world based on the language structure which they use. Whorf’s interest rests on the fact about language being the vehicle of meaning. For him linguistics is the fundamental theory of thinking.

The Greeks’ thought of language to be universal, where an expression could be conveyed in any language without the loss of meaning was challenged by Whorf. He said that a language determines our appreciation of the Cosmos. Edmund S. Glenn of the State Department did an experiment to check the concept difference due to language change and concluded that the basic concept of the thought is lost with every language change. It is not surprising to note that people speaking a variety of Indo European languages may have a much wide variety of words among them like Hopi Indian language and English. Here the concept of linguistic relativity lies.
The Hopi unlike English uses the term “slosh” instead of “wave” which is similar to the English word “Splatter” having a connection to the wave motion in physics meaning movement of the mass. The Hopi thought about events included both time and space without getting along with the tense for verbs and permits to think in terms of space-time.
Hopi language is rich in verbs for its expressive development of voices and verbal aspects. There are total nine voices and nine aspects in Hopi Language, but I will focus only on two- “The punctual and segmentative aspects”. Hopi does not contrast between completion and incompletion of actions rather its aspects formalize varieties between point-locus and extent-locus of phenomenon indifferently in time or space or both. The verbs belong to seven conjugations having a bit different inflectional system. The simplex of class-1 verb is a root of the form CVCV, in the third person singular intransitive voice, punctual aspect and present-past tense. The segmentative aspect is made by final reduplication of this root along with the durative suffix “-fa” which changes the meaning of the character. The event which the root means a point in the punctual aspect becomes a series of continual interrelated segments of a large phenomenon whose extension is usually in one dimension. Examples for the nature of such change- (ref.)

ha'rl- “it is bent in rounded angle” hari 'rita- “making successive rounded angle”
ho" ci- “it forms a sharp acute angle” hoci’cita-“it is zigzag”
pa" ci- “it is notched” paci’cita- ‘it is serrated”
ca'mi-“it is slashed inward from the edge” cami'mita- “it is fringed”

The phenomenon in these examples is such that they require a rigid or semi rigid substance for its manifestation. The punctual intransitive has the character of a passive and the segmentative shows the event multiplied along one dimension of space.
Certain phenomenon are capable of demonstrating in both rigid and mobile substance, defined in terms of a type of contour like ta’ho meaning “one wave like curve” whereas taho’hota, a mobile substance meaning “forming wave pattern”.
If the phenomenon referred by the stem is one occurring from a type of force in physics known as torque (propensity to create rotation) showing that the substance needs at least a minimum degree of rigidity and still capable of certain motions relative to other bodies a single displacement referred as punctual will be a single oscillation based on the rate of freedom applied in the root meaning while when this effect continues it becomes a series of oscillation and may or may not involve an advance through space at that time, becoming the segmentative meaning. Examples- (ref.)
wa'ya- makes a waving shake
ro'ya- makes a turn or twist
ri 'ya- makes aquick spin
ta'ya- makes a racking shake
It is noted that most of these movements are referred by the stem with “-ya” finally which corresponds to English durative denoting rotative motion like waya'yata-“it is shaking”, roya'yata- “it is rotating”.
Another phenomenon is which marks a sudden disturbance particularly momentary in nature related to an oscillated phenomenon occurring in the natural world as a swift series of such disturbances. Hopi employs the punctual and segmentative of the same stem unlike English. Examples of such phenomenon from inanimate and animate nature are – (ref.)

