The revenge of Indian English

This is such a great column by CY Gopinath . You can also see it here: https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/the-revenge-of-indian-english-23295800. 

 

My favourite lines are: 

I confess , however, that my heart did a little flutter of pure joy when I read that a certain Rahul Roy-Chowhury, American of Indian origin, had joined the elite ranks of Indian CEOs ruling the universe as the new head of a Californian-based firm called Grammarly. 

Grammarly’s language settings, I noticed with a quickening, how have a new choice….Indian English. Brought to you by the great folks who gave you chappals, stop eating my brain, do the needful, prepone and finger chips.

“You speak English so well, oh my god!” is the back - handed compliment I have heard over and over in 23 years of living outside India. 

Sweet global revenge has come in the form of thousands of call centres, whence our local lads and lasses will flay the world with technical support in immaculate Ernakulam , Patiala or Mehndipur English accents. 

More generally, we as formerly colonised by the English would fare well to appreciate that English no more belongs to the English alone. It has so many variants and and accents across the world. Liberian English is a good example and Liberians need to let go of the inferiority complex associated with speaking it.