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WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

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Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#11

Post by davchana »

legerdemain wrote: post #2

Can someone explain the language phenomenon of referring to a set of people as "uncles and aunties"? I've ubiquitously heard this from expats and students from east Asian countries, and according to this article it seems to be normal usage in India as well. In Russian (and various other languages of Eastern Europe), "uncle" and "aunt" can be used to address a stranger on the street. It comes off as a bit intimate or…

In my childhood, all of my parents' siblings, cousins relationship had specific names, like for elder brother of father, brother of mom, sister of parents, their spouses. But anybody outside of that closer circle was Uncle or Aunty. Plus, because enrolling your kids in an english medium was prestigious, & expensive, those schools taught us to use english words, like mummy, papa, daddy, uncle, aunty. It felt like us kids using the english words were making our teachers & parents spending those monies well spent.

For me, close relationship people are always assigned as native words. Stranger, in urban setting, are uncle & aunty. Although now kids also call me uncle. Today's kids' usage of native names has shrinked, & more people are now uncle aunty now.

Whatsapp forwards, crazy info like tracking chips in currency notes, cow urine the solution to every pain, indian X is the best X in world, overflowing nationalism, are more from uncle & aunties, who are not good with technology, & got introduced to whatsapp directly.

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#12

Post by sunnydayddr »

legerdemain wrote: post #2

Can someone explain the language phenomenon of referring to a set of people as "uncles and aunties"? I've ubiquitously heard this from expats and students from east Asian countries, and according to this article it seems to be normal usage in India as well. In Russian (and various other languages of Eastern Europe), "uncle" and "aunt" can be used to address a stranger on the street. It comes off as a bit intimate or…

It works similarly to calling someone "mister" and "sir", as in "excuse me, mister" and "excuse me, sir".

"Mister" is generally used for someone older and "sir" is usually used for someone around your age. The equivalent mapping in many Asian languages is "mister" = "uncle", and "sir" = "brother".

In the case where you are speaking generally, as in writing an article about some people rather than addressing them directly, then it is sort of subjective and not relative to the speaker's/writer's age, but "older" people (~50-60s onwards) are referred to as "uncle/auntie" and "younger" people are referred to as "brother/sister". What is "older" and "younger" here is a very fuzzy line, and it's possible to offend someone by using the wrong term, but this is pretty universal and not exclusive to Asian languages.

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#13

Post by sudeepj »

The uncles & aunties referred points to an analog generation (age > 50) in India. For a lot of them WhatsApp is the first social network experience. I am in a group in WA with extended family members and there is continuous chatter on it.

As for losing these users, they themselves are oblivious to the privacy concerns and are not that digital literate to explore other options and deploy. It will be someone young in that group who might take a lead to shift to some other messenger.

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#14

Post by 2Gkashmiri »

Indian uncles and aunties who trust a WhatsApp forward because "internet" more than what actual scientists are saying. Essentially your Karens in WhatsApp university.

They are loyal because for them, WhatsApp is the first time these millions of people got to experience internet. They dont know about stuff. They even remove their liability in spreading stuff by writing:

as received

I seriously believe if anyone at matrix can build a 1 click bot that sends "good morning" random photos to recipients is going to rock India.

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#15

Post by msravi »

kannanvijayan wrote: post #8
legerdemain wrote: post #2

Can someone explain the language phenomenon of referring to a set of people as "uncles and aunties"? I've ubiquitously heard this from expats and students from east Asian countries, and according to this article it seems to be normal usage in India as well. In Russian (and various other languages of Eastern Europe), "uncle" and "aunt" can be used to address a stranger on the street. It comes off as a bit intimate or…

It's an honorific and a sign of respect that is be paid between generations, within social circles where respect is due. It is used in particular by children and young people to refer to those of an older generation within the "circle of respect" of their parents. A child will simply not be introduced in a familiar way to someone you don't trust or respect - they will be kept away. If the person is referred to for so…

There are a few more nuances to this, probably depending on place and circumstance.

1. It's not necessary, for instance, that the person being referred to by the kid is "known". It's quite common, for example, for kids to address an unknown stranger on the street using "uncle" or "aunty" - it's merely a respectful way of addressing an older person.

2. When used by an adult, it can take on one of two tones:

a) The genuinely respectful tone, similar to (1)

b) A derogatory way to taunt a slightly older person on account of their age, using outdated practices, etc.

The way it's used in THIS article, borders on 2(b) - taunting an older generation for sending good morning messages, etc.

