Indian English will conquer globe-from Times of India

abe
By abe
English will fragment into "global dialects", forcing speakers routinely to learn two varieties of the language — one spoken in their home country and a new kind of Standard English with pronounced Indian characteristics, Professor David Crystal,a leading expert on English has said.

The new Standard English, which will be understood globally, would be necessary if the growing ranks of English-speakers around the world are to understand each other, said Professor David Crystal, one of the world's foremost experts and author of the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language.

The new Standard English's likely Indian characteristics would signify the end of the primacy of American English. Future users of global Standard English might routinely say "I am thinking it's going to rain" rather than the British "I think it's going to rain", said Crystal.

"In language, numbers count. There are more people speaking English in India than in the rest of the native English-speaking world. Even now, if you ring a call centre, often it's an Indian voice you hear at the end of the phone. As the Indian economy grows, so might the influence of Indian English," he explained.

Because Indians tend to "use the present continuous where we would use the present simple (with an Indian saying) 'I am thinking, I am feeling, I am seeing' rather than 'I think, I feel, I see'... this way of speaking could easily become sexy and part of global Standard English," said the professor, who has written more than 100 books.

By jauntie• 13 Mar 2008 13:55
Rating: 5/5
jauntie

" dweller said Reputed V's reputable ...

I seem to recollect this topic being the subject of lengthy posts about 2 years since."

 

Reputedly, it was!

By anonymous• 13 Mar 2008 07:32
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

 

 "It is an avatar a friend made for me that combines the symbol of Islam

(star and crescent) with a peace symbol -- hence the name, Peaceful

Muslimah (PM)."

 

 And heres me thinking your name was Patricia Macdoolan, of 18 Acacia avenue, Wisconsin !!

 

Now i'm upset  :) 

 

 

[img_assist|nid=79143|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

By thexonic• 13 Mar 2008 02:13
thexonic

If this happens the world will get to the armageddon earlier than its expected.

God bless english. 

 

It's always the small things that make big differences.

By anonymous• 13 Mar 2008 01:10
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

You arnt a brown chick........I was contemplating a date at cineplex in city centre. BUt y u carry a Paki flag then on ur profile.

 

"He said I was ugly and I couldn't read good"

--Dave Chappell (1973 - to-date)

By anonymous• 12 Mar 2008 23:31
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

@ Slim figure, dark hair, lovely olive skin and large dark eyes! That's me!

 

Damn girl, you sound hot!!!!!!!! I dig brown chicks

 

"He said I was ugly and I couldn't read good"

--Dave Chappell (1973 - to-date)

By Smelly_Indian_Coolie• 10 Mar 2008 09:37
Rating: 5/5
Smelly_Indian_Coolie

Richard & Alexa: Sure, I look forward to meeting you guys one of these days.

 

Tallg, Oh My, and Mayamkhob,

 

Since we are throwing dictionaries at each other, my plump Merriam Webster has this to offer: (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reputed)

 

Main Entry:

reputed

Function:adjective Date:1549

1

: having a good repute : reputable

2

: being such according to reputation or general belief <a reputed mobster>

 

All I'm saying is that the language is constantly evolving, as it always has, and what was wrong usage in the recent past is not necessarily wrong usage anymore and at least some "experts" have acknowledged that.  Much like the word enormity is used in place of enormousness nowadays. Though it may be frustrating for the purist, that is the nature of a truly global language like English and today's "wrong" could be tomorrow's "right." If I wasn't clear earlier, I'm not for the popularisation of "Indian English;" I like English as it is now. Also, I wouldn't be caught dead using reputed in place of reputable; but, I'd be careful about correcting "wrong usage."

Cheers everyone. 

By dweller• 10 Mar 2008 09:14
dweller

I seem to recollect this topic being the subject of lengthy posts about 2 years since.

By diamond• 10 Mar 2008 08:12
diamond

 

It makes perfect sense in Indian English ;)

 

[img_assist|nid=57389|title=|desc=peace|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0] _______________________________________________

www.kiva.org

By tallg• 10 Mar 2008 08:00
Rating: 5/5
tallg

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary;

 

reputed

adj : commonly put forth or accepted as true on inconclusive

grounds; "the foundling's putative father"; "the

reputed (or purported) author of the book"; "the

supposed date of birth" [syn: putative, purported, reputed, supposed]

 

reputable

adj : having a good reputation; "a reputable business"; "a

reputable scientist"; "a reputable wine" [ant: disreputable]

 

Two different words with two different meanings. You can't substitute one for the other. Also, "well reputed" doesn't make any sense.

