All Questions
Tagged with indian-english or subcontinental-english
261 questions
3
votes
2
answers
168
views
"Mister" followed by first name
I was talking to a customer support representative who had an Indian accent. She kept referring to me as "Mister Barry" (Barry is my first name).
Is most of the English-speaking world, we ...
- 22.5k
3
votes
2
answers
468
views
Is “overaction” an Indian English word?
I’ve come across the term “overaction” being used frequently in Indian English, often to describe someone who is exaggerating their actions or emotions. However, I’m curious if this usage is unique to ...
18
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Is the English of India considered a separate standard variety?
Is the English spoken by native or near-native Indian speakers considered a separate standard variety, like US or Australian English, especially with reference to pronunciation? My research found that ...
- 291
-1
votes
2
answers
94
views
I have byhearted the poem [closed]
I know that I have learnt the poem by heart is idiomatic and correct native English. But most Indians, even the teachers of English use byheart as a verb. One of the English professors who I worked ...
- 2,826
0
votes
0
answers
46
views
'Too good': Hyperbole, fossil, calque, quirk, something else?
I often hear the exclamation "too good" in Indian English. Sometimes it describes food, sometimes music, sometimes an event, anything really; it's rather versatile, common enough to have ...
- 8,646
0
votes
1
answer
501
views
When was the term Godi Media coined?
When was the term Godi Media coined?
I know that godi means lap so, it kind of means 'lapdog media'.
It is been used very frequently in India to describe the media supporting the ruling government.
...
- 383
4
votes
2
answers
256
views
What could be the origin of 'cherry-merry' in Indian English to mean 'baksheesh'?
I was looking through a book about Indian English (Sahibs, Nabobs, and Boxwallahs: A Dictionary of the Words of Anglo-India) and I noticed the following definition (edited lightly):
Cherry-merry: ...
- 8,646
21
votes
4
answers
4k
views
In Indian English, did the word 'griffin' ever mean newcomer or novice?
I recently came across a definition in the dictionary Hobson-Jobson. It's basically a big collection of English words and anglicizations used or found in India. The entry that's been stumping me is ...
- 313
14
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Why was the Sanskrit word "laksha" anglicized to "lakh"?
This is something that I have been wondering about for a while, and I thought that I could ask about it here. I am unsure about whether this is strictly "on-topic" because it may be only ...
- 149
5
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Etymology of the word 'cheatercock'
There's a word used in India, 'cheatercock.' Wiktionary defines a 'cheatercock' as
(India) Someone who violates rules in order to gain an advantage; a cheater.
There are a few hits online, mostly in ...
- 8,646
2
votes
0
answers
117
views
Where does the subcontinental usage of 'one' to mean 'named' come from?
Sometimes, when reading texts published in India, written by authors of Indian origin, I notice a usage of the word one in the sense of 'named,' or 'is called.' For instance, it's present in this ...
- 8,646
4
votes
3
answers
1k
views
The meaning of "come home"
In India, when I ask a friend to "come home", it often means I am inviting the friend to my home. I am told that this is different in England or the US, where native speakers would use "...
- 269
25
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Why do South Indians call restaurants 'hotels'?
In South India, it's common to use the word 'hotel' when referring to what North Indians (and most of the rest of the world) know as a 'restaurant.' It's not just a phenomenon seen among small, micro-...
- 8,646
0
votes
1
answer
105
views
What's the correct way to write our names? [closed]
Most people who live in my locality write their names with initials at the
end. Usually these initials are abbreviations of long family names, like
Joseph Alex TP, where TP stands for ...
- 25
2
votes
2
answers
381
views
Indian English language prepositions [closed]
What is difference between preposition here (In and To)?
Why we use : Israel ambassador to India.
Why don't we use : Israel ambassador in India.
- 29
0
votes
1
answer
97
views
Possible reading of a visually obscured word used in Indian newspaper from 1876
I am going through old English speaking newspapers and found the following from a newspaper called "THE PIONEER" that was published in Allahabad, India on August the 11th, 1876:
From what I ...
3
votes
2
answers
891
views
Is there a term for when in Indian English stress is placed on the word "the" before a noun?
I often hear speakers of Indian English place stress-accent on the word "the", with a pause before finishing a sentence with a noun. There's a raised pitch and stress on the word "the&...