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#16

Post by kannanvijayan »

msravi wrote: post #15
kannanvijayan wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's an honorific and a sign of respect that is be paid between generations, within social circles where respect is due. It is used in particular by children and young people to refer to those of an older generation within the "circle of respect" of their parents. A child will simply not be introduced in a familiar way to someone you don't trust or respect - they will be kept away. If the person is referred to for so…

There are a few more nuances to this, probably depending on place and circumstance. 1. It's not necessary, for instance, that the person being referred to by the kid is "known". It's quite common, for example, for kids to address an unknown stranger on the street using "uncle" or "aunty" - it's merely a respectful way of addressing an older person. 2. When used by an adult, it can take on one of two tones: a) The gen…

It's interesting. I read the title as an endearing and respectful way to reference the elderly in India.

I hadn't personally encountered the 2(b) form you reference. When I was a kid, even an implied taunting of the older generation was forbidden, treated as stepping out of the bounds of social protocol, and would get you punished by your own parents or family if observed.

Even now, as an adult, I would feel strongly compelled to stop myself from using the 2(b) variant you just referenced. It feels taboo.

Maybe things have evolved a bit since I left India, which I admit was quite a while back. I wonder if my grandmother might lament this change as a deterioration of values in the younger generations :) "The kids have no respect these days".

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#17

Post by zem »

kannanvijayan wrote: post #16
msravi wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are a few more nuances to this, probably depending on place and circumstance. 1. It's not necessary, for instance, that the person being referred to by the kid is "known". It's quite common, for example, for kids to address an unknown stranger on the street using "uncle" or "aunty" - it's merely a respectful way of addressing an older person. 2. When used by an adult, it can take on one of two tones: a) The gen…

It's interesting. I read the title as an endearing and respectful way to reference the elderly in India. I hadn't personally encountered the 2(b) form you reference. When I was a kid, even an implied taunting of the older generation was forbidden, treated as stepping out of the bounds of social protocol, and would get you punished by your own parents or family if observed. Even now, as an adult, I would feel strongly…

I'm in my 40s, and my generation definitely has a derogatory sense of the term "uncles and aunties" - specifically an older generation of Indians who think it their right to be nosy and judgemental (and oftentimes even interfering) when it comes to the next generation's affairs.

(in addition to the other usages msravi noted)

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#18

Post by someonenice »

legerdemain wrote: post #2

Can someone explain the language phenomenon of referring to a set of people as "uncles and aunties"? I've ubiquitously heard this from expats and students from east Asian countries, and according to this article it seems to be normal usage in India as well. In Russian (and various other languages of Eastern Europe), "uncle" and "aunt" can be used to address a stranger on the street. It comes off as a bit intimate or…

So in Indian context respect is shown to the elders by means of different suffix (brother, sister, uncle, grandpa).

It could be either brother (bhaiyya, anna, chettan ) or Sister (deedi, akka, chechi .. ) if the person is elder to you but not too older than you. So if you are in 20's , and shopkeeper (who is Raju) is in his 40s, you might call him Raju bhaiyya (or Raju anna in Tamil, Raju chettan in Malayalam).

If there is a visible One generation gap, then Uncle or Auntie is used.

And if there is a visible two generation gap, then grandpa and grandma is also suffixed to call them (but this is not very common.. and sometimes could be taken as insult)

And the elders might call you Son or Daughter (beta, beti ..) in a similar way.

And you could be complete strangers.

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#19

Post by akshaybhalotia »

What is also interesting in this case is the Indian government's stance on this rollout. They have been quite close to FB and Zuck (he's had several meetings with the PM). The propaganda machine in the country relies heavily on WhatsApp and FB to spread (dis/mis)information and polarizing content. Majority of the country's population which is above poverty line is on one or both the platforms. The older generation amongst them, and many many younger gens too, tend to be more gullible and more conservative minded, which makes this self propagating behemoth utterly indispensable to anyone looking to reach the masses with a message.

Very predictably then, the govt does not want to lose out on the reach offered by this platform and is fighting for users' "right to privacy", which is just a farce to keep opinions positive, if you ask me. I say this because, on the other hand, they have claimed in the Supreme Court that privacy is not a fundamental right [1] and the country capital's High Court has told certain petitioners against WhatsApp that they can stop using the app if they don't like [2].

[1]: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/No-fundamental-rig...

[2]: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/dont-use-whatsapp-if-...

Re: WhatsApp risks losing its most loyal customers: Indian uncles and aunties

#20

Post by notdang »

legerdemain wrote: post #2

Can someone explain the language phenomenon of referring to a set of people as "uncles and aunties"? I've ubiquitously heard this from expats and students from east Asian countries, and according to this article it seems to be normal usage in India as well. In Russian (and various other languages of Eastern Europe), "uncle" and "aunt" can be used to address a stranger on the street. It comes off as a bit intimate or…

in Russian it will be: дяди и тёти
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