By anonymous• 9 Mar 2008 22:02
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

 

Apart from your lols, thank you for explanation. I usually see most of the adds use "well" before it (well reputed), while reputable can do the job on its own. Even before the first post I consulted the Encarta and Oxford dictionaries. It seems that "reputable" is more reputable.  Regards.  

 

Existence is a heavy burden, only high spirited ones can bear it. 

By nadt• 9 Mar 2008 21:28
nadt

wheres the school teacher that occasionally pops up on threads to correct people....maybe she can give some input..i love her posts...shes like the ghost school teacher, that pops in QL now and then....

By anonymous• 9 Mar 2008 21:15
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

you conitnue to show your own standard of education.....hahahah. PM....you a Typical Paki...............what more can I say!!..........

 

"He said I was ugly and I couldn't read good"

--Dave Chappell (1973 - to-date)

By Oh My• 9 Mar 2008 21:12
Oh My

but until they rewrite all the english language dictionaries...reputed will never have the same definition as reputable...at least not until we all speak indian english.

By techdoctor• 9 Mar 2008 21:08
Rating: 2/5
techdoctor

Hi guys and gals,

Watch this to get a good understanding of English and have a laugh.

 

 

"Life is like a bicycle, if it's too easy - you're probably going down :)"

By anonymous• 9 Mar 2008 21:04
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

PM your earlier posting.......where you corrected someone's garmmar makes it clear..........that you're a Pakistani..... so typical paki.....lol

 

"He said I was ugly and I couldn't read good"

--Dave Chappell (1973 - to-date)

By Tigasin321• 9 Mar 2008 16:23
Tigasin321

I want you to promise me that you will join the Wolf and the rest of us on our next day out. Will ya? C'mon we all want to meet you. 

 

Fairy tales don't tell children dragons exist. Children know dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children dragons can be killed. G.K Chesterton

By Smelly_Indian_Coolie• 9 Mar 2008 16:20
Rating: 5/5
Smelly_Indian_Coolie

As the source of this article is that fine torchbearer of

Indian journalism, The Toilet paper Of India, I’d take everything with a good

helping of salt. I agree with Richard; it’s mostly about “cool.” For many more years

at least, Indian English will have to live under the uncharitable shadow of

Peter Sellers, Apu, and such. The “other” is always funny, and even necessary.

If at all, every Indian talked and walked like a homie-from-da-hood, someone

else would be anointed the “other” and ridicule would follow. Oh, and finding hilarity

in the interchangeable usage of “reputed” and “reputable” is very retro and

hence “uncool.” Reputed is reputable; the year is 2008.

By Tigasin321• 9 Mar 2008 11:35
Rating: 4/5
Tigasin321

Its just some academic who wants to get some publicity to help in his application for tenure.

 

The international use of English is being spread largely by culture. The majority of cinema and television that has global appeal is American, British, Canadian or Australian. The same is true for music. Indian films and Indian music have little international appeal.

 

Unless the Indian way of speaking English becomes considered "cool" then it is very unlikely that Indian English will dominate anywhere outside of India.  

 

Fairy tales don't tell children dragons exist. Children know dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children dragons can be killed. G.K Chesterton

By shaheen• 9 Mar 2008 11:30
Rating: 4/5
shaheen

................

By dweller• 9 Mar 2008 11:12
Rating: 5/5
dweller

English 

English (American) is preferable to American English.

First the language, then the dialect

 

By abe• 8 Mar 2008 22:16
Rating: 4/5
abe

A glossary of the latest lingo as spoken on the streets of India

Dear sir, with reference to your above see my below - popular opening line in official letters.

Teachress - a female teacher.

Timepass - a trivial activity that passes the time.

She freaked out last night - she had a good time.

Your lyrical missive has enveloped me in the sweet fragrance of our love - from a book advising lovers on how to write to girlfriends.

How often do you take sex? - question from doctor to patient.

Pritam Singh has left for his heavenly above - a death notice.

