Indian English

In India English developed under the British rule. Initially, as a medium of communication between colonial superiors and Indian subordinates: soldiers, servants, clerks and workers etc.

Intimate friend: Close friend

Cent percent: Hundred percentLakh: Hundred thousandHimalayan blunder: Grave mistakeQuarters: Official residenceOpticals: GlassesCrore: Ten millionMoney bag: Wallet.

Some common Indian vocabulary in English:

Examples of the use of acronyms include the following:

MCP = Male Chauvinist PigFOC = Free Of ChargeMPK = Maine Pyar Kiya (a popular movie)QSQT = Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (a popular movie)ILU = I Love You (from a song; pronounced ee-lu)ABCD = American Born Confused Deshi (native of India)FOB = Fresh Off the Boat

The Indian English lexicon has many distinct terms which are commonly used by its speakers. 

For example: Jan = JanuaryFeb = Februarysubsi = subsidiarysupli = supplementarysoopi = superintendentprinci = principleGen. Sec. or G. Sec. = General SecretarySoc. Sec. = Social Secretary lab ass = laboratory assistantass wardi = assistant warden

 Many abbreviations are used by Indians.

Some items are directly related to characteristics of Indian languages. Indians will often ask, "What is your good name?" which is a somewhat literal translation of "Aapka shubh naam kya hai?" Shubh means auspicious or good, and it is basically used as a polite way of asking for someone's full name. An Indian English speaker says today morning (aaj subha) or yesterday night (kal raat) to mean this morning and last night. 

EXPRESSIONS IN INDIAN ENGLISH

Indian English speakers play around with the language as much as any other group. English is an important part of life for them, especially in school and when they come to the United States. They circulate documents on their e-mail on things such as a list of ways to change from an Indian conversation to a more American conversation. A common saying among Indian graduate students in the United States jokes about how routine their lives sometimes become:

Apartment, Department.Advisor, Budweiser.

HAVING FUN WITH ENGLISH

Some Indians whose names have similar sounding words in English find U.S. Americans poking fun at them. One example is A.S.'s uncle Shambu, who was called Shampoo when he came to the United States . A person whose name is Mani was constantly chided by U.S. Americans because "it's always great to have Money around!"

Thomas Babington Macaulay

The 19th Century historian who introduced Western education to India, is reviled by Indian nationalists.

The term "Macaulay's Children" is still used as a pejorative label for anglicised Indians.

His ideas have been enthusiastically adopted today by India's Dalits - for them, English is a liberating force.

Their saviour from caste oppression is personified as a goddess, modelled on the Statue of Liberty in a sari.

 Today schools in India that emphasis English are considered better schools and the same is the case at university levels, even though there is a trend towards Indianization. In the 1970s and 1980s about one third of the Indian schools had English as their first language. For most of these students, English is their first language and it is easier for them to communicate, read and write in English than in Indian languages, including their mother tongues.

English in Indian schools

 English is very important in some systems – legal, financial, educational, business – in India. Until the beginning of 1990s, foreign movies in India weren’t translated or dubbed in Indian languages, but were broadcast in English and were meant for English speakers only. The reason Indians give such importance to English is related to the fact that India was a British colony .

Also we can see English in Indian articles, books, magazines.

Films

Thank you for your attention!!!