Response to 10 classic Indianisms
I hope I don't turn this into a habit anytime soon.
So once again, I read an article through facebook which someone shared.
Link to original Article: http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/life/10-indianisms-652344
(UPDATE: You need to read the above article first to understand what I am saying)
THIS IS COSMIC BLASTING OFF !!!!!!!!
So once again, I read an article through facebook which someone shared.
Link to original Article: http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/life/10-indianisms-652344
(UPDATE: You need to read the above article first to understand what I am saying)
I have anonymized the names here |
And as a response I am jotting down my thoughts here:
Indianisms are what one would classify as colloquialism and slang.
How much of sense does 'slap him upside the head' make but it does in America.
How about 'kiss my ass' - no I rather not kiss your donkey or for that matter your bottom (arse)... but there you have it language evolves and every ethnic group contributes its own flavor.
Bet you would not understand if I asked you to pass me a coldie but an Australian would... he would know I meant a can of cold beer. He would also know if I asked for it in a handle, I meant a beer glass with a handle...
Oh and by the way 'passing out' comes from the 'passing out parade'. An army term used to describe cadets have completed a military course. This term is used by the British army as well and not restricted to the Indian army.
Unfortunately instead of realising that millions of Indians regard English as their language and have added their own flavour; just like the Irish, the Scots, the Kiwis - you chose to preach and correct.
Now wonder where that comes from: an innate sense of superiority or just a desperation to be accepted as more whiter than the white.
Can't figure if the article's efforts have to do with a chip on the shoulder or just a sense of inferiority. Like some of my Tamil friends say : Eh, What men!
We should not be so quick to disparage our own idiosyncracies even as we consider colloquialism and slang from other nations to be cool.
When Americans or anybody else for that matter , add a million "subprime's" to our lexicon why can't we add our own flavor to a language that now so many Indians have adopted as our own? Prepone? Years back?
I think Indianisms are great! English is global enough to accomodate our idiosyncracies into its grammar-not correct it with sarcastic 'dinosaur with bad grammar' put me downs! I am right no?
THIS IS COSMIC BLASTING OFF !!!!!!!!
Oh! How I agree with your post!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the view that there needs to be a certain standardisation somewhere. But I hate it when people downplay the contribution of the Indian languages to English and instead use American (or even Australian) lexicon freely.