Indian English

chillibreeze writer — Anamika V

English, pretty much like fancy cars, has been flashed as a status symbol in India. From social gatherings to echelons of corporate power, English is a much touted accessory. The more polished the accent, the better the impact. This pretty much explains the long waiting lists at English medium schools and whimsical pre-admission rituals ranging from parents’ interview to questions regarding working status of mothers. The race is about acquiring competence in English and the rules are made by those who provide this glamorous yet essential accessory. Pretty much a sellers’ market, fancy sums are set aside by anxious parents the moment their child reaches pre-nursery years.

This English seeking phenomenon is common throughout India, small towns and modern urban centers alike. Some progressive parents may want to try out alternative education, but compromise on or omit English from the curriculum? Never. This focus, or rather obsession, with the language stems from the fact that English firmly sets the social standard and governs career opportunities.

From Misss Worlds to cricketers and film stars, confident answers and media impact are measured by how effectively answers are delivered and how accurately words are pronounced. Substance is of essence, but style is paramount. Many decades ago, a worried parent requested my father, a retired English Literature professor, to accompany her to her child’s school admission interview as an English speaking interface. My father politely declined such posturing, however offered to coach her on some basic conversational skills. In the small town that I grew up, ‘Salaam memsahab’ has rapidly turned to ‘Good morning Aunty’. Whether watchmen or common tradesmen, words like ‘tensun, late, traiphic, bujy, mood, hero’ have become common parlance.

Tonality is another tool used to frame questions which are mere statements suffixed with a question mark – ‘You going now?’ ending on a crescendo. A hilarious rather obnoxious take is on the mismanagement of ‘sh’ and ‘s’- ‘Your scooter ishtopped in front of thee sawp and I knew it wahj you!’ (I recognized you by your scooter in front of the shop). Regional assaults on the language have further peppered its usage. I froze in my tracks when I overheard a very loaded conversation between two professionals working on their computer –‘Should we use hard diks or floppy diks?’ The miscreants happened to be of Bengali and South Indian origin.

Moving on to metropolises, the crowd gets more ‘hep’ and the bloopers a bit more brazen, pretty much like the clothes. ‘What ya, you’re not coming for coffee-shoffee these days, very busy or what? This is not done ya.’ Such a statement perhaps stems from a very literal translation of their regional language. But abandoning English for the local lingo is not acceptable. Non-English speakers wearing westernized clothes are viciously labeled as BTMs, Behenjis Turned Mod. Fake American accents still turn heads, another evidence of style over substance.

This organic, multi-ethnic growth of Indian Inglis does make it unique and enriching. Language is a powerful carrier of culture and I think we owe our progeny the gift of native language that would make them understand and identify with their roots. Taking pride in one’s own language and recognizing its importance does make individuals more grounded in reality. For instance, it is very endearing to see the young Asian generation in the UK or Canada doing Hindi song remixes. Their anglicized pronunciation can perhaps make Gulzar sahib and Javed ji cringe, however their passion and enthusiasm are both infectious and commendable.

If only our own deshvaasis took pride in the richness of their mother tongues rather than assault their lingua franca with Eng-lash. Apart from single-mindedly mastering and flashing Inglis with élan, why don’t we celebrate our polyglot status, our command over multiple languages? This way we can have the best of all worlds. Not only can we preserve our ethos but also give a befitting response to typical classifieds seeking ‘Fair, tall, convent educated English speaking girls…’

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—About our writer:

Anamika is a Business Psychologist based out of London, UK. She has a passion for writing given her extensive work experience with premier advertising agencies in India. She enjoys travel, world cuisines and a glass of Sancerre with a good piece of writing.

Indian English

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