Coming to US and still keeping up with same kinda behaviour and environment back home... Its strange ...its sad when people cannot understand your lingo or pronunciation then its difficult to communicate..
Few weeks back I was at work and an old couple came to me .. they knew none other then Gujarati ...I was like shocked ...they said "no English ,no Hindi jus Gujarati":)..I asked are you guys from Hindustan?? and dunno to speak Hindi ..why?...they looked at me ...I looked at them ...and they kept mum.
They started speaking in Gujarati.. I smiled and remembered my dad...
thanks to my dearest Dad who was posted at every corner of India and my communicating skills... so communicating in Gujarati after long time was very interesting but the fact is why??.. why cant we improve ourself..
This same friend once gave us directions to reach a certain office on College road..we ended up looking and wasting one hour ( we dint have navigation system that time it was few yrs back) couldn't find the place ...came back home and my hubby went online to check ... it was Coolidge rd and not College rd it was pronounced wrong :P
We change for good its for ourself to make our life easy ...its not for others or we are getting into some different life style or we sound too Americanised .. there should be no shame in accepting the same accent to communicate properly otherwise you will end up pulling your own hair or hair of others in frustration :)
hope you guys had a good weekend!keep smiling.
20 comments:
totally agree... I get a lot of flak from people cos my Malayalam is decidedly 'NRI-ish'...Get called a foreigner for speaking in English around ppl who know English well, but demand I speak Malayalam. ironically, people outside Kerala have no problem and actually appreciate it when I speak in English/Hindi around them so they can get into the conversation.
Thanks a lot for your encouraging and lovely comment.
Very beautifully written. Its true that we need to change ourselves according to the situation may be not fully but to some extent. When we come across through different situation or staying in abroad we need to think by putting ourselves in others shoes.I liked your post very much.
"Coolidge rd and not College rd" ..... HA HA HA
Sometimes, it is difficult to pick up an accent, and I prefer the clear Indian accent than those who pick up phony ones that sound like an awkward khichdi. But, yes one must be able to communicate properly in decent English if one is in the US.
He he he he I know the feeling .. what made me smile more is that they said no english and no hindi only gujarati .. then they shud stay back there only in Gujarat :)
sorry if it sounds rude ..
I been there too especially when I ma at work its funny sometimes we spend hours trying ot locate something and it turns out that it never was there cause we are looking at something wrong .. just cause of pronounciation ..
Bikram's
Harman, I dont think American accent is necessary.. most Indians speak pretty good English...
May be its because not all of us are good with adapting themselves with change..sometimes they are just too afraid to try new things..just beacuse they are easy and comfortable with the old patterns...but yes you are right, successful are only those who are daring enough to accept the change!
you have a nice weekend too Harman:-)
Yes, we shall change and improve. Some do and some don't. :)))
Language is not the only thing that people don't change. Try reading my post...7 Habits of NRI That Need Change.
Some say that they have a block for learning a new language.
But I think its plain stubbornness.
They say that they are from Chennai and can't pick up Marathi even after they stay for 4 years in Maharashtra.
But when they stay for 3 months in France the same person "picked up French"
@UMA..
Indians speak English very well no doubt..BUT...
south Indian speak eng in their own southern touch, Punjabis speak English with Punjabis touch...Gujjus speak in the same way....we need to speak clear English taught to us in schools ..in clear British way or American style without tearing the words .. and making others confuse..
Vocabulary is other thing which is different in US...you are living in US ..must have noticed...
"A torch ...is actually a flash light.."
"A dustbin is actually a trash can"
there are many other similar words...so
to interact with outside world simple English learnt back home wont solve the problem..its like a laughing stock at ..public places!
its good to know both languages well and communicate properly thats the whole point...N its usually appreciated.
@babli..
you explained that very well..
try to be a good human when communicating to outside world ...to show respect towards others!
@strangers
lolzzz
well it s funny the pronunciation was same.
@rachna..
yes ..clear English with no desi touch..
that is understood by all!
:)
@bick
lolzzz
jus like punjabi do the same in Vancouver ...no hindi no english jus pnjabi
lolzz
so funny it is!
I agree wid you!
@Mish
yep I agree..
and mishi lemme tell you we Asians ....are very good in english compared to chinese and spanish and arabics ...we jus need to adapt and stop giving desi touch to the fluency.
@A..seven habits...
NRI's ..lolzzz ..
they actually need to read that blog of yours..
its an eye opener.
@haddock..
yes its stubbornness and nothin else..
its not desh bakti ..its hypocrisy ...Bull shit!
We must understand that the learning process never ends.
Your post is good.
@kunwar ...yaa I agree..life is for learning...and those who learn succeed in life.
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