Hello Language Lovers! Welcome back to a new episode of Speaking Tongues. This week, we're pumped to dive into Marathi language and culture with Uma, a writer, literary translator, and film enthusiast. In this conversation, Uma shares a wealth of knowledge about linguistic traditions in South Asia and shares her personal journey with translating her mother tongue, Marathi.

In this episode, we explore:

🇮🇳 Uma’s linguistic background, growing up in Mumbai and learning multiple languages including Marathi, English, Gujarati, and Hindi.

🇮🇳 The linguistic diversity of Mumbai and how different languages influence each other in this melting pot city.

🇮🇳 The historical and cultural significance of Marathi, its literary traditions, and the influence of Persian on the language.

🇮🇳 The unique characteristics of Mumbai Hindi and how it differs from standard Hindi due to Marathi influence.

🇮🇳 Uma’s journey into literary translation, her passion for sharing Marathi culture, and the challenges and joys of translating literature.

🇮🇳 The vibrant Marathi cinema, notable directors, and films that showcase the cultural and historical richness of the Marathi-speaking community.

🇮🇳 The culinary delights of Maharashtra, including the famous Ukadiche Modak and the beloved Varan Bhaat.

Thank you to Uma for sharing your work, your culture, and your language with us. If you enjoy this episode of Speaking Tongues, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Speaking Tongues Podcast on Apple Podcasts and like and subscribe on YouTube so that other language lovers like ourselves can find the show! If you’ve been a long-time listener of the show or a recent listener, you can now pledge ongoing support for the show on Buy Me a Coffee dot com or on Patreon dot com. And as you know, I wrote a book! My food ‘zine of international language and cuisine, Taste Buds Vol 1. is available now for purchase! Check social media for the sneak peek inside of the book and make sure you purchase for yourself and your friends! Links to all platforms are below!

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