Goa
is a multi-lingual state, thanks to its chequered
history of thousands of years, which has seen people
of various regions, ethnic races and religions from
India and abroad coming over to and settling in Goa,
while influencing the local language. At present,
Marathi and Konkani are two major languages of Goa.
Hindi, the national language of India, is well understood
in Goa. In major towns, English is widely used in
writing and conversation. Goa being a major tourist
place offers a tourist-friendly medium of interaction
through English. On the other hand, Portuguese, the
language of the colonial rulers and the official language
till 1961 before liberation, notwithstanding the official
patronage and a compulsory medium of study, failed
to make a dent in the mind of the majority of Goans.
It remained only the language of the elite but alienated
the masses. Thus just after the departure of the Portuguese,
Portuguese lost all its favour and usage. However,
very few - particularly the older or pre-liberation
generation - still use Portuguese.
