Bengaluru: Devendra Beliyur is from Sagar Taluk in Shivamogga district in Karnataka state, India. He is a farmer by profession, while his interests are theatre and folk thought. For him, the most important aspect of language is the mother tongue. He explains, This is true not only for Kannada but for every language. The written form is only a symbolic representation of a language. However, in our society, far greater importance is given to the written language than to the spoken language. This is true not only in Kannada but in almost all Indian languages.
Spoken language receives very little attention: Initially, Devendra Beliyur thought this was a problem unique to Kannada. But when he discussed it with scholars of other languages, he realised that spoken language receives very little attention in their languages as well.
Four fundamental capabilities must be developed: Devendra Beliyur emphasises that, in the field of education, when we ask what should be taught in language learning, we are told that four fundamental capabilities must be developed. These are commonly known as LSRW:
Speaking
Reading
Writing
These are the four essential language skills.
A child should first learn to listen attentively: He argues, Scientifically, this is also the natural order in which language should be acquired. A child should first learn to listen attentively, then learn to speak properly, followed by reading, and finally writing. This is the natural and scientific progression of language learning...
...Spoken language receives very little systematic attention: Unfortunately, our education system has turned this order upside down. We give priority to reading and writing—or in many cases, even writing before reading. Spoken language receives very little systematic attention. In schools, children are constantly told, "Don't talk." Speaking is rarely treated as a skill that needs to be learned and developed...
...It doesn't mean speaking should not be taught: Breathing is something we do naturally. Yet practices such as pranayama teach us how to breathe correctly and efficiently. In the same way, speaking is also a natural human ability, but that does not mean it cannot or should not be taught. Speaking can be cultivated systematically. Proper pronunciation, voice control, pauses, rhythm, emphasis, and expression are all skills that can be learned.
The art of vocal expression: Devendra Beliyur asserts that as a person involved in theatre, I experience the importance of spoken language every day. On stage, speech is not merely a means of communication; it is one of the essential components of acting. In Indian theatrical tradition, this is known as Vachika Abhinaya—the art of vocal expression...
...The meaning of that word changes according to the tone, emphasis, emotion, and context in which it is spoken: A single word can be spoken in many different ways. The meaning of that word changes according to the tone, emphasis, emotion, and context in which it is spoken. Unfortunately, in Kannada and in most Indian languages, very little attention has been paid to understanding and teaching these dimensions of spoken language...
...Neglecting the richness, science, and expressive power of spoken language: This, in my opinion, is one of the major challenges before us. While we have devoted enormous effort to studying the written form of language, we have neglected the richness, science, and expressive power of spoken language...
...Problem concerning the very life of a language: This is not merely a problem of education; it is a problem concerning the very life of a language. A language lives through speech. Therefore, our language education must give Listening and Speaking the same importance that it gives to Reading and Writing. Only then can we preserve the vitality and expressive strength of our languages.
Spoken language was never treated as an important discipline: Devendra Beliyur recalls that at the National School of Drama (NSD), people from different linguistic backgrounds came together. They are taught various theatrical techniques and forms. But no one really taught them how to speak. Spoken language itself was never treated as an important discipline—whether it was Hindi, English, or any regional language. It simply was not given due importance...
...Very little importance to vocal expression: The same influence continued in regional theatre as well. Students who had graduated from NSD later became teachers in different theatre centres. Whether it was Sanehalli, Heggodu, or elsewhere, they too gave very little importance to vocal expression (Vachika Abhinaya)...
...Language weakened—not only in theatre but more broadly in society: Much greater emphasis was placed on physical acting, choreography, lighting, and other technical aspects of theatre. Compared to these, very little attention was paid to speech. As a result, language gradually weakened—not only in theatre but more broadly in society...
...Our children have been losing their communication skills: Our children, in particular, have been losing their communication skills. By communication skills, I primarily mean the ability to speak effectively. Today, people spend a large amount of money attending separate communication skills courses. But what do they teach there? Essentially, they teach people how to speak...
