When they say English is a funny language, I would have thought they kept Indians in mind too. I love it that we feel the pulse of the language and interpret it literally and liberally from our mother tongues.

Years back, I remember a cousin from the village who had come to Shillong to study in college. Shillong being the education capital of the northeast and mainly an English-speaking town, he was out to impress us all with his mastery of the language.”The climate is very sweet,” he said on arrival. From humid Silchar to pleasant Shillong, I sensed his relief.

“What is your good name?” I have never thought about the’ good’ in this question except when people started writing and satirising Indian English. And I don’t correct my dad when he still asks my friends their good names. I take it, its our way of being extra courteous.

There are so many sentences like these and off hand I can’t think of all. Perhaps, my memory is like that only. Yes, like that only. What to do no, so many things in my small mind at one time. Plus the weekend coming up and I have to visit two residences – one for dinner and one for birthday. Perhaps, I should go and purchase some commodities to take with me. That means I have to start now, because I belong here and not to India and the shops are very, very far away here. I am looking forward to meeting dear friends at the happy birthday. Ta Ta

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

When you wish your friend 'Happy Birthday' hopefully they wont respond with a 'Same to you'

Video Interviews