Haaye re English


What happens to all the Grammar lessons and English prose/poetry people learn when in school? Anywhere I go, I feel that my favorite language has suddenly had a change of rules.

Forget the bad words, and the messenger slang. How about these daily dialogues:

Why you come?
Where you went?
Who you called?
I didn’t knew.
What you’re doing?
How come?(I believe this might be correct English, perhaps?)
You know, I was walking along the road jab meine dekha….
Can I talk to.... (Should be 'may I talk to...')
Are you paagal?

Sometimes it reminds me of Joey’s pickup line(from ‘Friends’) which went’ How you doing?’ Of course, the way he says it, it sounds like correct English.

Talking of conversation, that’s one extreme. On the other side, there’s the treacly sweet conversation which goes: ( Especially on radio):

RJ: Hellowwww
Lady/gent on other side: Helllll-o.
RJ: How are you this morning?
L/G: I’m fine. How about you?
RJ: I’m fine too. How has your day begun?

And, the talk drones on and on for five minutes- I’m surprised they don’t discuss their toothbrushes, loo schedule, bath towels, etc at such times.

I wonder- perhaps I just feel envious that people have this much time to chat at leisure??
Hehe.
----
How’re these for some real punnies?

- Chopped cabbage is not just a good idea, it's the slaw!

- Adam and Eve never had a date. But they did have an apple.

- Two surgeons and a dermatologist were having lunch in the hospital cafeteria when the first two doctors began to laugh hysterically. "What's so funny" the confused dermatologist asked. "I'm sorry, you wouldn't understand," said one of the surgeons. "It's an inside joke."
----
Funny New York news of yesterday:

Dazzled by the bull market in gold, people are digging through drawers for old dental caps, fillings and bridgework they saved years ago and selling them at prices that would make the tooth fairy blush.
----
Okies.Cheerio,till next time.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I agree with you. The English of today has taken on a lot of shortcuts and slang words. And the grammer.. sometimes it's just non-existent!
4/25/2008 8:20 AM
Unknown said…
As always...an awesome insight Amit... But hey, Im sorry to note the first few phrases you've quoted sounded like someone from Delhi speaking... Im not biased but I think Delhi's public schools do a dastardly act for English speaking skills of its students. Whaddaya think?
4/25/2008 9:07 AM
austere said…
And what about Gujlish???
Confess to " Can I talk to" and " how come" and bhelpuri Hinglish almost always.

:)

You?
4/25/2008 9:10 AM
Mez said…
"I din't knew"....Dint u notice a major faux pas there?
4/25/2008 3:14 PM
AmitL said…
Hi,Khushee-you're right.And,I don't think that it'll get better very soon!
---
Hi,Ritu-well,Delhi or Dubai,the English is similar.:)
---
Hi,Austy-oh,you mean the 'Oh,Sheets' kind of Gujlish?
---
Hi,Mez-hehe-I din't knew that-how you made that faux pas?
4/25/2008 4:37 PM
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