Saturday, August 4, 2007

More than words - - - - -

With so many Hindi words joining the English dictionary, it would appear that (the) English is once again on a conquest. However, the fact is that Hindi has not been too far in picking English words to suit its purposes.

The first time I noticed this was when someone used the word ‘Colgate’ while speaking in Hindi. He was describing in Hindi how he injured himself while he was doing ‘Colgate’ in the morning. He was using the name of a brand in a generic way to describe morning ablutions.

That’s what got me tuned into this subterranean world of English words.

Bus drivers are called ‘Pilots’ more to give them respect than to describe the speed at which they ply on Indian roads, while bus conductors shout ‘right right’ not because they want him to turn in a certain direction but to egg him on. The word almost sounds like ‘ray’.

Whenever cell phones percolate down to the tiniest village English has not been far behind. The strength of the signal indicated by bars on the screen are described as ‘tower’ well it does look like a mini tower. So if there is no signal one says ‘there is no tower’ (in Hindi off course).

Indians have not only Indianised Chinese but have also improvised on the spellings. ‘Chainese’ is the most seen spelling around, while to cater to the Indian palate a dish called ‘Gobi Manchurian’ (pronounced Manchuri) has been concocted. Gobi, is Cauliflower and has got nothing to do with the abode of the Bactrian Camel. Brightly lit roadside stalls announce brazenly on their small billboards ‘chainese’, while the sidekick offers ‘gobi manjuri, veg fried rice’ (pronounced weg) all in a single breath.

Small eateries in small towns serve a cuisine of their own. The places are small, smoky and dingy, people sit packed into benches sweating reasons being lack of ventilation and the liberal amount of chillies added. Ordering an egg here can be a problem – if you want a fried egg you ask for a ‘half boiled’. Strangely enough in one of the places in the south I heard ‘bulls-eye’ being ordered and it did not end with a bovine becoming blind.

‘Congress’ has less to do with a political party or a gathering of people, in certain areas of the south it indicates free munchies in shady bars. This is usually puffed rice with the odd salted peanut thrown in to add colour, it is served on a piece of paper. Munching these things provide entertainment between sips because one has to protect it from the blast of the fan that blows away the smoke from those smoking. While when you order a ‘cutting’ do not expect someone to snip your hair but to serve you half a glass of tea.

‘Adjust’ is a word that is frequently used, infact it describes an Indian’s mentality. If there is an accident the guilty party pleadingly uses the word ‘adjust’ to beg for a little mercy. While on a train bursting at its seams a passenger will stand next to a sitting person and request him to ‘adjust’ which means that the sitting person sidle up to provide a little place.

One does not have to seek any particular environment to hear/see such things. These things can accost you on the road - if some asks you to ‘hold it’ and gives you nothing, it does not mean s/he is an inmate of an asylum – it’s just a request for you to stop.

If language transcends boundaries, Indians have shown that words transcend meanings.