‘ti 'li’: “it receives a slight jar” ‘tili 'lita’: “it is vibrating
‘wi 'wa’: “he trips over something” ‘wiwa wata’: “he is stumbling along”
‘hἐro’: “he gives out a sudden hollow gurgle from within” ‘hἐro’rota’: “he is snoring”

Such verbs are also used for rhythmical movement of body parts - (ref.)
‘w'i" ki’: “he takes a step without moving from place” ‘wἲkἴkἴta’: “he is doing steps”
‘yo" ko’: “he nods his head once” ‘yoko 'kota’: “he is nodding”
The phenomenon where at a point the disturbances in a subtle medium are scientifically grouped as gaseous gives little or no evidence of motion or space extension and the segmentative denotes only time pulsation.
‘rἳ’pi’: “it gives a flash” ‘rἴpi’pita’: “it is ” (ref.)
‘ˀἴwi’: “it flames out” ‘ˀἴwi’wita’: “it is flaming” (ref.)
Finally there is a group of events where segmentative is not applied- “mental”, “emotional” or “psychological experience”. It is concerned only with the world of external observations.

Here, we see how language changes ones view of the world. Language is thought as a means of expression and not as the arrangement of sensory experience which leads to a particular word order, a segment which is expressible by a symbolic means which that language uses. We see that Hopi is the language which can scientifically express all sorts of versatile events of the nature. The Hopi aspect contrasts upon their verb forms forces the language to notice the vibratory events and encourages them to find names and identify phenomenon. Therefore every language has their own way of looking at the world which is unique in their own way.

Yes, I am different...

It is normally believed that by the time a person reaches college they have already found the purpose of their life…..In India the capability of a teenage student is usually perceived by their Degree Program or the University they made up to. But is it actually the fact? Does a Degree or just the Name of the Institution have the right to qualify an individual’s potential? Well if that is true how we can justify the success of Bill Gates or Steve Jobs who managed to revolutionize the world successfully without an Ivy League Degree.
Business leadership has two distinct styles- Casual Thinking and Effectual Thinking. Casual Thinkers’ approach is primarily based on formal business education where everything starts off with a preset goal followed by identification of the means available for reaching the goal and finally executing the process of achieving the already set goal. On the other hand, Effectual Thinkers don’t tend to rely on any preset goals. They evaluate and utilize the resources available at their disposal and finally curve out the goal through this entire process. This renders them the ability to create something out of everything. They don’t waste time in waiting for the right situation rather starts off with whatever is available and can be worked with. Thus the later is much more agile and remains unaffected by external changes. Today’s world is extremely dynamic; and to keep up with the pace, we need minds which can think differently and more effectively. Thus Effectual Thinking is a superior approach as compared to Casual Thinking as it is armed with the tools to battle the constant changes affecting the business environment.
Professor Jeff Dyer of MIT and Hal Gregersen together co-authored a book, ‘The Innovator’s DNA’. They found out that preschool and kindergarten education has played a pivotal role in the lives of some of the successful entrepreneurs such as Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Sergei Brin and others. They say: “The most innovative entrepreneurs were very lucky to have been raised in an atmosphere where inquisitiveness was encouraged. We were struck by the stories they told about being sustained by people who cared about experimentation and exploration.”
Entrepreneurship is neither a career nor a job. MBAs can guarantee decent jobs but entrepreneurship is all about creating such jobs for others. It is about improving the life others along with your own self.

Success is mostly ‘out of the box’. Formal training is always generalized and based on theories derived from other’s situation. No one can guarantee that the same tactic will be fruitful in each instance. Every problem is different and so is every solution. Hence innovation and a proactive approach is a must. Learning while Doing as compared to Doing after Learning should be the mantra for the entrepreneur of today.
Apart from imparted training, entrepreneurship is a result of self-learning, conceptualizing, trait development, skill honing and setting the right attitude. Constant Learning is another key to a successful business and it should be present at every point. Failures are inevitable but it is very important to learn from the failures and not wasting any further resources by repeating them.
Entrepreneurs are problem solvers at their core and have a unique approach to every situation. Recently in 2016, when entire India was boggled with Demonetization Vijay Sekhar Sharma was smart enough to introduce PayTM to people which made lives easier. The leading Imaging Company Kodak was worried with the surging prices of silver that was required to manufacture photo films; at the same time Sony introduced Digital Imaging which solved the problem. Similarly when the world was facing oil scarcities, surging fuel prices and battling the ill-effects of pollution, Elon Musk and his group formed Tesla, the leading manufacturer of Electric and Hybrid vehicles which made transportation cheaper, efficient and easily accessible. Zuckerberg literally connected the entire world in one string-Facebook. Success is all about responding to opportunities with the correct combination of traits at the right time.

