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Summary of Question:	Speaking Punjabi
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Saturday, 5/24/2003 4:14 PM MDT

wkk wkf,

Hi iv a really big problem and are hoping you will be kind enough to offer me some sort of direction. The problem is i can barely speak punjabi i am really ashamed when we have relatives come round and i cant speak it too well. I can understand bits but have no chance in speaking it because of my upbringing. My family are sikhs and ever since we were little we only spoke english really. Im now 20 and am really ashamed to be writing this email. Please could you reccomend some websites to help me understand or speak it? when i ask my parents to help me they just laugh and dont take me seriously. I really need help, please reply,
N.B

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REPLY
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Sat Siri Akaal. There is no shame in not being raised to speak Punjabi; it was a choice your parents made. You do NOT have to speak or be Punjabi to be Sikh.

Your relatives should understand that you were not raised speaking. Frankly, the best way to learn is from someone you can practice with. You can search the web using "Punjabi" as keyword and see what you find, but you would be better off going to stay with your Punjabi relatives and learning by living with them, or find someone in your Gurdwara community who speaks it and can help you find a teacher. Good luck.
Guru ang sang,
-DKK