Have you ever experienced hatred from others for speaking English ?
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Insecurity is one main reason.
People think the other person is really blessed.His intellect is greater than mine hence he well verse in English and see where am I.
Also fluent English speaking chaps are quite confident to speak to attractive gals and poor souls think he is putting my jam on his bread...Lolz.
Regarding English speaking guys too being part of bullying they look more like opportunist going with majority crowd to bully(my personal thinking).
People think the other person is really blessed.His intellect is greater than mine hence he well verse in English and see where am I.
Also fluent English speaking chaps are quite confident to speak to attractive gals and poor souls think he is putting my jam on his bread...Lolz.
Regarding English speaking guys too being part of bullying they look more like opportunist going with majority crowd to bully(my personal thinking).
Never happened during schooling or graduation but happened at work when I had joined the company during the initial stages. No offense to the Gujjus, but it looks like English is massacred here by the local crowd. You would be surprised to see some of the hoardings and billboards put up! And they absolutely loathe outsiders especially the South Indians who can speak good English and has a good command over the language.
I've been embarrassed on a lot of occasions when my boss himself used to make fun of me in front of the crowd.
But this stopped eventually when I used to speak during the business review meetings, interaction with the Dutch clients and various other forums. Things have improved now.
I've been embarrassed on a lot of occasions when my boss himself used to make fun of me in front of the crowd.
But this stopped eventually when I used to speak during the business review meetings, interaction with the Dutch clients and various other forums. Things have improved now.
Never happened to me. Might be because mostly I'm on the other side.
I was in Mysore/B'lore for 4 years and there were some Tamil/Kanadiga folks who were more comfortable in English while few of us prefers Hindi.
So, the discussions may seems odd for outsiders - we talked in Hindi, they replied in English.
But I heard people saying "Jyada Ingliss matt jhaar be". ;-)
(We had a famous debate in Infy Mysore those days - "Hindi is NOT our national language."
)
I was in Mysore/B'lore for 4 years and there were some Tamil/Kanadiga folks who were more comfortable in English while few of us prefers Hindi.
So, the discussions may seems odd for outsiders - we talked in Hindi, they replied in English.
But I heard people saying "Jyada Ingliss matt jhaar be". ;-)
(We had a famous debate in Infy Mysore those days - "Hindi is NOT our national language."
)Never happened during schooling or graduation but happened at work when I had joined the company during the initial stages. No offense to the Gujjus, but it looks like English is massacred here by the local crowd. You would be surprised to see some of the hoardings and billboards put up! And they absolutely loathe outsiders especially the South Indians who can speak good English and has a good command over the language.
I've been embarrassed on a lot of occasions when my boss himself used to make fun of me in front of the crowd.
Your boss making fun of you for speaking English is disgusting. Yes, being a north Indian who was born and brought up in south India, I've noticed that north Indians are, on an average, more aversive to learning or speaking English. They prefer Hindi which is fine by me. I speak a lot of Hindi too.
People make ridiculous arguments to snub English speaking folk.
Some of them are :
1.) English is not our 'mother tongue'/own language : I don't fully understand this. Why should I speak a language just because my parents/family speak it? Do I not have the right to have my own preferences as an individual? What do you mean by your 'own' language? Did you or mommy make it? Funnily enough, you don't see anyone say this about cricket. Cricket is not an Indian sport but people love it because it isn't divisive like the ability to speak English. They never point out that it was originally an Englishman's game.
Languages are a set of sounds ( sometimes with an accompanying script) that you use to express ideas,feelings etc. They evolve and change constantly based on several factors. Many Hindi/regional language supporters talk about how English is snubbing their language. I have no problem if people want to protect their language and script (and this, in fact, should be done). But eventually, your language may become a dead language (like Latin) depending upon a multitude of social, educational and economic factors. And there is nothing wrong with that. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if English, in the far off future, became a dead language and got replaced with something else. If it's going to happen, then so be it.
IMHO, an approximate analogy would be to compare different languages with different number systems. They're all different on the face of it, but the underlying structure and rules are similar. Different number systems convey and contain within themselves the same mathematical laws of nature. They all have different purposes. Binary is used in digital hardware, the decimal system in everyday life etc. Similarly, languages are different ways to express yourself and they all have their own purposes.
2) You speak English to look cool or to imitate westerners : WTF! Do you think I wake up in the morning and think that my life should be about imitating some white guy ?! Ludicrous.
I do not care if the British brought the English language with them. It's been like 200+ years now and I think I can call English my language just as I can call Hindi my language (whatever 'my' language means ). I don't care if several white countries speak it. I don't use English merely to follow them. It was how I grew up as an individual.
Our constitution guarantees us the right to choose our preferred tongue (which is more important than what your 'mother' tongue is) and anyone who snubs this right is just being unconstitutional and plain wrong.
If you stop using resources based on which part of the world they came from, we might as well stop using antibiotics, computers, cars and everything else that didn't originate in this region.
Lastly, countries are human divisions. Nature does not recognise countries.
malhotraraul
Galvanizer
We learn UK English, talk American Hinglish, also choose American keyboard.
