ENGLISH is not a foreign language in India. It is the official language in the Central Government and courts of law. It is also the language of instruction in many schools and colleges. And now it is becoming the language of the media as well.

Yet, an American or a Brit would find it difficult to understand at once what an Indian user of English says or writes. Perhaps a Brit would wonder in which age the Indian is when he or she hears them saying My residence is in this part of the town or The lady was relieved of her jewels.

By the way what the Indian means is:

My residence is in this part of the town. I live in this part of the town.

The lady was relieved of her jewels. The lady was robbed of her jewellery.

Indian speakers still use words or phrases that are archaic or very formal.

Over the telephone, one friend says to the other: Hi, and the other replies: How do you do?

In India How do you do is considered a synonym of How are you. No wonder you get replies such as fine, thanks for How do you do.

The most preferred tense by Indian speakers is the present continuous tense.

I am sorry, I am not having time now.

What does you dad do?

He is doing business.

You know what, I am going to the temple daily.

The Indian variety has its own vocabulary that you will not find in standard world English. The man was arrested for eve teasing. Eve teasing is the harassing of women, often with a sexual innuendo

Sometimes, words are used vaguely or with a different meaning as in I belong to India; the speaker actually meant I am from India.

Another word that has becomes a victim not only to bad usage but also over usage is join. I want to join a job after I complete my schooling.

What the speaker meant was I want to take a job.

He is joining college next month.

I want to join this course.

Lack of reading, keeping abreast with contemporary English and a complacent attitude often come in the way of acquiring correct English. Indian users tend to look at the language as a prestige language, that is, a language that elevates them socially just because they speak it. Often they make the words mean something than to use words to say what they mean.

Ganeshan Ramachandran