I always wanted to write a post about the way, we Indian's speak the English language.Some how it was delayed for a considerable time .The other day I was watching a Tamil TV programme. It was a talk show .It is quite common among the vernacular language speakers in India to use English words or English sentences in their conversations,speeches and interactions .In that process many of us literally translate the vernacular usage ,idioms and phrases in English and have coined many new English phrases,which are alien to a native English speaker .Even literate people do this .Because it is widley used ,we believe it is the correct usage .Forget about the native English speaker,at times even an Indian English speaker from a different linguistic state will not understand the usage of certain English usages,because they are region specific.This happens most of the time,because it is a verbatim translation of a vernacular language usage.
Most English speakers from TamilNadu use the word "Full and Full" in their conversations.Interestingly,most fellow speakers of English from TamilNadu,understand this usage ,because it is the literal translation of the Tamil phrase முழுக்க முழுக்க . Perhaps English speakers from an Hindi or Bengali speaking state may not understand this.The correct usage should be 'entirely or fully' .Similarly people from TamilNadu also use the word " First First " very frequently in their conversations .It is again a literal translation of the phrase முதன் முதலா . Needless to say it is also a wrong usage and the correct usage should be 'First time '.There are umpteen phrases like this used by all of us who speak English in India.Nose cut is another literal translation of the tamil word மூக்கறுப்பு . The intended meaning is an insult or a sharp retort.English speakers from Kerala frequently use the word 'simply' in their conversations.A keralite would say "I simply asked him to get out " instead of saying " I asked him to get out". English is of course a foreign language to us .But the English speaking population in India is quite high .In fact India is one among the top five countries with highest number of English speakers.I would even say we have customised English speaking to suit our needs.Fair enough .
There are many words such as co-brother,cousin brother and cousin sister used by us in India.There is nothing wrong in using these words,as long as we understand it. After all language is a means for communication .But all these usages would be alien to a native English speaker.Some vernacular words are used as such in English sentences and surprisingly some of them have been accepted by the western world also .For example the word 'desi' is used frequently by many in India in their English conversations.It is understood by many native English speakers based on the context as ,rustic,simple or provincial.
In fact we are not conscious that we use many colloquial words and phrases which are not English words.Some times new English phrases are coined by us,which are very specific to India .English newspapers in India also use these words and phrases,which appear funny to many native English speakers .I have tried to list a few of them. Bandobust, benami,Arranged marriage,love marriage,drumstick,dried grapes,encounter(encounter is a correct English word -but it is wrongly used in India referring to extra-judicial killing by police )eyewash (Eyewash in English refers to a lotion to cleanse eyes- but in India we use it to mean 'pretense')ever silver - it refers to stainless steel in India.Eveninger is another word coined by Indians, referring to an evening newspaper against a normal newspaper which is released in morning.French beard in India refers to a beard restricted to chin area .Gherao, Goonda,Gurkha,Half ticket, Handwash also come under this list. Item number -refers to a glamourous dance and josh - means exciting. The word 'Keep' refers to a mistress,contextually in India .
'Offs' in English means killing with premeditation,but in India offs is frequently used to refer off days or holidays. Redressal refers to resolving issues in India.Ryots in India refers to farmers.Shakehand means handshake .A road bump is referred to as speed-breaker in India.Tempo in English means the speed at which a music composition is played .In India tempo also means a three wheeler cargo vehicle.Villi is a plural for villus which refers to a hair like mucous membrane in English.But in India villi refers to a female villain .Half pant in India refers to shorts.Flammable is the word used by English speaking countries.But in India we use the word inflammable.Elevator is the correct word to be used.But in India we use the word 'Lift' to refer to an elevator .Transistor refers to a semiconductor device capable of amplification in normal English .But in India it is commonly referred to a portable radio .A Round trip is called return ticket in India.
Apart from coining new English words,English pronunciation also varies between the various Indian states. Even among Indians ,the pronunciation of one state is derided by fellow Indians belonging to a neighboring state.We also create Indian acronyms in English and shorten some words and use them in conversations.Examples for such words are 'enthu' and 'funda' refering to enthusiasm and fundamentals.
But it must be borne in mind India has produced umpteen number of literary greats like R.K.Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand,Tagore,Vikram Seth,Salman Rushdie,Vikram Chandra,Vikas Swarup,Ramachandra Guha,Arundathi Roy,Kamaladas and Nirad chaoudhary.They are some of the famed Indian authors in English.English speaking by Indians is a colonial legacy.Though there are deficiencies in the way Indians speak English, of late the gloabalisation has helped Indians to secure jobs in IT field due to their English speaking skills.English is the lingua franca of the world.All countries invest in English speaking skills .It must be admitted ,it pays if one speaks good English .So Indians should enhance their English speaking skills .This does not mean one should not be proficient in one's mother tongue.