An aspiring Entrepreneur cannot afford to waste time in analyzing everything every time. ‘Discover your capabilities and identify your potential’. ‘Know the problem you are passionate about and the ones you want to solve’. Zuckerberg had already developed his idea of Facebook before going to college – so it’s about identifying yourself. Don’t listen to your haters because they will start loving you once you are successful.

It is essential to set goals which are essentially concrete and not soft goals. I want to make others life simple is a soft goal, whereas, I want to create a system that would tackle the fuel problem and reduce pollution and be economical, is an example of a Concrete Goal. There should be clarity in each action.
Strict discipline and total dedication are always required as you are your own boss. If the driving force is absent within you then things are bound to falter thus risking everyone’s interest in the line. Working hard and desire to succeed has to be the fuel. People can’t resist an underdog story; when we hear about someone breaking the norm and succeeding on an unconventional path we tend to amplify the positives. But there is a lot of struggle. For example, Bill Gates worked 16 hours each day for 5 years before he was successful. (Based on Walter Isaaacson’s book, The Innovators.)
You can never be afraid of failing. Unwavering optimism is a must. In 2009, co-founder of Whatsapp, Brian Acton was rejected for a job at Facebook. Later Acton partnered with Jan Koum, a Ukrainian immigrant to form Whatsapp. Later Facebook purchased Whatsapp for a whopping amount of $19bn. Things may not always be perfect but not letting circumstances dictate the goal is important.

Creativity and innovation defines the success of a business idea. A magnificent thing is always achieved by creating something out of nothing and giving it life. We are mostly limited by our thoughts. We need to perceive situations differently than others in order to stand out in the crowd. Steve Jobs Quoted, ‘Your time is limited. Do not end up living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by Dogma-which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition’.
Great leaders are born not made. It is never possible to do everything alone, we need a team. The team will be as good as you are. Hence growth is dependent on the ability of leading a team.
An entrepreneur has to have a strong sense of integrity, be ethical and responsible towards others. Author J.K. Rowling wrote: “Be nice to everyone on your way up, because you’ll meet them again on your way down. And even if the Wheel of Fortune doesn’t bring you down again, it’s just good business to earn and maintain a reputation for honesty and dependability.” We all know about the recent happenings at Facebook which risked user data and compromised the trust it once had amongst its users. And it’s not just the revenue figures anymore; Corporate Social Responsibility is also the cool thing today. An industrialist cannot afford to derive profit out of his business by dumping waste products in the river and risking the entire ecosystem.

There is always a risk factor associated with everything but that cannot stop us from moving forward. We can’t expect a bed of roses to be laid for us before kicking-in. Timothy Sykes a famous investment banker says, “There comes a time when every start-up business has to jump out the window and build wings on the way down.” That’s about the same as ‘no guts, no glory.’
Ask yourself whether you have what it takes? Luck is just being at the right place at the right time which can be accomplished by anticipation and planning. Start-ups have a shockingly low success rates. But that does not mean that you will not succeed. If failure is inevitable why can’t success be? It all can be gained through persistence. Thomas Edison tried and failed one-thousand times before hitting on the right filament for the electric light bulb. If it wasn’t for him, we would still be sitting in the dark. Even after decades of experience Ratan Tata did not find the desired success in creating India’s most economical car, Nano. Thus failures can never be the determining factor of a person’s ability to succeed.
If you do not have the guts, the strength, the patience, entrepreneurship is certainly not your cup of tea. President Calvin Coolidge once wrote: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” In short Giving-up is never an option.
Studies revealed that people either possess a strong employee mindset or an entrepreneurial one. Entrepreneurial spirited people perceive colleges as a mode of amassing knowledge whereas an employee mindset is fixated at equipping themselves in winning their daily bread. Entrepreneurs are gutsy enough to embrace failures more sportingly as they are considered to be avid risk-takers. On the other hand, their counter parts often spend most of the time trying to take rational decision and keep procrastinating on the idea of starting a business.
Jobs and Gates, the two eccentric tech mavericks who possessed the power of transforming the world of computing by igniting a wave of entrepreneurship, are considered role models for many aspiring entrepreneurs. Struggle and presence is essential; every entrepreneur has to deal with the plethora of long winded stories of opposition which comes along their way. It certainly isn’t meant for the light hearted.

