Questions related to the English language as spoken and written in India.
-1
votes
1answer
70 views
Ek kaan se suno aur dusre kaan se nikaal do in English proverb? [closed]
I know a Hindi proverb, but I would like to know translation of same in English.
How will we say in form of proverb/idiom
Not listening or paying attention to the words that come out of your ...
0
votes
0answers
31 views
Use of “as long as” [closed]
Is the following sentence correct?
You can attend our class as long as you are not able to speak in English correctly.
4
votes
3answers
202 views
Use of “the” in Indian English
The word "the" in Indian English seems to have a different function than in American English, and I'd like to understand it better. The first sentence of this article demonstrates what I mean:
...
1
vote
1answer
96 views
Indian English usage of “na” [duplicate]
I have heard a lot of conversations end up in the word "na" mainly among in youth of India.
For example:
You know naa.
You have phone naa.
Does this make any sense? Is it a development in ...
0
votes
0answers
150 views
What do you think about Indian English? [closed]
What you think about Indian English. i read about an article in Indian news paper about the Indian English, a developing new language such as Canadian English and American English from British ...
0
votes
2answers
129 views
Is “resign with effect from [date]” inclusive?
I am resigning from my post with effect from 15th April.
Does this imply that April 14th will be my last working day, or will it be April 15th?
5
votes
4answers
243 views
Indian English use of “only”
I am from Bangalore and people here tend use the word only to emphasise something in a sentence. For example:
We are getting that only printed.
What is the proper way to put it?
2
votes
2answers
124 views
Is “stepmother treatment” Indian English?
When I googled stepmother treatment, I found that it was mainly used in India to refer to neglect, disregard or inattention. Most of the other non-Indian links talked about the literal treatment by ...
-1
votes
2answers
166 views
Difference between “anyone” and “everyone”? [duplicate]
What's the difference between anyone and everyone?
Everyone should keep quiet in the classroom.
Anyone should keep quiet in the classroom.
2
votes
2answers
534 views
Why is it wrong to use “The India” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Using the definite article before a country/state name
We say “The United States of America” but not “The India”. Why is it so?
5
votes
5answers
305 views
She was carrying twins and a bulky bag in her hands [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Using verbs with multiple meanings
I am not sure if this is Indian English but the verb carry is often used in India to speak of a pregnant woman and often without an ...
1
vote
4answers
375 views
“May I know your good name?” [closed]
“May I know your good name” is a typically Indian way of honouring the other person (who is previously unknown) by asking their name using an adjective like sweet, good, beautiful, et cetera — and of ...
1
vote
2answers
4k views
Can “casted” be the past tense of “cast”?
'The Hindu,' an Indian daily, reports:
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitely casted his vote at Chimanbhai Patel Institute opposite Karnavati club.
Does the verb cast has a form as ...
7
votes
3answers
338 views
When to use nah or right in a sentence
When I was chatting with my friend, as a part of our conversation I used a phrase. "You have laptop nah." He replied, first try to change your English, it sounds ridiculous, using words nah, right.
...
6
votes
2answers
353 views
Indian legal documents
I am a resident of India. I have never been able to understand the language used in the legal documents here. Below is an example from an agreement to sell an apartment.
Herein after referred to ...
1
vote
2answers
5k views
“What day is it today?” vs. “What day is today?”
Which of the following is grammatical?
What date/day is it today?
What date/day is today?
7
votes
1answer
162 views
Does “tapall” or “tappies” mean “mail” in English?
I had been wondering about a non-native word in Tamil: Thabal, meaning post. This word has origins from elsewhere, and I had not been able to figure out the etymology. Searches in Internet had also ...
3
votes
4answers
8k views
Difference between “Thanking you” and “Thank you”?
I always use in my letter "Thanking you in advance for your time and consideration."
But one of my colleagues said thanking you was not correct usage of English, it should be thank you. So my ...
0
votes
1answer
142 views
Please provide me correct interpretation of this sentence [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How does negation affect the use and understanding of “or” and “and”
A's girlfriend doesn't like movies or Roses.
What would be the correct ...
-1
votes
4answers
118 views
Is “class Xth” instead of “class X” ok?
Many people say, e.g., "Class Xth," "Category Xth," "Part Xth," "Street Xth," instead of "Class X," "Category X," "Part X," "Street X," respectively.
Is the former right?
3
votes
1answer
152 views
Parenthetical commas and foreign English
I advise a friend on her writing, despite not quite knowing an adverb from a proverb (kidding (kinda)).
Invariably, parenthetical commas such as the following:
Jane, my assistant, opened the ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
“Wednesday week”
I know that the English will say "Wednesday week" to mean a week from Wednesday. Is there a name for this sort of construction?
Also, I have a friend from India who will say "today morning". Is ...
3
votes
2answers
300 views
Usage of the word “latest”
Raj has breakfast almost always before 7:45 AM. On rare occasions, he has after 7:45 AM, but never after 8:00 AM. So If he says "I always have my breakfast latest by 8:00 AM" to convey this fact, is ...
