Engdi..

Alright, I agree with you that the title of the post is something as redundant as anything you've seen this side of the English language, but that's what today's post is about.

I've lately been exposed to a section of Indian society which will be the face of the Indian communication Industry for the next few years at least. And there is an amusing and intriguing trend that has emerged off late.

Hinglish is something we've all known, used and accepted over a period of time. Right from colonial times, some words became so much of a colloquial for words in Hindi that we've accepted as a part of our vocabulary. I will not bore you with sleek vignettes of these words, but would move on to the meatier part of this post.

Like we've had proper and ghar ka names for times immemorial, we've also managed to convert the Hindi language to our advantage. Hindi gives us the additional cushion of using tu, tum and aap for the levels of comfort or familiarity that we share with a person. Some people have a habit of announcing and addressing themselves in plural in public (Hum abhi aa rahe hain). This is further amplified by the use of forms of Hindi language that we use at home and in public. These are specific and sometimes special forms that are used by you and me with our family members and close relatives. For example, the term "Mooh loos gaya" will not make any sense to you unless you either come from a specific part of western UP or are a blood relative of mine (If you are one or both, and still don't understand, come to me and I shall elaborate).

Khichdi Hindi is another form where the kind of Hindi spoken borrows heavily from the local dialect. Try speaking Hindi with a genuine bengali and they'll bowl you over like a rasogulla with their interchange of genders. Each masculine thing becomes feminine and vice-versa. Before my Bengali brothers, sisters, daughters (can't explain, don't ask), nephews and nieces take offense, let me assure them that I'm talking of certain Bengalis, including them for some instances.

Further, some people well versed in the matrabhasha are able to catch the nuances of any local vernacular and converse in that. My brothers from the Bihari heartland will agree that I manage to converse with them in their language, a combination of Hindi, Awadhi and magahi languages and local addendums. Equally so for people from South India and somewhat from the Cow belt as well.

I think I've established that the Hindi language, in its current form, exists in a manner suited to our demographic and psychographic profile. And that it has been stretched far enough in each direction for us to make any nonsense of it, and still pass muster as a Hindi-speaking Indian.

What however is the crux, and the intriguing pattern of events that we've managed to create for ourselves, can only be understood by listening to and contemplating upon it at length. I've been exposed to the English Language at both a professional and personal level extensively. As a BPO Mid-level manager, I was expected to have a reasonable command over the English language. This has only been further amplified by me joining a Media and Communication course, where English acts as the lifeblood of the connect, communicate and converge theme that we follow here. While I wouldn't call myself extremely qualified at the usage and correctness of it, I think I'll pass muster at most places in the world for my ability to communicate in it.

While listening to people, there are very significant things that you'll be able to make out. One is MTI or Mother Tongue Influence. This, as the name suggests, signifies the variations in pronunciation that people who have different mother tongues will have. Try getting a native Bengali speaker to do a tongue twister with the "Ra" and "Da" sounds, a person from Western UP to mix the "Ja" and "Za" sounds and you can go on all day thinking about their inability to sort these out. Examples for Bengalis - "Ghoda sadak par sarpat sarpat daudta hai" and for UPites, the single word Zanjeer will do.

Further, the kind of intonation and inflections used in one's mother tongue will also influence the way we speak English. This of course will happen more with people who are exposed to English in a functional way i.e. as a medium of instruction, and lesser with people like you and me who are kind of obsessed with its intricacies and lecherous correctness.

Or so I thought. Like I'm sure you know by now, I'm a part of a select group of people who form the crux and the face of the Indian Communication Industry today and tomorrow. The kind of English and its usage that you would expect from such a privileged lot, is evident. These are people who have conversed in the language for most of their lives, at least with friends, at school and also in official environments in some cases.

What is astounding is how some Hindiisms have become a part of mainstream language. For E.g., if a given person was to call someone to where they were, in our context, we will almost always say- "Come here, no?" No points for guessing where this takes roots from. And if you disagree, catch people around and yourselves doing this any given point of day or night.

This is further amplified when we directly translate Hindi to English to express our feelings. As part of a Canada based ISP, I thought it wise for the call agents in my team to talk about the oncoming Holiday season while assisting customers. One girl came up with this pearl which best exemplifies this phenomenon. She said to the customer, verbatim- "So, Mr. Smith, Christmas is over head, you must be really excited!" Ye to paani sar ke upar se nikal gaya.

If you think these are heightened examples of flawed individuals that I am posting here for making a point, be as observant as I've tried to be, and I'm sure you'll add more fat to the fire here.

I had another 3000 words on the subject, but since its real late in the night here in Bombay and kind of hot too, I think I'll stop.

More on this subject very soon. As soon as I can induce literary diarrhea again. For I'm passionate about it! Engdi and it's diverse ways.

Ciao