The value of a degree is eroding. There is nothing that a b-school will teach which will not be learnt while setting up an own business. So why waste the valuable time in waiting to start a business after finishing school. According to Forbes, only 69% of America’s business owners attended colleges and 68 percent of that group claimed that the degree actually helped them. Choosing a right mentor is always more important and beneficial than a degree program. It’s all about getting hold of the right direction.
Let’s see what some of the most successful entrepreneurs who earned their fortune without a b-school degree, thinks:
Dustin Moskovitz – I tell my managers that they should not assume that they can learn new skills by the same way they have acquired technical skills by reading or training…it takes experience.
Micheal Dell – Don’t do something because someone has told you to, do what you love doing
Paul Allen – Each failure contains the seeds to the next success—in case someone is willing to learn from.
Larry Wilson – Academic advantage is an advantage but in no way it ensures success.
Mark Zuckerberg – People first decide that they want to start a company before deciding what they want to do.
Bill Gates – Optimism is often dismissed as false hope. But there is also false hopelessness.
Jack Dorsey – If you have an idea get it out of your head and start working on it.
Oprah Winfrey – Knowing what you do not want is the best possible place to be because knowing what you do not want leads you to figure out the things you really want.
Ralph Lauren – I try to find people who love and believe in what I do; and people I can respect because they do what I do.
Steve Jobs- If you really look at the successful ones and the ones which weren’t – oftentimes the once who were successful loved what they did so they could preserver when things got really tough.
Entrepreneurs often walk in the unfortunate roads of failure. Hence you have to be very sure about your vision and your accomplishment. Don’t lie to yourself and be brutally honest with yourself.
Although college education can pay-off big time, it can’t be termed as an absolute essential. The primary reason being, that colleges mostly teach one to follow and not lead. The chances of innovation are less when we tend to follow others’ footsteps. College Drop-outs often try paving a new path which is mostly untraditional and lonely at times; but with the required courage and dedication everything falls into place perfectly. Entrepreneurial success can never be evaluated by formal education.

There are oppositions that are bound to come along the way. But cruising along against the tide gives us the courage to face deep waters. So stop thinking and start believing in yourself. Where there is a will there is always a way and we should never forget the golden saying, ‘Failures are the pillars of success’.

Thursday 27 July 2017

Gastronomic City- Kolkata

WALK DOWN THE GASTRONOMIC CITY- KOLKATA

Want to taste the flavour of all Bengal cuisine? Kolkata, then definitely satisfies your desire. It is the perfect hub for foodies all around the world who are interested to taste the real flavour of Bengal. People call Kolkata to be the “gastronomic city”. The city houses a number of restaurants attracting many tourists.

A Brief Intro: KOLKATA- CITY OF PASSION is a perfect blend of culture, food, religion & history. It is place where heritage stands with modernity. The Eastern and Western amalgam in the city makes it stand apart from other places of the world. Kolkata (once Calcutta) is the second largest city in India & the state capital of West Bengal. It is considered as “Sub- Continent’s London”. Located in the eastern part of India, Kolkata lies along the banks of Hooghly River & sits at an elevation of around 17 feet.