I don't agree that it's insecurity about not able to speak English, for this I really love my DAD, (Engineer by qualification & profession) we once went to a bank regarding some financial thing, we had to meet the financial manager who was a lady, upon dad clearly asking about the information in Hindi, that lady spoke for 15 minutes in English, dad didn't interrupt, when she finished, dad asked, "HINDI NAHI AATI KYA" ..... I wanted to laugh out but controlled myself, then she started in Hindi but then dad told her that he understood what she said, but what about the people who don't understand ???
The lady apologized.
What I think is that English has already dominated our lives from school to work, lets keep Hindi alive.
I don't agree that it's insecurity about not able to speak English, for this I really love my DAD, (Engineer by qualification & profession) we once went to a bank regarding some financial thing, we had to meet the financial manager who was a lady, upon dad clearly asking about the information in Hindi, that lady spoke for 15 minutes in English, dad didn't interrupt, when she finished, dad asked, "HINDI NAHI AATI KYA" ..... I wanted to laugh out but controlled myself, then she started in Hindi but then dad told her that he understood what she said, but what about the people who don't understand ???
The lady apologized.
What I think is that English has already dominated our lives from school to work, lets keep Hindi alive.
The life experiences of people in this thread clearly lend credence to the fact that in many cases (and not all), it is insecurity that is a factor.
Also, I have nothing against keeping Hindi (or any other language) alive. I speak Hindi and Telugu all the time myself. But let's not snub English to keep these languages alive.
Some of us, unashamedly, do prefer the English language because we're more fluent at it or because we find it easier to explain technicalities in English (not that they can't be explained in other languages but our vocabulary isn't good enough) .
That being said, I also think that Hindi has its own functions and is an integral part of this country. Similarly, with regional languages.
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I humbly disagree with your father. I also think it was rude of him to say that. Even if he asked the question in Hindi, the lady perhaps recognised the fact that he knew English and she replied to him in it. What's wrong in that? Maybe she was more comfortable with it ? She clearly changed her language when your dad said whatever he said. I'm almost certain she'd be happy to help a non-English speaker in another language if that was required of her.
I do not support English (or insert any other language here) chauvinism. But I don't like when it gets snubbed for ridiculous reasons either.
malhotraraul
Galvanizer
Ever seen mute people talking in sign language, they do it so nicely, I mean no embarrassment or insecurity nothing, best.
They have their own world.
They have their own world.
I dont want to get into this discussion, but it is logical and courteous to answer a question in the language that it is asked in especially if you know the language properly. Why would a person who knows English ask a question in another language unless he wants the answer in that language? It is OK if your not so fluent, but in most cases they know enough to answer the questions.
As a person who was always given an extra edge(life saving, rank saving) by English in academics and every where else and as a person who loves English, I consider English as only a tool, and a very useful one at that, for communication between people of different regions, for bringing the world together even though it is no where near the most spoken language, and especially for us, having a good career. English somehow feels "artificial" and not properly suitable for Indian emotions. English sounds funny when spoken by us due to the "Indian" expressions and modulations we add. Our expression of fear, anger, happiness etc are greatly different from native English speakers, so don't mix well with English.
Also with all respect I am not a supporter of new age educated parents speaking to their children only in English and making them consume only English media for 90% of the time even if they do that in the greatest interest of the children.
I have a lot a friends and acquaintances who have a different mother tongue and obviously we communicate in English and never have we forced them to learn our language, though they eventually learned it.
Finally all that I want to say is I expect to be served in the language I'm comfortable in(which I display by asking/starting a conversation in that language) especially when I'm in my state where the language is obviously known. If I ask you a question in a language 90% of the people speak in the place, respond in the same language because I'm bringing you business.
Of course this has nothing to do with the topic but just had to say it.
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Also I find it amusing to see people in shopping malls etc who speak among themselves in that region's language but yell at the cashier or any other employee over there in English though the employees obviously know that language better than English. What are they trying to prove?
Whether it feels artificial and sounds funny is a subjective thing. It feels artificial and funny to whom? To westerners? To you? People take a language and make it their own. They modulate it and express it in their own way. I see nothing wrong with that. An Englishman would find a Scotsman's English 'funny'. But there's nothing more to it than a subjective perception. How are our expressions of fear, anger etc greatly different from native English speakers (again 'native' is a word that ought to be used with caution) ? I thought these emotions were universal.
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I agree.
Yes, English is a tool. A language like any other. Read post #25 .
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Emotions are universal but expressions are different. And by the way Im neither against you nor do I support the haters. Im with you.
Actually the expressions of fundamental emotions are fairly universal too. I saw a video by a scientist who did a study on this, but I can't seem to find it right now.
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It is also logical to answer back in a language that you yourself are comfortable with. It's instinctive in many cases. It only becomes a problem when one holds one language over another based on no rational reason.
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And by the way Im neither against you nor do I support the haters. Im with you.
Neither am I for or against anyone. I'm just trying to have a civilised exhange of ideas.