Hue and Cry notice - title of police missing person newspaper advertisement.

Don't do nuisance in public - government admonition against urinating in public

 

 

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape!

By adey• 8 Mar 2008 20:28
Rating: 5/5
adey

Labour.

good grief, you colonials!

 

I don't go to mythical places with strange men.

-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.

By anonymous• 8 Mar 2008 18:44
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

Now India and china r the growing economies. and brits cant spell beer as per some report .....  I mean gordon brown wants the UK labor to increASE...

So see how poor r the europeans on academics......

By Oh My• 8 Mar 2008 18:01
Rating: 4/5
Oh My

Thanks mayamkhob...lol...I just had another good laugh.  Yes, they can both be used as adjectives...the funny thing is that some people use them interchangably when they actually have opposite meanings...that is why it is so funny when they say "reputed company" because they are actually saying that it is not a real company and that there is not substantive proof to indicate that it is a real company....whereas a reputable company is a company with a good reputation...hence the humor all of us who know English enjoy by the use of "reputed". Thanks again.

By anonymous• 8 Mar 2008 16:44
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

Hi to all,

 

reputed and reputable, both can be used as an adjective. As for the press, they may prefer the short one, I guess.

 

By anonymous• 8 Mar 2008 15:51
anonymous

 Americans speak American English

I speak Indian English...

Koreans speak Korean English...

Pakistani speak Pakistani English...

Nepalis speak Nepali English....

The people of Greenland speak Green English... 

Poles speak Pole English

People from Holland speak Hole English....

....and many other type of english

 

Okies....

 

By anonymous• 8 Mar 2008 15:49
anonymous

I speek Singlish ;)

By anonymous• 8 Mar 2008 15:23
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

Actually...today I am going to be knowing.

 

PS: Knowing as in Bible

By cruveck• 8 Mar 2008 15:13
cruveck

If this is all true.........everyone will start using "Actually" as a starting word in every sentence. Hahahahaha

Errrr........Actually...

By anonymous• 8 Mar 2008 13:42
anonymous

I guess many indians don an american or british accent to gain popularity or become unnatural to get that extra smartness in the GCC but actually are devoid of content.....   

By jango warrior• 8 Mar 2008 13:36
Rating: 3/5
jango warrior

If the article is correct then English is actually doomed and we will soon all be talking Chinese English or (Chinglish) as they have the most people.

By dweller• 8 Mar 2008 11:32
dweller

I am knowing this too.

By ohbee wan• 8 Mar 2008 11:30
Rating: 5/5
ohbee wan

and everyone will start wiggling their head "isn't it"

 

Virginity like bubble, once prick, all gone :)

Confucius

By tallg• 7 Mar 2008 23:58
tallg

hey creakylol3 - no offense, but judging from some of your comments that I've read I'd much rather speak like an Indian (or anyone else for that matter) than the way it appears you speak!

By dweller• 7 Mar 2008 23:29
dweller

It gets my goat when they say "American" english.

I am sick of telling Mr. Gates that there is no such thing!

By novita77• 7 Mar 2008 17:42
novita77

this 'reputed' in the gulf times really annoyed me lol.

By Oh My• 7 Mar 2008 17:32
Oh My

a 'reputed' company or should that be 'reputable'...when I can't tell the difference I'll do the 'needful' and 'revert' to someone who does. Jeez

 

 

By rdksharma• 7 Mar 2008 16:21
rdksharma

why again?

By knoxcollege• 7 Mar 2008 16:17
Rating: 3/5
knoxcollege

but Kerala English accent has made my starting line "Say Again Please"

By anonymous• 7 Mar 2008 15:36
anonymous

 

This article is full of it. Listen to how Dave Chappell speaks and enlighten yourself. I aint never talking like no Indian. If I had that kinda accent, I'd shoot myself in the freaking head.

 

"He said I was ugly and I couldn't read good"

--Dave Chappell (1973 - to-date)

By anonymous• 7 Mar 2008 14:13
anonymous

Someone with a good grasp of grammar... please enlighten me...

Lets take the example at hand... the article refers to the prevalent use of present continuous in place of the the present simple.  Which one is grammatically correct or are both grammatically correct?

Is the author suggesting that usages earlier considered grannatically incorrect will gradually become correct when more people start making the same mistake?

 

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