SAVOUR THE TASTE OF BENGAL

Bengali cuisine is a gastronomic style of Bengal with fish; vegetables and lentils served with rice as staple diet. It is known for its delicate flavours and its stretch of confectioneries and desserts.

A tinge of taste along the streets of Kolkata

The streets of Kolkata would not disappoint people looking for tasty but cheap foods. Streets jammed with small food stalls offer a good range of mouth watering foods. Below is a list of some piquant food popular in the Streets of Kolkata:

Phuchka - Pani Puris of Mumbai & Golgappas of Delhi have become popular in Kolkata. Puchakas are fried hollow puris stuffed with a mixture of mashed potatoes, chaat masalas, onions, chillies & dipped in tamarind water. It costs INR 10 for a serving of 6.

Places to try: Vivekananda Market, New Alipore, Russell Street, Kiosk near Triangular Park & Victoria Memorial.

Ghugni Chaat - Ragda for Mumbaikars is made of boiled yellow & white pea together with onions, chillies, tomatoes, coriander leaves & chaat masala with a topping of tamarind pulp. This popular lip smacking street food of Kolkata comes at a cost INR 10-20.

Places to try: Vivekananda Market, New Alipore, Russell Street, Kiosk near Triangular Park & Victoria Memorial.

Places popular for Ghugni Chaat: New Market & Dacres Lane

Jhal Muri – An enticing street food is a “go to snack” for most Calcuttans. It is a spicy mixture of puffed rice (muri), mustard oil, lentils, peanuts, coconut chunks &spicy chutney. It is served in a newspaper pouch at a cost of INR 10-15.

Places to try: Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Lake Temple Road and Triangular Park.

Telebhaja – A crunchy snack is a perfect companion on a rainy day. It is prepared by deep frying vegetables in a batter of Bengal gram flour & is available in the streets of Kolkata at the price of INR 5-10.

Popular places for Telebhaja: College Street, Surya Sen Street (towards College Square).

Kathi Rolls – Kolkata’s biggest contribution to the arena of street food is Kathi Roll. A paratha stuffed with chicken, meat, egg or paneer is wrapped and served in a handheld treat with sauces, spices, and veggies. It costs around INR 40-60.

Places to try: Triangular Park, Park Street & New Market.

RESTAURANTS SHOWCASING KOLKATA’S CUISINE

Place :Golbari

The appetizing Kosha Mangsho served with rice, paratha or puri is bliss for meat lovers.

Cost : INR 200 per person (approx.)

Address: Shyambazar 5 Point Crossing, Fariapukur

Timing : 9AM – 10PM

Place: 6 Ballygunge Place

An authentic destination of Bengali cuisine, 6 Ballygunge Place attracts people for its Kosha Mangsho (a traditional Mutton curry for Bengalis) & also Daab Chingri(prawns cooked in mustard and served in hollowed- out coconut). It is an ideal place to taste the real Bengali kitchen.

Cost : INR 500 per person (approx.)

Address: 31 A, DD Block, Salt Lake, Sector 1

Timing : 12:30 – 3:30PM, 7: 00 – 10:30PM

Place: Oh! Calcutta

It is a must visit place for all non vegetarians for a perfect gathering. One can get a perfect taste of Bengal with its well known Daab Chingri & Steamed Chicken.

Cost : INR 900 per person (approx.)

Address: 4th Floor, Forum Mall, 10/3, Elgin Road

Timing : 12:30 PM to 03:30 PM and 07:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Place: Bhojohori Manna

Famous for innovative Bengali cuisine, the place is known for its mouth watering Vetki Paturi, Chicken Dak Bunglow, Daab Chingri, Mutton Dak Bunglow, Chanar Dalna, Basanti Pulao, Katla Kalia.

Cost: INR 350 per person (approx.)

Address: 11A, East Esplanade

Timing: 12Noon- 10:30PM

Place :Tero Parbon