Comments on: Next stop: Hi-dehr-a-where?

By: Ravi the Lurker

Ravi the Lurker — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:34:12 +0000

I flew through Delhi from Pune to Bagdogra this past December, and was cracking up at the “Day-hera-doon/Hi-dehr-a-bad/Goowaa-hotty” announcements. I figured they were catered toward the European/UK crowd ignorant of/unfamiliar with Desi languages/pronunciation.

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:17:38 +0000

That IS pathetic... The only person I found annoying who pronounced Pakistan correctly was an old professor... but thats because she repeatedly said "My husband is a PAAAAAAAWK-istani cricketer." in exaggerated sing-song.

People are weird. Do I have to be an American anymore?

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:13:44 +0000

Hmmm... not saying it is right, but I think the reasoning for the Delhi Term 3 is probably that English and Hindi are the two "official" languages and both to some extent act as a lingua franca in India-- More so Hindi in N. India and English in S. India.

Plus it's an airport and the likelihood that people are of upper-middle to upper class is much higher, and therefore the chance of them being educated in English is much higher (not to mention that Many study their local language, Hindi AND English in many places). And what about large cosmopolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore? They may have an official local language, but the population is often made up of people from all over India.

And then there are the foreigners from non-English speaking countries-- but I think foreigners are more likely to know English (since it is often taught as a second language in Europe and some places in Asia).

By: Alina-M

Alina-M — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:07:45 +0000

@Lindsey – You’ve got to the cut the Brits some slack, at least they’re making an effort….here in Amreeka, people are enraged over Obama’s correct pronunciation of Pakistan (http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/08/obama-pakistan/) It would be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic :/ Literally, people are upset that he tried to pronounce the name of another country correctly

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:01:31 +0000

"food courts featuring the generic and exotic (Subway and dosas, respectively)."

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Hmm, I was just at the Delhi airport in Jan and I don't recall the hideous English accent... Maybe I blocked it out? It really it quite awful. It reminds me of watching Lagaan when the British guy tries to speak Hindi and says "dooblaaah lagaan la gen gey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" repeatedly. What is up with the Brits complete inability to pronounce Indian cities and places? And how the hell did the Ganga becomes the gaaingeeez. ?? I mean. Really. How.

By: Yoga Fire

Yoga Fire — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:46:49 +0000

They do watch South Indian movies, it’s just usually dubbed or remade.

By: Pravin Praveen

Pravin Praveen — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:27:57 +0000

Status, Hindi is not native to most of South India either. And "Hindi", while more people may indeed understand Hindi than English, I am willing to bet that a lot of those people know their local language as well. So if you start off announcements in a non Hindi state with the local language, I have no problem with English being the second language used and Hindi the third.

I am still waiting for Hindi people to take up Telugu or Tamil as a third language in their schools the same way some south indian kids do with Hindi. Or for Hindi people to watch south Indian movies.

By: Alina-M

Alina-M — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:35:47 +0000

I find it funny that here in the USA, English isn’t our official language (we have no “official” language at the federal level, though obviously English is the de facto language), but both India and Pakistan list English as the secondary official language! I didn’t know that until now. When I was in Pakistan a couple of years ago, I took a plane from Karachi to Peshawar, and they made announcements in Urdu first, followed by Pashto and English – this seems like a fair way to do it. I think in India, it makes sense to do announcements in the local language first, followed by Hindi, since Hindi-Urdu is the primary language spoken in South Asia.

By: Hindi

Hindi — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:06:03 +0000

It is also worth bearing in mind that Hindi is actually spoken by a much larger majority of people in India than English or any other Indian language so that should give it some importance, simply because the chances of people understanding or speaking Hindi are much higher than any other language in India.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers_in_India

By: status

status — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:20:09 +0000

Your attitude epitomizes why India can never be truly independent. The minds of Indians have been colonized to such an extent that the language of their oppressors has become superior to their own languages. English is a language that was forcibly brought to India by colonialists who set out to destroy Indian culture. They have done a remarkably good job, but Indians are blind to the way they have been manipulated and still kowtow to old traditions which aren't even theirs. Most of the languages that exist in India today have grown indigenously and not been artificially implanted by colonial powers. Again, an obvious point.

Why do people not see that until India embraces its rich cultural heritage and discards the aping of the west they cannot stand on their own two feet and be a strong, independent country. It is so blindingly obvious to even the casual observer that it hurts.

The idea that India has had many influences over many years is true. The ability of Indians to accept and deal with these influences is certainly a strength in some ways. The problem arises when acceptance leads to passivity and allows for stronger, better organized powers to take control of the country and treat the citizens like second class citizens. Indians need to learn to respect themselves. Passivity and acceptance are one thing but allowing others to rule your country and your mind is wrong, however you look at it.

Perhaps local languages should be used more, that is true, but putting English before everything is just silly. No other country in the world does these type of ridiculous things except India.