The hybrid language ‘Hinglish’, which is a mix of both Hindi and English, is spreading so fast in India that British diplomats posted to the country have now been told they will need to learn the language to ensure they remain in the loop in maintaining business
relationships.
Hinglish is made up by the “free mixing” of Hindi and English words and sentence structures or even within a single sentence.
“The Foreign Office is placing increasing importance on the ability to transact business in foreign languages,” the Daily Mail quoted a British high commission spokesman, as saying.
“English news channels often have a portion where people choose to express themselves in Hindi because it captures what they’re trying to say better than the English equivalent, so it’s increasingly important for British diplomats to be able to appreciate the nuances,” he added.
According to the paper, while this mixing has occurred since colonial times, it is now maturing and spreading across India, meaning a foreigner or diplomat without some understanding of the Hindi words could be left out of the loop.