Standard spoken Kannada also exists and deserves equal attention: Devendra Beliyur is perplexed at the alarming piquant predicament prevailing in the society, and laments, Ironically, we already possess a rich spoken tradition. The moment we talk about spoken Kannada, however, people tend to dismiss it as merely folk speech or rural dialect. They forget that there is also a standard spoken Kannada. Dialects have their own significance, but standard spoken Kannada also exists and deserves equal attention...
...Why don't you take up the work yourself? This made me feel that something was fundamentally wrong. There was a gap somewhere, and it needed to be corrected. I spoke about this issue in many places. Whenever I raised these concerns, people would ask me, "If you feel so strongly about it, why don't you take up the work yourself?" I am just a villager—a farmer—with very limited resources. Yet I decided to take up this challenge...
...Research and development in this area have been going on for decades: When I began looking into this subject, I realised that English has already done an enormous amount of work in this field. Every university has departments and research institutions where groups of scholars work continuously on spoken language. Research and development in this area has been going on for decades. I thought that we too should examine spoken Kannada with the same seriousness...
...English is a stress-based language: One of the first things I discovered was a fundamental linguistic difference. English is a stress-based language, whereas Kannada is a syllable-based language.
There is a profound difference between a stress-based language and a syllable-based language. English belongs to the former, while Kannada belongs to the latter. Understanding this distinction is essential if we want to study and teach spoken Kannada scientifically.
Take the words "photograph" and "photography."
In the word photograph, the stress falls on the first syllable.
In photography, the stress shifts to the second syllable (as the speaker explains, referring to the change in stress placement).
If you look at any dictionary, it clearly marks which syllable carries the stress. It tells you exactly where the stress must fall. There is an entire body of linguistic knowledge behind this. Once the stressed syllable is identified, the pronunciation of the remaining syllables naturally follows.
For example, when I say "Bangalore," the stress has to fall on the appropriate syllable. You cannot pronounce it arbitrarily. There are principles governing where the stress belongs.
A kind of classical model—for teaching spoken language: Taking into consideration the various aspects challenging the spoken language, Devendra Beliyur informs, then there are two more important aspects of speech: rhythm and tempo. These are different from stress, and each has its own effect on meaning and expression. Taking these five elements together, I developed a framework—a kind of classical model—for teaching spoken language. It explains where pauses should occur, how speech should flow, and how meaning is shaped through delivery.
For instance, there should not be a pause between an adjective and the noun it qualifies. If I say, "He is a good boy," the adjective and the noun should remain together. There should be no unnecessary pause between them.
Similarly, consider the sentence:
"He ran far away."
It should be spoken as a continuous expression. It should not be broken up unnaturally into fragments such as:
"He... ran... far away..."
Those unnecessary pauses distort both the meaning and the natural rhythm of the language.
Never been trained in the science of spoken language: Devendra Beliyur takes a dig at the education system. He is of the candid opinion that, unfortunately, many of our professors—even professors of Kannada—pause in places where they should not. They often separate adjectives from nouns or break phrases unnaturally. This happens because they themselves have never been trained in the science of spoken language.
Then there is the question of pitch, rhythm, and tempo. These cannot simply be explained through writing. They have to be experienced and understood through listening and speaking.
Take a single sentence. If one part is spoken slowly and another part rapidly, the meaning changes. More importantly, the emotional impact also changes. Differences in speed create differences in feeling.
Why should I learn it again? Using such examples, Devendra Beliyur began conducting a four-day training camp for children. He deliberately started with children because adults often have too much ego. They tend to think, "I already know how to speak my language. Why should I learn it again?"
When children attended these camps, even their school teachers sat with them. Gradually, the teachers themselves began to understand the importance of these ideas.
The training becomes even more subtle when it comes to theatre students. Theatre demands a much finer understanding of where emphasis should be placed, where pauses should occur, how emotion should be expressed, and how every tiny vocal nuance contributes to performance. As an art form, theatre requires us to master all these minute details.
As he continued working in this direction, he realised that he himself was learning more and more.
