How far can we twist the Queen’s language?
Kudos to Vir Sanghvi for his free language tips in Mind Your Language (December 16). It is correct that in the defense of English, there is certain practical logic to some of our usages. Jargon may have a place, but it can never be a substitute for speaking correctly, for communicating crisply and efficiently. Every present generation youth must read the article.
M Sampathkumar, Delhi
11
Vir Sanghvi rightly stated that every newspaper and magazine use incorrect words for their communication in print. It is so because most persons speak neither English nor Hindi, but a mixture of both — Hinglish. Even in Hindi interviews on electronic and print media, often Hinglish is used. Hindi words are now found in Oxford dictionary too — a big achievement for India. Besides, there are no substitutes some Hindi words.
Mahesh Kumar, via e-mail
111
Vir Sanghvi missed mentioning a particular usage of the word ‘Mrs’. Everyone uses the word ‘Mrs’ while talking about female spouse. ‘Please meet my Mrs’. ‘Where is your Mrs’? But has anyone used the phrase ‘Mr’ while introducing a male spouse? ‘He is my Mr’. ‘Where is your Mr’? ‘Her Mr has not come today’. If the phrase ‘Mr’ is wrong, then why is the use of ‘Mrs’ correct? It happens only in India.
Jagpal Singh Dara, via e-mail
1V
What an irony that on the day when Vir Sanghvi waxed eloquent on the need for the newspapers to use correct English, his own paper headlined a news report ‘My govt strived to make Delhi better’ and that too on the front page. Will ‘strived’ become standardised as past tense of ‘strive’?
KS Bhalla, Delhi
1V
What an irony that on the day when Vir Sanghvi waxed eloquent on the need for the newspapers to use correct English, his own paper headlined a news report ‘My govt strived to make Delhi better’ and that too on the front page. Will ‘strived’ become standardised as past tense of ‘strive’?
KS Bhalla, Delhi
Gujarat Over BJP
Indrajit Hazra’s article What Rishi taught Modi (December 16) gives your readers misleading and false perceptions about our organisation as our client is IndextB, the investment promotion agency of the government of Gujarat and not Gujarat BJP, as mentioned in your column. Our sole mandate is to promote Gujarat as a global investment destination and we are committed towards promoting brand Gujarat to benefit the state and not any particular individual or party. Our mandate is apolitical and was won through a transparent and competitive bidding process. You should inform your readers accurately and fairly.
Devashish Dasgupta, via e-mail
Behind The Veil
Apropos of Manas Chakravarty’s article Terror funds in stock markets (December 16), it is intriguing how Afghan women denied of personal liberty and education show business acumen in on-line trade of stocks, relatively an advanced technique accessible to intelligence. Intelligence investigating agencies working to control the menace of Islamic terrorism must take a serious note lest the veiled cover breeds a 9/11 type of situation, as Pakistan and Afghanistan Islamic forces are working in tandem to promote jehad against non-Muslims.
Sudershan Walia, Amritsar