Bantwal: Arabic Teacher Invents Script for Beary Language

Report & Pics: Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (RD)

Bantwal, Jul 9: Beary language, which has created a niche for itself in the annals of coastal literature, is yet to adopt a script of its own. But that problem too may soon be solved.

M S Umar, an Arabic teacher here on Friday July 8 at a press meet claimed to have invented a script for Beary language, which he said would go a long way in enriching the language and its literature.

Umar said that the need for a Beary script had long been felt and discussions in this regard had been going on for many years. He decided to work out a solution and invented his own script, he said.

The Beary community will take pride in its script, and the script will also encourage more people to contribute to the rich treasury of Beary literature, he said.

Elaborating, Umar said that the Beary language has adopted words from Arabic and many coastal languages. "The script I have developed has 32 letters derived from Kannada, Tulu, Beary, Konkani, Arabic and Urdu," he explained.

When queried whether the Beary community would accept his script, Umar said that he trusted his community to do so, especially as it was easy to learn. Using the script will give the community and its language an identity of its own, he said.

"If the Beary Sahitya Academy takes earnest interest in promoting this script, it will make a difference to the community," stressed Umar.

An Arabic teacher in Anjuman Ittifak-ul-Muslimin Al Alam School, of which he is also the chairman, Umar is a resident of Kelaginapete here. He has contributed to Beary literature with his writings.