- 51
3
votes
1
answer
381
views
Why do Indian people usually ask questions in English using the first-person-plural form?
I don't know much about the languages spoken in India, so I'm going to assume the speaker is speaking Hindi natively.
I've noticed that whenever a question is asked in an English forum, and it ...
hjf
1
vote
2
answers
3k
views
What's the American or British English equivalent to "take a download from", meaning get to know the information from someone?
In Indian English, we often use the phrase "take a download from" which isn't common outside India or at least South Asia. This phrase means to get to know the information from someone.
For ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
797
views
Is 'peasant' generally considered derogatory?
Is peasant when used in general to describe a modern socioeconomic class considered to be derogatory?
Apparently there is no issue when talking about European history...
I read in the Brtitannica ...
0
votes
4
answers
628
views
Does "tuition classes" mean the same in US English US as it does in Indian English?
I am trying to write a sentence that says how others had the capability to pay for extra classes other than school to get better learning.
My peers always had their parents who could pay for tuition ...
- 1
2
votes
4
answers
780
views
Can Practice (verb) and Practise (verb) indicate two different meanings?
I recall that at school (in the late 1960s/early 1970s) in England I was taught how and when to use Practice and Practise. What I was taught was this:
Practice, when used as a verb, means to do ...
- 807
5
votes
1
answer
277
views
What is the etymology of the term “creamy layer” in Indian politics?
According to Wikipedia, “creamy layer is a term used in Indian politics to refer to members of a backward class who are highly advanced socially as well as economically and educationally, and not ...
- 515
1
vote
0
answers
19
views
Is this a valid usage of "forget about" - "X can't afford three meals a day, forget about sanitary living conditions" [duplicate]
I was trying to cobble together a sentence expressing the idea above, that:
something doesn't do X, and so, definitely doesn't do Y (which is harder than X).
I grew up using ", forget about&...
- 113
21
votes
4
answers
4k
views
What's the meaning of "wooden loaf", the famous expression used by Gandhi to define the Independence of India?
I came across this expression while reading about the history of Indian Independence. The expression is well known, but I cannot understand its meaning. Does loaf mean piece of bread? But then what is ...
- 615
1
vote
1
answer
49
views
What does a "non-cooperate and prepare for civil disobedience" mean in this speech? [closed]
[[26]]Mussalmans are not a minority as it is commonly known and understood. One has only got to look round. Even today, according to the British map of India, out of eleven provinces, four provinces ...
- 33
1
vote
1
answer
118
views
Is it normative to use "even" in the sense of "too", "also"? [duplicate]
My colleagues often use "even" as in "Even I was thinking about that" instead of "I also was thinking about that". This usage seems to be widespread in India. Is it ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
115
views
Use of ‘had’ in Indian English
Soon after she encountered the experience while proceeding to New Delhi, the Thoothukudi MP had tweeted, “Today at the airport a CISF officer asked me if I am an Indian, when I asked her to speak to ...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
713
views
Is modern 'five countries' English the only type of English with stress patterns that change across the entire word depending on the suffix?
The capital letters represent where the main stress in each word lies
TELephone, telePHONic, teLEphony.
PHOTograph, photoGRAphic, photOgraphy.
biOLogy, bioLOGical.
What about in the past, including ...
3
votes
1
answer
91
views
Placement of infinitive [closed]
How do you expect a debate on the green new deal between Marjorie Taylor Greene and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to go?
Or
How do you expect a debate on the green new deal to go between Marjorie Taylor ...
- 91
4
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What are the differences between Indian English and other (native) varieties?
From my observation, I can identify some differences.
Indian speakers use some Hindi words which are not found among native speakers.
Indian speakers pronounce 'w' and 'v' interchangeably.
Indian ...
- 311
3
votes
1
answer
455
views
What is the origin of extra prepositions added after verbs in Indian English?
It seems that speakers of Indian English often add prepositions to create phrasal verbs in situations where the verb would have been sufficient on its own.
Some examples I have noticed:
to “pass out” ...
- 1,816
-1
votes
1
answer
745
views
Origin of the Indian version of the mnemonic for the planets
The most common planetary mnemonic is:
My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas
Another popular planetary mnemonic is:
My very educated mother just showed us nine planets
A planetary ...
