Technology in Everyday Life

Technology in Bengali

Bengali borrows many technology words straight from English and writes them in its own script, so you can already read a lot of them by sounding them out. Each Bengali example is shown with a simple way to say it in brackets, then its English meaning, like this: মোবাইল (mobail), which means mobile. A full sentence looks like this: আমি মোবাইল ব্যবহার করি (ami mobail byabohar kori), meaning I use a mobile.

Four words to start

Start with four everyday technology words. Each is an English word written in Bengali script.

Match each word to its meaning

Sound it out

Here is the trick with Bengali technology words: most are borrowed from English, so if you read the letters and blend the sounds, an English word often appears. Words like কম্পিউটার (kampiutar) and ইন্টারনেট (intarnet) come straight from English. Say the sounds slowly and listen for the English word inside.

Which word means wifi?

Which Bengali word means wifi?

• ওয়াইফাই (oyaifai)
• টেলিফোন (telifon)
• ব্লগ (blog)
• তথ্য (tottho)

Spot the English loanwords

Select the TWO words that Bengali borrowed from English.

• ব্লগ (blog)
• মিডিয়া (midiya)
• বিপদ (bipod)
• ঝুঁকি (jhunki)

Match each online word

Borrowed or Bengali

Some technology words are borrowed from English and sound like it. Others are native Bengali words you simply learn. Reading both tells you what a message is about.

Find the borrowed words

Tap the TWO words that Bengali borrowed from English.

• টুইটার (tuitar), twitter
• বিপদ (bipod), danger
• রিংটোন (rington), ringtone
• ঝুঁকি (jhunki), risk

Reading a sentence

Now read a full Bengali sentence, with the verb last as usual: - আমি সোশ্যাল মিডিয়া ভালবাসি (ami soshyal midiya bhalobashi) = "I love social media". Three parts: আমি (ami, "I"), সোশ্যাল মিডিয়া (soshyal midiya, "social media"), then the verb ভালবাসি (bhalobashi, "I love") at the end.

What does it say?

In আমি সোশ্যাল মিডিয়া ভালবাসি (ami soshyal midiya bhalobashi), what does the sentence say the person does?

• They love social media
• They hate social media
• They build a network
• They send a message

Send a message

Put the steps of sending someone a text message into a sensible order.

• Unlock your mobile phone
• Open the messages app
• Type your message on the keyboard
• Check what you have written
• Send the message

Complete the technology facts

Bengali borrows many technology words from English, called _____. The word মোবাইল means _____. The word ওয়াইফাই means _____. A native Bengali word, তথ্য, means _____. To read a borrowed word you sound out each _____ and listen for the English word.

Read the screen

Use what you know to read each Bengali word on a screen. Choose each time.

• A button reads ডাউনলোড (daunlod). What will it do?
• A setting reads ওয়াইফাই (oyaifai). What is it about?
• A warning reads বিপদ (bipod). Is this a borrowed English word or a native Bengali word?

Explain the technology words

In English, explain how you can often read a Bengali technology word even before you learn it, and give examples. This is written in English and is not auto-marked.

• Explain why many Bengali technology words are easy to read
• Give two examples of English words written in Bengali script
• Name one native Bengali technology word and its meaning
• Describe how you would sound out an unfamiliar borrowed word