Most English speakers from TamilNadu use the word "Full and Full" in their conversations.Interestingly,most fellow speakers of English from TamilNadu,understand this usage ,because it is the literal translation of the Tamil phrase முழுக்க முழுக்க . Perhaps English speakers from an Hindi or Bengali speaking state may not understand this.The correct usage should be 'entirely or fully' .Similarly people from TamilNadu also use the word " First First " very frequently in their conversations .It is again a literal translation of the phrase முதன் முதலா . Needless to say it is also a wrong usage and the correct usage should be 'First time '.There are umpteen phrases like this used by all of us who speak English in India.Nose cut is another literal translation of the tamil word மூக்கறுப்பு . The intended meaning is an insult or a sharp retort.English speakers from Kerala frequently use the word 'simply' in their conversations.A keralite would say "I simply asked him to get out " instead of saying " I asked him to get out". English is of course a foreign language to us .But the English speaking population in India is quite high .In fact India is one among the top five countries with highest number of English speakers.I would even say we have customised English speaking to suit our needs.Fair enough .
There are many words such as co-brother,cousin brother and cousin sister used by us in India.There is nothing wrong in using these words,as long as we understand it. After all language is a means for communication .But all these usages would be alien to a native English speaker.Some vernacular words are used as such in English sentences and surprisingly some of them have been accepted by the western world also .For example the word 'desi' is used frequently by many in India in their English conversations.It is understood by many native English speakers based on the context as ,rustic,simple or provincial.
In fact we are not conscious that we use many colloquial words and phrases which are not English words.Some times new English phrases are coined by us,which are very specific to India .English newspapers in India also use these words and phrases,which appear funny to many native English speakers .I have tried to list a few of them. Bandobust, benami,Arranged marriage,love marriage,drumstick,dried grapes,encounter(encounter is a correct English word -but it is wrongly used in India referring to extra-judicial killing by police )eyewash (Eyewash in English refers to a lotion to cleanse eyes- but in India we use it to mean 'pretense')ever silver - it refers to stainless steel in India.Eveninger is another word coined by Indians, referring to an evening newspaper against a normal newspaper which is released in morning.French beard in India refers to a beard restricted to chin area .Gherao, Goonda,Gurkha,Half ticket, Handwash also come under this list. Item number -refers to a glamourous dance and josh - means exciting. The word 'Keep' refers to a mistress,contextually in India .
'Offs' in English means killing with premeditation,but in India offs is frequently used to refer off days or holidays. Redressal refers to resolving issues in India.Ryots in India refers to farmers.Shakehand means handshake .A road bump is referred to as speed-breaker in India.Tempo in English means the speed at which a music composition is played .In India tempo also means a three wheeler cargo vehicle.Villi is a plural for villus which refers to a hair like mucous membrane in English.But in India villi refers to a female villain .Half pant in India refers to shorts.Flammable is the word used by English speaking countries.But in India we use the word inflammable.Elevator is the correct word to be used.But in India we use the word 'Lift' to refer to an elevator .Transistor refers to a semiconductor device capable of amplification in normal English .But in India it is commonly referred to a portable radio .A Round trip is called return ticket in India.
Apart from coining new English words,English pronunciation also varies between the various Indian states. Even among Indians ,the pronunciation of one state is derided by fellow Indians belonging to a neighboring state.We also create Indian acronyms in English and shorten some words and use them in conversations.Examples for such words are 'enthu' and 'funda' refering to enthusiasm and fundamentals.
But it must be borne in mind India has produced umpteen number of literary greats like R.K.Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand,Tagore,Vikram Seth,Salman Rushdie,Vikram Chandra,Vikas Swarup,Ramachandra Guha,Arundathi Roy,Kamaladas and Nirad chaoudhary.They are some of the famed Indian authors in English.English speaking by Indians is a colonial legacy.Though there are deficiencies in the way Indians speak English, of late the gloabalisation has helped Indians to secure jobs in IT field due to their English speaking skills.English is the lingua franca of the world.All countries invest in English speaking skills .It must be admitted ,it pays if one speaks good English .So Indians should enhance their English speaking skills .This does not mean one should not be proficient in one's mother tongue.
After reading my post a friend of mine from Chennai had sent me a mail as follows
ReplyDelete"interesting reading.you've left 'assault' usage by Tamil people".
This is because I used to tell him often about the wrong usage of the world 'assault' by majority of Tamils. I really don't know how this word has come in to use .
As early as july 2008,I have written about this in one of my Tamil blogs.I have given below a link to that old Tamil post.
http://urathachinthanaigal.blogspot.in/2008/07/blog-post_17.html
Thank you Somu,for reminding me about the wrong usage of the word assault .
Very interesting post.It is true the word 'assault' is the most misused word by Tamils.I don't think this is done out of ignorance,the wrong usage of this word is to such an extent, it has gained wide acceptance and people think it is a right usage.
ReplyDeleteYou have said about 'item number'.What about 'item girl' ?The dancer who performs an item number dance sequence is called an 'item girl' in India .English speaking skills must be developed,I agree.But it should not be done at the expense of one's mother tounge.