When I came to America many things were obviously different. Coffee. Food. Clothes. Accent. Culture. Music etc etc. But language was not one of them. I had studied english as a first language and over the years, english had become my language of thought and internal monologues. Sad as it is, It was true that I couldn't think without interruption in even my mother tongue.
But then a few days back I became aware of a big gulf in communication even when using that common language.
I guess, somethings just become so much a part of your life that you can't imagine anyone else living without it. Phrases, as I realized recently, fall into this category.
Every group of people seems to have its own phrases, proverbs, anecdotes and metaphors - such that even though the language used is the same, its understanding can be vastly different. I had never really dissected these variations in phrases and the usage of language till someone pointed out to me the existence of these typical Indian phrases which are alien to most other people.
To my mind they were phrases that almost all Indians use without a thought or bias and expect every one to understand but apparently people here don't quite have them in their life / vocabulary...
"Pre-pone"
"Eve-Teasing"
"Adam-teasing" may be a younger phrase but is just as unknown
"do the needful"
"Out of station"
"wheatish complexion"
"doing it kindly" (I don't use this phrase but I am told many indians do...)
But strange it is to see that so much of your communication, even in the same language, can drastically vary depending on who you are talking to.
And there are many "american phrases" which I wouldn't understand if not for the many hours spent watching "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" and other such tele-serials.
Are you aware of more such phrases - typically Indian or typically American ??
I am always in need of some more enlightenment so go ahead and list them down...
But then a few days back I became aware of a big gulf in communication even when using that common language.
I guess, somethings just become so much a part of your life that you can't imagine anyone else living without it. Phrases, as I realized recently, fall into this category.
Every group of people seems to have its own phrases, proverbs, anecdotes and metaphors - such that even though the language used is the same, its understanding can be vastly different. I had never really dissected these variations in phrases and the usage of language till someone pointed out to me the existence of these typical Indian phrases which are alien to most other people.
To my mind they were phrases that almost all Indians use without a thought or bias and expect every one to understand but apparently people here don't quite have them in their life / vocabulary...
"Pre-pone"
"Eve-Teasing"
"Adam-teasing" may be a younger phrase but is just as unknown
"do the needful"
"Out of station"
"wheatish complexion"
"doing it kindly" (I don't use this phrase but I am told many indians do...)
But strange it is to see that so much of your communication, even in the same language, can drastically vary depending on who you are talking to.
And there are many "american phrases" which I wouldn't understand if not for the many hours spent watching "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" and other such tele-serials.
Are you aware of more such phrases - typically Indian or typically American ??
I am always in need of some more enlightenment so go ahead and list them down...
3 comments:
My strangest such encounter was with the word "over"- as in "the reagent is over, we need to make some more". Not something my classmate understood at first :).
Wow... !!! Who would have thought ? And what was the correct replacement to make her understand ?
I think something along the lines of "We're all out of XYZ solution" worked :)
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