It has been a little over a year since we migrated to Houston. In this one year innumerable people have asked me the same question (and countless versions of the question).
''You are from India? Moved here recently? How did you pick up English so quickly?''
'' Did you learn English after you moved to Houston? Wow, that's impressive!''
''So did you know to speak English before you moved here?''
''Were you taught English in India or did you go to a regional language school?''
For all those people I have this to say.
English was probably the first language I learned to speak. I think and dream in English. I speak not the colloquial slang that is spoken by thousands of Americans but Received Pronunciation (RP) or the Queen's English. I studied English Literature for five years and hope to get back to studying Literature again someday. English grammar rules fascinate me and I own an English and a phonetic dictionary. I love reading poetry just because I feel like it sometimes. Chuckles and I speak English at home and discuss books, that we think, are well written. We often use polysyllabic English words in everyday speech and refrain from using vernacular words in daily conversation. We know the difference between 'their' and 'there' and know when and where to use 'lose' and 'loose'.
For those who think people from India cannot speak in English I have this to say.
India was a colony of the British empire from 1757. English is taught widely in schools and is the medium of instruction in most schools. English is accepted and recognized as an official language after Hindi. A foreigner travelling to any city in India will be able to get by with speaking in English. There are over ninety million English speakers in India apart from whole communities like the Anglo-Indians who primarily speak English. Indian immigrants to any country are an asset because they can read, write and fluently speak English and will make the effort to adapt to any country by learning the language.
Roll out a map, find out where the country is and the next time you meet an Indian, try asking him just how many languages he can speak. Trust me the answer will always stun you into silence.
8 comments:
Bravo!
Ha ha ! Ye Gore kya jaanein , ham logon ki talent !! ;)
Aw c'mon, Rat - you can't blame the Americans for being impressed.
Because in India, we speak English; in America, they speak American. Ain't it?
Mach mach. what brought on this tirade? some angreez questioned your english skills again today?
Now questioned, was fascinated that I moved here a year ago and can speak English as well as him.
@Alok: I agree
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Haven't they dialled a 1-800 number? :)
You go! It annoyed me no end when they did that! 'Oh, but your English is so good.' Started at the airport and continued even in a mall. Having had the misfortune to write copy for Americans I found it ironic that the sad twats couldn't understand basic written English. I call them Bubbles. Not a reference to a character in AbFab who is, needless to say, fabulous.
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