Comments on: Dawn Urdu: Bridging the language divide

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Well done on having an Urdu version! This way every much needed, the only other good Urdu source was the BBC. Its great that a Pakistani newspaper has an Urdu online version.

By: Sami

Sami — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Congratulations and thanks for realizing whats good for the common man in Pakistan. First the correct step was for DAWN TV channel and now urdu version of the website.

Please consider a proper urdu newspaper and other magazine stuff too so that people other than “elite” or “special” class can have another source of reliable information.

By: Amjad Ch

Amjad Ch — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Its great. Dawn is a shining star on the sky of English journalism. We wish its Urdu version may also got such a reputation and credibility as well. There is need to avoid “Gulabi Urdu” – mixture of English in Urdu as being practiced by many channels and newspapers.

By: Agha Ata (USA)

Agha Ata (USA) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A very big step, indeed. Congratulations. I have some thoughts on the topic: 1) Language should be made easier to understand, by replacing some unfamiliar Arabic words to Urdu words. 2) Not using typed script would be a better idea which is harder to read. 3) Improving over the format is also necessary 4) Using diacritics to make it easier to pronounce the word would be a great help. Let me elaborate a little on this. Many Urdu speaking people in Pakistan spend their valuable time, thinking that they are helping the cause of improving their language, by discussing pronunciation of words, like “Is the correct to pronounce the word Intikhab” or should it be “Untikhab” or Untakhab… and so on…” The fact of the matter is that this difficulty is caused by NOT using diacritics in writing ( like zabar, zer pesh etc.) AND, excuse me for being so blunt, the scholars of Urdu have hardly spent any time to improve the script which is causing the language to deteriorate with time (what we need are proper alphabets for the vowels, like all other great languages have) especially while using Arabic words from Zia era. Language should be made very easy for the speakers and writers. Newspapers have a big responsibility in this regard. Dawn can be a great help!
Besides, we, in foreign countries are more interested in the news of our native countries. The news of the countries we live in are better presented in the TV and newspapers, right here. For example, some Pakistani and Indian newspapers give local news in length that confuses, because they give it a different color. They, probably, regard Pakistanis or Indians in the USA having the same mindset which is not always true. And the readers know the difference. As a matter of fact we don’t need local news in a foreign newspaper. I hope to read more about Pakistan, what, when where and all that! Since Americans won’t read the Urdu newspaper we can talk heart to heart without Americanizing the thoughts or the language. Good Luck!

By: Coco

Coco — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I would really like to see blog contributions written in urdu!

By: rehan

rehan — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I miss Dawn’s English news channel : that was the only news channel that could be classified as a “decent”!!!

By: Bajaj

Bajaj — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Excellent intiative.

Have been faithful reader for the past six-seven years, but I do not know how to read the script, can we also have urdu written in the roman script? Just a humble request, if possible.

Thanks.

By: Anwar Amjad

Anwar Amjad — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Urdu edition of Dawn is a good effort. I am sure Dawn will live up to its reputation. Pakistanis abroad are very fond of Pakistani TV shows and dramas but the existing Pakistani news websites are not giving good coverage. I hope Dawn.com Urdu will fill up this gap.

By: malik

malik — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I hope you dont turn into those urdu papers like Jang and Naway waqt. We have enough urdu newspapers in this country who keep on spreading their myopic views all the time so please stop this nonsense. Already you guys turned Dawn tv into urdu and now there are no english news or any other programs in englsih at all on paki media. Even Iran and China have english channels.

thanks

By: Nasir

Nasir — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I’m unable to read Urdu edition, it just shows boxes. Tested on different web browsers, but to no avail. What fonts do I need to install?