How Indian is your English?

Indian English in India is well, all around us. It is embedded in the language that our colleagues, customers, and managers speak. Indian English, as a term, is a wide tent. It covers typical grammatical errors, vocabulary specific to Indians, and a range of regional accents. Here we will focus on vocabulary.

When it comes to the use of Indian English vocabulary, it is not necessarily incorrect. Language is all about communication. And if the other person understands the thought/idea/emotion you wish to convey, then we have communication. So, don’t feel that there is anything wrong when Indian English is used.

Having said that, if you are communicating with international clients and colleagues, it would be better to use international English expressions. This will reduce the chance of miscommunication.

So, what are examples of Indian English? Read these three quotes and decide which ones contain Indian English in them.

1. “We will revert to you tomorrow by 3 pm.”
2. “Hi! What is your good name?”
3. “I’ll meet you at the backside of the building.”

So, of these three examples, which contain Indian English? Yes, all of them! Revert is classic Indian English. It may have been used in England, but that would have been ages ago. Now, you could say: “I’ll get back to you.” Doesn’t that sound less official? Friendlier?

Good name. Most probably, you would have identified this as Indian English. It is a direct translation from Hindi. Aapka shubh naam kya hai? In Hindi that means: What is your good (or auspicious) name. Perfectly polite in that language. But, the sentence does not translate well into English. Go with: What is your name? If you need to be more polite, ask: Could you tell me your name, please?

Backside of the building. This has generated a few giggles from visitors to our country. ‘Backside’ usually refers to the backside of a person. If you haven’t got it, contact me. I’ll be more explicit. Instead of backside, you could say: I’ll meet you at the back of the building.

There are many ways to express an idea or thought. For example, in India for the word warehouse, we, at times, use the word godown. Be aware of both variations, and use the right one at the right time and place.

There are many more Indian English expressions out there. If you would like to know more, you can check out my book.

Here is part two of How Indian is your English.