In our society one who doesn’t know how to speak in English is not considered educated enough. I feel it’s our colonial legacy that makes us feel superior if we can “walk English…talk English.”
Though we are taught the language, from the play school level onwards, it will be wrong to say we don’t make mistakes. But I wouldn’t like to hold a person in contempt if he or she is not good or fluent at it. Most of the time, we think in our mother tongue or the language we are most comfortable with, and translate those words and expressions in English while conversing. That is why our (Indian) English may sound different from British or American English.
For that matter, every country has its own brand of English which shows the outreach of the language and how it has flourished having intermingled with other languages all over the globe.
To be very honest, we, in cosmopolitan cities have a khichdi (pish pash) vocab which is a mixture of Hindi, English and the respective vernacular. I really hold a person in awe if he or she is able to speak in a singular, “unadulterated” language , be it Hindi, English or any one of the twenty two languages officially recognised in the country. At times we are at a loss to find the exact meaning of a word without relying on English.
Sadly, I have also seen a senior colleague in the office holding a subordinate in disdain because he was not so conversant in English though he had undisputed expertise in his subject.
Considered trendy I also see the youngsters speaking in highly anglicised accent with swag throwing in a few fashionable words here and there.
Jeering a person who is weak in English is very common in our society. It may be done in good or bad humour. Once one of my bosses, who belonged to the Hindi belt, dictated a note haltingly and later apologetically explained that it was because his English was dim. I remember once we had a good laugh when a trainee said her husband thought she was a very good cooker.
It’s very common to see a Bengali stuttering in English if enraged. In our Kolkata office the telephone operator stopped a colleague rushing out of the office, saying she had an urgent call on hold for him. After attending the call he thanked her saying,”Good that you caught me. I was just going to go out of the window.” It would suffice to say our office was on the third floor of a gothic building in the centre of a busy commercial complex.
Having said that, I check and recheck my posts for grammatical errors, wrong expressions and inappropriate words before uploading yet often reading later still find many.
Needless, to say my English is also very dim.
Many of my American friends are surprised we all don’t speak the same language. They thought we spoke Hindi or Indian. They are surprised we can understand and speak so many languages 🙂!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes and that makes me so proud of our culture, languages and heritage of which English is a part – our own English!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here! Very proud!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have presented modern critical theories of Indian Literature in simple terms
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much Rajendraji. It is not my intention to demean a language which I love but I am just commenting on the outlook of society.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think we can work on it as every other person has the same thought – if you are well-versed in English you are considered well educated otherwise….
Well stated! But, for me it’s a language that needs its own space nothing else!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The language is undoubtedly beautiful. But discriminate on the basis of it is not done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had a very bad experience, and it shaped my current level of English.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You express yourself very well
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah… coming from you means a lot 🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
I look it at this way- we, the people in India and Pakistan usually know 3-4 languages. And the English speaking people only know one language, and that too, not that well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely correct 💯
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤️🙏🏼❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
English can be seen as a universal language that perhaps belongs to everyone…and in my opinion, this is what makes vernacular special…it is owned by only those few…🤍
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a universal and beautiful language. But looking down upon somebody who cannot speak English is not a good or healthy approach.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree… most true…🤍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your English is definitely not dim. During the 1960s my cricket club had a fixture against the State Bank of India. Our opponents all spoke to each other in English because that was their only common language.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Derrrick. Yes, English acts as a common language of communication because we are a multilingual country.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We also have the ‘pidgin’ English around here in Nigeria, a very adulterated form of the language largely spoken by a vast majority of the semi illiterates and well understood both within the upper and lower classes.
It’s a very sweet form of English to pass humour and jokes in, also.
Yeah, people are also frowned at and mocked for their poor understanding of the language around her also, forgetting that in truth, the lack of knowledge of the English language is not the lack of knowledge and wisdom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are absolutely correct. Wisdom and knowledge are not restricted to only those who can speak good English.
Our own scriptures were written in Sanskrit, the most ancient and said to be the mother of all Indian languages, containing ancient wisdom
LikeLiked by 1 person
English language isn’t the measure of intelligence . . . Simple as a b c !
LikeLike
Absolutely, I agree with you 💯
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your English is excellent, Geeta. I’m ashamed to say that I only know one word in any of the Indian languages. Namaste, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mary.. English is a beautiful language and I love it. But I don’t think anybody should be contemptuous of those who cannot speak English. I know many scholars in other Indian languages who may not be fluent in English. Language should not be the mark of social or cultural status.
Thank you very much for your appreciation.
In India we are taught many languages and we are required to know them because it smoothens interaction if we relocate to places where our mother tongue is not spoken. We are a multilingual, multi-cultural society.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree to the thoughts expressed herein except that your English is dim. I have learnt a lot of English by reading your posts. By nature, I am a purist and I do not approve of people speaking in Hinglish whether in life or movies/serials/programs. Anyway, this post is very good. It’s entertaining on one hand and enlightening on the other.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Mathur Sahab. It’s a pleasure receiving your message and approval.
LikeLiked by 1 person
With the two websites that I work before, only WordPress accept my mixed English that I feel safe and free. I can totally write what I want and even include my mother tongue. We’re free here to express ourselves as long as it’s polite and respectful. Different English styles are just interesting to read and hear. It’s our branding. Beautiful thoughts, gc
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Hazel. As I said we should be proud of our own brand of English. Your English is pretty good. Language is an instrument to connect and communicate and you do both very well. Stay blessed as always.
LikeLike
I think you have very good english GC! It isn’t noticeable to me if you make mistakes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Carol. You’ve made my day.
LikeLike