- 207
0
votes
1
answer
192
views
How can I speak English fluently in 45 days? [closed]
I am new to start learning English. I want to improve my reading, writing & speaking english I have only 45 days to complete this course. Where I start learning. I am searching online for videos, ...
- 104
1
vote
1
answer
127
views
Phenomenon, when a phrase (lit. trans. into English from other regional language) has obvious mistake(s) and still uncorrectable due to popularity
Let me layout an example to make the situation, described in question more clear:
There is a popular road in a city of Gujarat, India whose name when literally translated into English means "Horse ...
- 509
1
vote
0
answers
79
views
Pronunciation of "intermediate" as /ɪntə(ɹ)ˈmiːdʒɪt/?
I've heard both "intermediate" and "immediate" pronounced /ɪntə(ɹ)ˈmiːdʒɪt/ and /ɪˈmiːdʒɪt/ respectively in Indian English. Wiktionary has /ɪˈmiːdʒɪt/ as an alternative pronunciation for immediate for ...
- 11
-1
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What is a "loose character" in Indian English?
What does the phrase "loose character" in Indian English mean?
E.g. "He is a loose character", or, "He has a loose character"
- 335
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is bad English called "Butler English"?
When somebody speaks bad English it is called Butler English in India. The phrase Butler English seems to have originated in Madras presidency in the British Rule. The butlers or the maid servants ...
- 2,826
0
votes
0
answers
22
views
Apostrophes in Grammar [duplicate]
In the sentence- "Jessie's and Nora's dogs are lovely".
Do we really have to put apostrophes on both the names?
0
votes
1
answer
359
views
Rendezvous with Ray [closed]
Rendezvous is one of the English words whose pronunciation is nothing to do with its spelling .I have come across the word in the lesson Rendezvous with Ray
I have understood ...
- 2,826
10
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Is “suite” pronounced like “suit” in any native English-speaking countries?
The word suite is pronounced the same as sweet in British and American English. Surprisingly, even some educated Indians mispronounce it almost similar to suit. Even name boards ...
- 2,826
-2
votes
1
answer
734
views
How far have you understood my lesson? [closed]
As far as I know your answer is correct..I think this statement is correct.
How far have you understood my lesson?
I am doubtful about the correctness of the sentence.But how ...
- 2,826
1
vote
4
answers
5k
views
She is his would be/ wife to be
In India there is a tendency to call a woman or a man as would be in the sense of his future wife or her future husband.
She is his would be ( wife)
He is ...
- 2,826
2
votes
0
answers
118
views
Indian - mother tongue influence [closed]
I'm an Indian who has huge mother tongue influence while speaking English. I have to talk to Americans due to my job.
I frequently use "like this only" & "like that only" while speaking to ...
- 21
5
votes
0
answers
275
views
Where does the phrase "cheater caught, Peter red" come from?
Growing up in Pakistan, I heard variations of either:
Cheater caught, Peter red; or
Cheater cock, Peter red
I assumed it was about a cocky boy named Peter who was either caught red-handed or turned ...
- 335
0
votes
1
answer
187
views
They have some background strong
I'm trying to understand the meaning of the expression "background strong". The line in the title is quoted from a movie, "Dying to survive". Here is some frame: an indian oil shop owner wants to ...
- 175
7
votes
3
answers
7k
views
What's the meaning of "the same" in Indian English [duplicate]
I work in tech, and at the company I work for employs and does business with a lot of Indian businesses and individuals. When exchanging emails, I've been noticing the use of "the same" in a ...
- 79
-3
votes
1
answer
536
views
I want to check with my account team regarding payment processing, how to ask?
I have to ask one of the account team members, if today they are going to provide payment.
How can I ask them, I want to know the correct English sentence?
I have prepared some sentences, can ...
- 97
1
vote
2
answers
198
views
Meaning of gram-vendor in context
Reading Shame (1983) by Salman Rushdie, and here's such a sentence.
For five, six, seven days films played to an empty house in which peeling plaster and slowly rotating ceiling fans and the ...
- 175
0
votes
1
answer
438
views
What is meaning of "Wrestling words into submission"? [closed]
I came across a sentence which goes "I knew I wasn't meant to spend my life locked away in a silent room alone and half-crazed, wrestling words into submission."
Can some please tell me what it means?...