I agree with post #25 . And the sounds and gestures we use to express some feelings are obviusly and visibly and audibly different. For example, the sounds and modulation used by an American, an Indian and a Chinese guy to express surprise is quite different and it translates into their English. Maybe we smile. laugh, frown etc similarly. And Im only making an observation and it does not in any way pertain to this discussion nor am I telling that English should not be used for this reason or something.
Yes, this is an interesting observation. It might be that in some cases, they're trying to prove something. But also, English has taken on the status of a formal language. This could be a factor too.
I agree with the bold part and yes it is logical and somewhat instinctive and obviously OK if you and me were talking, but if Im buying a service from someone it kind of becomes their responsibility to keep their customer as comfortable as possible even at the expense of their comfort
It happens, and it is a complex; coupled with the knowledge - "I do not understand what is being said, so it has to be something bad about me".
I studied in an English medium school which had teachers from the States and Europe (nothing to boast of); but to essay: That English was the only language we conversed in (12 years); and Hindi was just a subject once a day. Nevertheless, living in North India I was apt at both linguistic disciplines, reading and writing.
Case 1:
Probably in 8th grade, we went to Kurukshetra to see the battle fields (or what is supposed to be them); and I was talking to a class mate, kind of like shouting, in English. I think, I was asking him to bring my water bottle from the bus. One hotel staff (where we were to check-in) heard me, and said "behen*** bahuth English Winglish main bakwaas karthe ho" (sister f*****, you talk a lot in English). It was totally clear, that I was addressing my friend and not him. I literally almost sh** my pants, hearing that man swear at me..and for what, English. I was so confused and worried: That I kind of like went numb and quite for 3-4 hours. My friends were asking me, what happened. I did not know how to tell them. Anyways, being young and almost a child, it wore off, but I still remember it clearly.
Case 2:
Due to some mess up (donations for Engineering College); I had to drop first year of college mid-way, and join a college in UP - "just to complete my graduation". I took hostel accommodation. Oh man..that was the worst experience of my life. All of us, who spoke proper English were ridiculed and made fun off. I remember saying "sorry" to a senior at hostel, and for days..he mocked me..CHOREE CHOREE CHOREE...and all would laugh at me. It was such a harrowing experience. This boy was from some village up near Hathras/Aligarh, and was the hero of the hostel cause he spoke the village dialect of Hindi. These guys would question us, Hindi is your language, why not converse in that, I tried to reason with them...and tell them that English is the lingua franca for business and mobility, but they would laugh more. But this time round, I clearly understood that people are complexed regarding language, and perceive it as a thread, specially English. Thank God, I live and work out of Delhi now. Things are much better here. I remember Chennai and Coimbatore, English was easy to use, since I did not know Tamil. Up here in rural North it is idiotic and archaic regarding English.
I studied in an English medium school which had teachers from the States and Europe (nothing to boast of); but to essay: That English was the only language we conversed in (12 years); and Hindi was just a subject once a day. Nevertheless, living in North India I was apt at both linguistic disciplines, reading and writing.
Case 1:
Probably in 8th grade, we went to Kurukshetra to see the battle fields (or what is supposed to be them); and I was talking to a class mate, kind of like shouting, in English. I think, I was asking him to bring my water bottle from the bus. One hotel staff (where we were to check-in) heard me, and said "behen*** bahuth English Winglish main bakwaas karthe ho" (sister f*****, you talk a lot in English). It was totally clear, that I was addressing my friend and not him. I literally almost sh** my pants, hearing that man swear at me..and for what, English. I was so confused and worried: That I kind of like went numb and quite for 3-4 hours. My friends were asking me, what happened. I did not know how to tell them. Anyways, being young and almost a child, it wore off, but I still remember it clearly.
Case 2:
Due to some mess up (donations for Engineering College); I had to drop first year of college mid-way, and join a college in UP - "just to complete my graduation". I took hostel accommodation. Oh man..that was the worst experience of my life. All of us, who spoke proper English were ridiculed and made fun off. I remember saying "sorry" to a senior at hostel, and for days..he mocked me..CHOREE CHOREE CHOREE...and all would laugh at me. It was such a harrowing experience. This boy was from some village up near Hathras/Aligarh, and was the hero of the hostel cause he spoke the village dialect of Hindi. These guys would question us, Hindi is your language, why not converse in that, I tried to reason with them...and tell them that English is the lingua franca for business and mobility, but they would laugh more. But this time round, I clearly understood that people are complexed regarding language, and perceive it as a thread, specially English. Thank God, I live and work out of Delhi now. Things are much better here. I remember Chennai and Coimbatore, English was easy to use, since I did not know Tamil. Up here in rural North it is idiotic and archaic regarding English.
And I dont know how it is up there but from where I am, no one has any issues with anyone speaking in English. Rather many are more eager to serve and are more attentive towards people who speak in English. Also in my state there is not even 0.0005% of the regional language sentiment that exists in many other states neither in proportion or in depth. You can almost never provoke anyone here based on language(barring one particular case which is not related to English).
Also in my state there is not even 0.0005% of the regional language sentiment that exists in many other states neither in proportion or in depth. You can almost never provoke anyone here based on language(barring one particular case which is not related to English).- Status