Why has there been so little research into the oral dimensions of Kannada? Looking at all this, Devendra Beliyur keeps asking: why have our universities still not undertaken serious research into the spoken forms of Kannada? We constantly speak about "our language" and "our mother tongue," but why has there been so little research into the oral dimensions of Kannada that are essential today? Why has no proper methodology been developed?
Think of our primary school teachers. From the very first standard, children should gradually develop the four fundamental language skills:
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
But look at the unfortunate situation in our education system. We begin with writing. Even reading, which should come before writing, is often neglected. A child should first become familiar with sounds, letters, and words through listening and observation. Reading should come next, and writing should follow. Yet even this natural order has been reversed.
Teacher training programmes do mention Listening and Speaking, but only in theory. There is no real curriculum for them. There are no textbooks. There is no teaching methodology. There is virtually nothing.
This, I believe, is one of the great misfortunes of Kannada language education.
A much greater institutional effort is needed: Devendra Beliyur ponders, How do we correct it? At my own level, I can do only a little. For this to become a meaningful movement, a much greater institutional effort is needed. We need dedicated wings that can train teachers, develop methods, and build models for teaching spoken Kannada...
...But where do we find comparable models developed specifically for Kannada? Whenever I need theoretical frameworks, I can borrow them from English because extensive research has already been done there. But where do we find comparable models developed specifically for Kannada? That is precisely what we need to create.
Exemplary models of spoken Kannada are people like Dr Rajkumar: Devendra Beliyur becomes an optimistic person as he exclaims, we have exemplary models of spoken Kannada in people like Dr Rajkumar. His language was extraordinary. It was beautiful, natural, and appealing to everyone. The beauty of his speech was unique. The moment you heard him speak, you were drawn to it. Such speakers give us living models of what refined spoken Kannada can be. We should use such models to define and develop our own standards for spoken Kannada.
The same is true of Yakshagana. Great masters such as Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat and Mahabala Hegde gave deep thought to the spoken dimension of performance. Whether consciously or intuitively, they understood how stress, intonation, and vocal expression should work.
I recorded their performances and studied them carefully. Through that study, I realised that these patterns can be analysed systematically. They can become the basis for teaching spoken Kannada. As this kind of research progresses, we will be able to teach spoken language in a much simpler and more effective way. That has been my experience.
Q: How many students have you trained?
Devendra Beliyur: I have worked with around thirty to thirty-five schools, especially primary schools, and also several high schools.
I have also served twice as a resource person for the announcers at Akashvani, Bhadravati. On several other occasions, I have been invited as a resource person for training camps and workshops.
I have also conducted Kannada workshops three times at the National School of Drama (NSD) Centre, Bengaluru, in connection with theatre productions. I have worked with students at the theatre school in Sanehalli as well. I have conducted workshops for children's theatre groups too, some lasting five days and others extending to eight days, where I introduced these methods of spoken language training.
Q: What are your plans for the future? What should be done next?
Devendra Beliyur: The next step is to build a larger team. I am growing older now, and this work cannot depend on one person alone. We need to create a committed team that can carry this work forward and spread it widely.
We cannot simply wait for the government to do everything. Whether the government acts or not is uncertain. Those of us who love Kannada have a responsibility to act ourselves.
Language is not merely a tool for communication. It is the very foundation of our thinking. It shapes our emotional world and our intellectual capacity. The richer our command over language, the richer become our emotions, our imagination, our reasoning, and our ability to think critically.
Language is therefore much more than a medium for exchanging information. It expands our inner world. That is why, in the Indian philosophical tradition, we have profound concepts such as Shabda Brahma (the Divine Principle of Sound) and the Shabda Sphota theory, which regards language and sound as the source of knowledge and meaning.
These ideas were explored in India many centuries ago. The philosopher Bhartrhari, in his Vākyapadīya, discusses the Shabda Sphota theory in great depth. Unfortunately, although these insights were developed long ago, the tradition did not continue to evolve in the way it could have. We have inherited a remarkable intellectual foundation, but we have not built upon it sufficiently.
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