8 votes

‘Kindly adjust’ to our English

12 comments

  1. [12]
    legeri
    Link
    I feel like author is making a mountain out of nothing here. There are quite a few popular variations of English. American, Australian, Indian, and of course... er, English and all of them have...

    I feel like author is making a mountain out of nothing here.

    There are quite a few popular variations of English. American, Australian, Indian, and of course... er, English and all of them have their own unique phrases or slang. Are people really scoffing and belittling Indian English so much that the author felt the need to complain the English speaking world isn't taking them seriously enough?

    If I go to the UK and talk about having to take the trash out instead of the bin (exhilarating conversation for traveling abroad, I know) of course people are going to look at me funny. In the same way, if I'm ever in India and hear people talking about a mugging, I won't assume that someone was robbed at gunpoint like I would if I were in my home country.

    How about you just kindly adjust to whatever locale you're participating in.

    13 votes
    1. [11]
      NaraVara
      Link Parent
      Yes. As an Indian raised in the US, I get to witness first-hand how often my more recently transplanted South Asian colleagues are subjected to having their accents mocked, usually behind their...

      Are people really scoffing and belittling Indian English so much that the author felt the need to complain the English speaking world isn't taking them seriously enough?

      Yes. As an Indian raised in the US, I get to witness first-hand how often my more recently transplanted South Asian colleagues are subjected to having their accents mocked, usually behind their backs, because the people doing it think I'm "one of the good ones."

      "Do the needful," said with a snickering tone and a "patanking" speech, is basically a meme used to belittle South Asian's for how they speak English, even if you're dealing with someone who is actually working from India.

      9 votes
      1. [6]
        Gaywallet
        Link Parent
        Americans make fun of any accents (in poor taste/insulting), doesn't matter the nationality. Examples: Minnesota - oh you're from mini soda, ehh? Don't cha know Boston - Mawtha a'Gawd! Wicked....

        "Do the needful," said with a snickering tone and a "patanking" speech, is basically a meme used to belittle South Asian's for how they speak English, even if you're dealing with someone who is actually working from India.

        Americans make fun of any accents (in poor taste/insulting), doesn't matter the nationality.

        Examples:

        • Minnesota - oh you're from mini soda, ehh? Don't cha know
        • Boston - Mawtha a'Gawd! Wicked. CAAH KEEEYS.
        • California - saaa dude ? want to go surfing? just take the i-5 down to the 82 to the coast and we'll ride some sick waves bro
        • Italian - It's a me, mario! I'mma here to killa your wife and make her sleep with the fishes!
        • Russian - in mother russia, internet post you. moose and sqvirrel
        • French - oh hoh hohh hoh baguette
        • Asian - ching chong are you gonna eat that dog?
        • Australian - Crikey! Look at the cunt right on that buggah.

        etc. etc.

        11 votes
        1. [5]
          IncreaseTheDosage
          Link Parent
          Uhhhh... At least some of those are not related to accents.

          Uhhhh... At least some of those are not related to accents.

          7 votes
          1. [4]
            Gaywallet
            Link Parent
            Absolutely, which is why I'm pointing it out. Making fun of an accent is a form of casual racism.

            Absolutely, which is why I'm pointing it out. Making fun of an accent is a form of casual racism.

            2 votes
            1. Adam_Black_Arts
              Link Parent
              I should stop giggling at your examples, then.

              I should stop giggling at your examples, then.

              5 votes
            2. [2]
              papasquat
              Link Parent
              Bostonian is a race?

              Bostonian is a race?

              2 votes
              1. Gaywallet
                Link Parent
                depends who you ask I suppose

                depends who you ask I suppose

      2. [4]
        TheJorro
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Mocking accents and generally being intolerant about someone else's language or culture seems to be a different issue than what this article is addressing. This article only seems to be about the...

        Mocking accents and generally being intolerant about someone else's language or culture seems to be a different issue than what this article is addressing.

        This article only seems to be about the validity of Indian English versus other variations of English, within the context of only India itself (since this is an Indian article in an Indian magazine for an Indian audience). So who in India is making fun of Indian English so much that this article needed to be written? I'd wager other Indians, considering my very Indian family looks down on the more ridiculous parts of Indian English as a sign of a poor education.

        9 votes
        1. [3]
          NaraVara
          Link Parent
          Plenty of Indians study or engage in business internationally, and being viewed as a second class speaker of the language is very much an impediment to them being taken seriously. Tharoor himself...

          I'd wager other Indians, considering my very Indian family looks down on the more ridiculous parts of Indian English as a sign of a poor education.

          Plenty of Indians study or engage in business internationally, and being viewed as a second class speaker of the language is very much an impediment to them being taken seriously. Tharoor himself probably experienced this.

          4 votes
          1. [2]
            legeri
            Link Parent
            I just don't understand why Tharoor posted the article on an Indian magazine meant for an Indian audience, but it's written as if addressed to absolutely everyone else. What is this meant to...

            I just don't understand why Tharoor posted the article on an Indian magazine meant for an Indian audience, but it's written as if addressed to absolutely everyone else. What is this meant to accomplish?

            4 votes
            1. NaraVara
              Link Parent
              People write in American magazines for largely American audiences in general ways too. India also has a huge diasporic community that consumes Indian media. And it's not like there isn't plenty of...

              People write in American magazines for largely American audiences in general ways too. India also has a huge diasporic community that consumes Indian media. And it's not like there isn't plenty of internalized colonialism within India as well.

              4 votes