0
votes
4answers
352 views
What's the Australian or British way to say 'Ticket collector'? [closed]
I know Indians say ticket collectors while in Australia people are confused with this phrase. Please let me know how you would say that.
3
votes
2answers
243 views
Is “learning yourself” the same as “learning by yourself”?
(Other than the first also meaning to learn about oneself...)
Is learning yourself the same as learning by yourself? How much do these two phrases differ?
In India's spoken English, the former is ...
1
vote
2answers
264 views
How could I explain this situation in email? [closed]
My PM given me project and told me develop new project using existing code, but existing project is not good written. I mean they written very difficult code for very simple things.
I am quiet ...
0
votes
1answer
640 views
Salutation/Professional Addressing “Dy GM”, what does it mean? [closed]
Found the addressing "Dy GM" in New Delhi area in the IT domain.
What does it mean?
18
votes
7answers
2k views
What is wrong in “Please don't pluck the flowers” and other phrases used in the Indian subcontinent?
In the Indian subcontinent, especially India, there are many English words or phrases which are not a part of dictionary or not used in other parts of the world.
The first one is "Please don't pluck ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
“Career” vs “carrier” [closed]
A significant number of my friends assume that carrier is the same as career.
Their justification is that since their job carries them through their life, it is their carrier.
Is the difference ...
10
votes
6answers
3k views
Difference between “canteen” and “cafeteria”
Are there any differences between canteen and cafeteria?
In India, usually an eating place attached to an office, factory or school is called a canteen. Of course, in some new offices it is called ...
6
votes
2answers
4k views
Meaning of the phrase “put down one's papers”
In India, the phrase "put down one's papers" means to submit one's resignation at a workplace. Is this usage universal? I suspect this is Indian.
11
votes
2answers
3k views
Saying “today morning” to mean “this morning”
As an American, I use the term this morning, but I’ve noticed some Asian Indian coworkers who always say today morning to mean what I mean by this morning.
Is this an Indian English “dialectism”? Is ...
6
votes
4answers
3k views
Is the term “would-be” just an Indian usage or universal?
I've noticed that Indians use the term would-be in place of fiancé/fiancée. Usages like "Meet my would-be" and "This is my would-be" are common in introductions. I used to wonder if this is just an ...
6
votes
3answers
307 views
Is “If I would have X” an Indian shibboleth?
As I was reading a deleted question that asks whether
If I would have sweet dreams, they would be about you. If my dreams ever come true, it will be with you.
is correct, I noticed that the ...
8
votes
4answers
2k views
Indian-English usage of “Kindly”
I have noticed that the word "Kindly" is used a lot by some Indians speaking English as a second language. Does anyone know the origin of this?
8
votes
3answers
773 views
'Questions' vs. 'Concerns' vs. 'Doubts'
This is a region-specific question--Indian English
I have noticed when working with colleagues from India that they use the word 'doubts' where the typical American would use the word 'questions' or ...
6
votes
7answers
3k views
Does “pants” more commonly mean “trousers” or “underpants”?
In the UK, I've heard pants being used as slang for underpants (or was it in Bridget Jones' Diary?), whereas in India it almost exclusively means "trousers".
Describing the meaning of "put your pants ...
19
votes
7answers
10k views
Can 'revert' be used as a synonym of 'reply'?
I am a native speaker of American English, and I have only ever heard this usage of the word revert from one person. This person is not a native English speaker (he is from India), so he may just be ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Choosing between “100%” and “cent percent”
I am a non-native English speaker. I am applying for the USA university for management studies. While writing the essay I came across the sentence, "I was 100% confident."
My query:
Is it ...
-1
votes
1answer
228 views
Do these sentences have the same meaning?
Please tell me if the following sentences have the same meaning or if there is any difference between them.
I can't do this task.
I didn't finish this task.
5
votes
1answer
3k views
Is “weightage” an English word?
Is weightage an English word?
We use it a lot in India, but I couldn't find it in my Oxford Dictionary.
2
votes
1answer
2k views
Is the usage “can able to” wrong? I believe it's wrong. But where can I find some reference on the same?
I hear a lot of people use 'can able to' in their daily talk. I believe it's entirely wrong. Both 'can' and 'able to' hold the same meaning. Where do I get more information on the same and also the ...
6
votes
5answers
1k views
Using the word 'Only'
I am confused about using the word only. I often hear it being used in many contexts that sound wrong to me - but I'm not sure if it's me or them.
Let me give some examples:
A: Where were you ...
66
votes
6answers
7k views
Can “doubt” sometimes mean “question”?
I often see questions on Stack Exchange sites which I presume are written by non-native English speakers who use the word "doubt" in place of the word "question". Is this a case of misunderstanding ...
17
votes
4answers
2k views
Is “prepone” being used outside India?
"Prepone" is a great word - it's the opposite of "postpone". I was wondering if it was beginning to spread around the world at all.
8
votes
9answers
3k views
Is “non-vegetarian” a correct word?
I've heard that the words "non-veg" and "non-vegetarian" are not legal English words (i.e aren't in the dictionary). Is this true? If so, what is the right way to say that something contains ...
