A video of a German woman speaking Kannada has garnered widespread viral attention on social media, especially in the context of the ongoing “Bengaluru belongs to Kannadigas” controversy. The clip features Jenifer, a German national residing in Karnataka, speaking Kannada with locals and receiving warm appreciation for her efforts.
The video, shared by an X user, highlights Jenifer’s attempt to converse in Kannada and the positive reception she received. The post accompanying the video read, “German citizen Jenifer, currently staying in Karnataka, learns Kannada and tries to converse in Kannada with locals. Look at the appreciation she gets for speaking in Kannada. If Germans can, why can’t Indians learn and speak Kannada with Kannadigas?”
The video has amassed nearly one million views and sparked a variety of reactions. Some users saw Jenifer’s efforts as a compelling argument for learning local languages, while others questioned the necessity of enforcing such expectations.
One user commented, “Same way, why can’t you learn Hindi?” while another remarked, “She is speaking out of her own will; that’s different from forcing.” A third user shared their personal experience of being appreciated for trying to speak Kannada, despite initial difficulties.
On the other side of the debate, some users argued against the notion of forcing language acquisition. “Because every Indian state has its own language, so from your point of view, everyone should learn multiple languages. This is basically not possible for everyone,” one user said.
The “Bengaluru belongs to Kannadigas” debate began when an X user, Manju, posted a statement insisting that newcomers to Bengaluru should speak Kannada to be accepted, sparking both support and opposition across social media platforms.
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