Indian English (part -1)

Today’s English
May 11th, 2017

Indians use English in their own way a bit different from native speakers of English. Some words which are typically Indian do not have even an entry in Oxford dictionary.  Let us see few of them with equivalent British/American terms. (The first one in each of the following is Indian usage)

1.Visiting Card – business card
Indians use the term visiting card in stead of business card though the former generally is to carry the name and contact number of the visitor before or after making the visit and the latter is essentially to give a sales person’s name, designation, contact number, along with the details of products and services and company’s contact information.

2.Write the exam – take/sit/appear for/do the exam
(To say “write the exam" is typically Indian which is considered to be incorrect by native speakers of English. )
3.Topper – a high scorer
(Topper is a student who gets the highest results in the exam in India. A high scorer is the equivalent by foreigners. However topper has found an entry into OED marked as Indian English. )

4. Time waste – waste of time, the act of wasting time
(Just reading everything on WhatsApp Facebook is a waste of time. Indians simply say time waste that is considered to be incorrect.)

5.Take leave – to go on leave, to be on leave
She is on leave/she has gone on leave/ she wants to go on leave for two days. Indian usage of “I want to take leave for two days" is incorrect. Take  leave is a British idiom that actually means “to say goodbye".  (I have decided to take leave of my job = to say goodbye to my job). Similarly “to avail yourself of something” means to make use of an opportunity, offer or facility.” I availed myself of two days  leave = I made use of the two days leave. I availed leave is not equal to I went on leave.
(To be continued later…)

Do you know? : The first book written by an Indian in English was Travels of Dean Mahomet, a travel narrative by Sake Dean Mahomet published in England in 1793.