(Thane) One of the paradoxes of modern India is the fact that English is the country’s official language, even though it is spoken by such a small percentage of the population. Even Indians who speak English often have an uncertain grasp of the intricacies of the language, making the reliance on English in public forums quite problematic.
Of course, I don’t want to overgeneralize. Indian English literature is producing some of the world’s finest writing right now, and many Indian writers have developed a beautiful English prose style. But it is far more common to see comical examples of English malapropisms. Even the most professionally printed and permanent signs often feature strange typos. Over the weekend, I saw an ad for a life insurance company that proudly proclaimed “We Know India Batter.” (At first, I thought it might be an ad for a pancake company.)
Here are two other signs we recently observed:
Presumably, the merchant posting this sign still accepts these cards!
The next one is mind-blowing, as this sign flashes on every subway car in Delhi at every single subway stop. You’d think they would have caught the error:
Tags: Delhi, english, Indian English, subway, typos
November 22, 2009 at 7:18 pm |
Sadly, American students, high school and college, aren’t much better. Glad you’re both enjoying your time lately.