Britney Price
2023 WISLI Hindi Student
Why did you choose to study at WISLI? What motivated you to choose our program?
Initially, I had planned to study Sanskrit at WISLI, as I was interested in pursuing a graduate degree in South Asian Religions. I was recommended WISLI by the professor who led my study abroad trip to India in undergrad. In the time between my acceptance to SASLI and the start of classes, however, I realized that my true passion lies more with language-learning and linguistics. So, I decided to learn Hindi, as I felt that it would offer me a broader range of opportunities regarding my future endeavors.
How has learning a less commonly taught languages enriched your personal and professional life?
Learning a LCTL has allowed me to connect with other Hindi speakers, inviting exciting connections resulting from our shared knowledge of the language. Additionally, I feel that it has opened up my potential for pursuing a career in translating, linguistic analysis, and teaching.
What about WISLI/UW-Madison stands out to you?
UW-Madison has a really impressive language department which I feel very fortunate to have been able to explore this summer. Besides the amazing classes and instructors which WISLI offered, I was impressed by the amount of workshops and presentations which were offered throughout the summer. These really helped me hone in on what it is I’d like to pursue, and showed me how I can actually go about starting my career.
How do you plan to apply proficiency of your target language and cultural skills to your personal/professional journey?
I hope that my new proficiency in Hindi will allow me to travel to India again with a greater awareness of the linguistic and cultural landscape. I also hope that I can use my new language skills to continue my study of Hindi, but also to pick up other languages.
What were some of the highlights of your program? What events did you particularly enjoy?
I really enjoyed the WISLI Professional Development Workshop. It was really refreshing realizing that many people are in the same spot that I’m in and that we all have similar aspirations. It helped me to improve my resume, learn networking skills, and connect with like-minded individuals.
What role did the WISLI Tuition Scholarship play when you were making decisions? How would you encourage other students who might be interested in the scholarship to apply?
The WISLI tuition scholarship was really important for me, and I am not sure I would have been able to attend the program without that aid. I was pleasantly surprised by how much aid I was offered, and I would encourage other students to apply. Be honest about your financial situation, this is important to ensure that you will be granted the aid you need.
What advice would you give to students who want to study the same language as you?
My advice would be this: try to learn Devanagari script before the program begins. I was fortunate enough to have some Sanskrit under my belt before the Hindi program, so I had already learned how to read and write Devanagari. This is the first extremely important foundational piece that you need in order to launch into Hindi. Plus, if you learn the script prior to the program, it is likely that you will be able to get ahead during your first week, since you already know what is being taught.
What is your favorite expression in the language you studied this summer?
आपसे मिलकर खुशी हुई (a:pse milkar khushi: hui:) which means ‘pleased to meet you.’ I enjoy this expression for two reasons. 1. It contains some important and complex grammatical structures which will be extremely useful for you to know. 2. This phrase was said to me during a brief conversation outside of class. It was my first time trying to speak Hindi outside of the classroom, and this phrase absolutely stumped me. Now I’ll never forget it!