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Coming to terms with a dialect of English
Perhaps I should call it the national language of USA, and even term it a dialect of English if I felt charitable enough. Or I could coin 'Amenglish' - on the lines of other 'cross-fertilized', thriving tongues like Hinglish, Pinglish, Binglish, Minglish, and umpteen others commonly heard in India. Here are some objective, light-hearted notes on the pros and cons of language evolution. You'll agree that they are just(ified).
Long ago, my English teacher had marked "Expression!" in red on the margin, when checking a certain phrase in my shool-level essay. I realised that the phrase did not read quite well, and that's how I learn about "expression" in written language. Now of course, I go by the maxim "Does this phrase or sentence sound right to the polished ear?", and then continue. And find that I prefer the language in its form that stayed back home on the east side of the Atlantic!
- You need to be politically correct only in the US, elsewhere simply, sincerely conveyed thoughts in plain language (used to) serve the purpose.
- Do we fill fuel, petrol or gas? - That depends not on the crude outlet, but on geographic location
- There may come a time when the colon, semi-colon and comma and their brethren are talked of as period punctuation marks. (remember the clichéd panda who eats shoots and leaves)
- Thank goodness Maria von Trapp accepted the language as is. Remember her plaintive queries when she had to learn the language - "if freeze can be 'froze' and 'frozen', why can't sneeze be 'snoze' and 'snozen'?" and "if the plural of mouse is mice, why can't the plural of house be hice?"
Indian courts are spending years debating laws that are anachronistic or otherwise. But I am now wary of a few words and their definitions. In the '80s I proudly joined in as my school's choir sang the school song, part of which goes - "the school with children all so gay". (I am sure the song has been overhauled by now). The composer could not have known the other definitions for the word, which have sadly overtaken the earlier, 'purer' meanings. Also, it is likely that the next generation will wonder what the singer meant when he crooned "I'm happy, gay and contented, why can't you be happy too?". (Perhaps counsel could use this in court to coax a favourable ruling).
I wonder if HL Mencken gave a thought to the thousands of America's native languages and dialects when he wrote his book
English has been doing stylishly well over centuries, without these dandies - AP, MLA, APA, AMA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, CGOS, CBE, x, y, z... but why should I fret - these are writing styles in Amenglish, after all.
Do I hear - "Be politically correct, or else!"
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