Introduction to Indian English
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Re: Introduction to Indian English
#2One typical expression that stuck with me is "[please] do the needful" (often used when assigning Jira tickets to someone else).
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#3One typical expression that stuck with me is "[please] do the needful" (often used when assigning Jira tickets to someone else).
In a similar vein, there's also "I'll revert back" as a more formal "I'll get back to you".
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#4Another common Indian word is prepone, the opposite of postpone.
I have never come across the "where" example.
The article misses out on many common usages, and cites some rather unremarkable ones.
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#5One typical expression that stuck with me is "[please] do the needful" (often used when assigning Jira tickets to someone else).
In a similar vein, there's also "I'll revert back" as a more formal "I'll get back to you".
We have a knack of placing only wherever we like, even at the beginning of a sentence.
Only we understand what the sentence means :)
"Only I'll do it tomorrow". "He only wanted milk."
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#6One typical expression that stuck with me is "[please] do the needful" (often used when assigning Jira tickets to someone else).
It seems to be a direct translation of the word करणीय (karaniya, that which needs to be done) in many Indic languages.
A more idiomatic translation might be “please get this done”; the “needful” phrase might also be a signal that the writer isn’t that familiar with idioms used in other English-speaking countries.
Hobson-Jobson[1] had a great early compilation of some phrases that arose in the subcontinent— many are still in use.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobson-Jobson
PS. there’s some evidence from Google Books[2] that “do the needful” might be an old English legal term as well. More research is definitely required. The bigger point is, the phrase’s popularity in India may be because it mirrors a Sanskrit-derived word often still used in Indian legal contexts.
[2] A Glossary of Words and Phrases Usually Regarded as Peculiar to the United States, 1860
https://books.google.com/books?id=VXdIAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA428&dq=%...
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#7Earlier quoted context omitted.
In a similar vein, there's also "I'll revert back" as a more formal "I'll get back to you".
We have a knack of placing only wherever we like, even at the beginning of a sentence. Only we understand what the sentence means :) "Only I'll do it tomorrow". "He only wanted milk."
This is a feature of many Indian languages. Word order doesn’t matter or doesn’t matter as much.
गाय वह चऱायेगा, वह गाय चऱायेगा, चऱायेगा वह गाय all mean “he will take the cow out to graze” irrespective of word order, but of course there can be subtle shifts in meaning. (Apologies for any typos / potentially bad translation). Eg चऱायेगा वह गाय could be “he WILL graze the cow” if vocal stress is applied to चऱायेगा.
A lot of “Indian English” traits make more sense if one understands a few Indic languages. Southern Indic languages have their own super interesting traits as well, eg Tamil speakers often insert “simply” into sentences, this reflects usage in Tamil.
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#8One typical expression that stuck with me is "[please] do the needful" (often used when assigning Jira tickets to someone else).
It seems to be a direct translation of the word करणीय (karaniya, that which needs to be done) in many Indic languages. A more idiomatic translation might be “please get this done”; the “needful” phrase might also be a signal that the writer isn’t that familiar with idioms used in other English-speaking countries. Hobson-Jobson[1] had a great early compilation of some phrases that arose in the subcontinent— many are s…
Saying this as someone whose first language is Hindi, I have never used this word nor heard anyone else use it. I think whatever similarities there are might be coincidental. Can't say about other Indian languages.
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#9Another common Indian word is prepone , the opposite of postpone. I have never come across the "where" example. The article misses out on many common usages, and cites some rather unremarkable ones.
If postpone is to delay until later, and prepone is to bring forwards, can one peripone something (for it to be happening now)?
Re: Introduction to Indian English
#10Not exactly Indian English, but my favourite English word with an Indian origin is Juggernaut.
Its a morphed version of the name of an Indian deity – Jagannath.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggernaut:
> A juggernaut, in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. > This English usage originates in the mid-nineteenth century. Juggernaut is the early rendering in English of Jagannath, an important deity in the Hindu traditions of eastern and north-eastern India. The meaning originates from the Hindu temple cars, which are chariots, often huge, used in processions or religious parades for Jagannath and other deities, the largest of which, once set into motion, are difficult to stop, steer or control by humans, on account of their massive weight.