i could have learned this at school but i never did. i found this website where you can learn basic punjabi, thought you lot would be interested seeing as you are all always showing off with your spanish and french and latin in your posts. check it out http://allaboutsikhs.com/youth/punj.htm

The asian students that I used to have all recommended that I learn Urdu (not that I took their advice!) The topic came up when I remarked that, when they were talking together they would occasionally lapse into a few words of English, before returning to their "own" language. They explained that Urdu was used as a lingua franca by them, as they mostly came from different parts of the sub-continent and had different mother-tongues. They used English now and again if there wasn't a handy translation for an English noun.
But they reckoned that I could learn enough Urdu to be useful within three months.

Remember, Rhuby. If they speak a language you don't and you don't speak a language they don't they can talk behind your back in front of you and you can't do the same to them.

They did, indeed, have covert conversations quite openly.