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Indian-origin man reacts to remark about lacking Indian accent: ‘English doesn’t belong to group of people’
An Indian origin man said English is global after a remark about his accent sparked debate online.
An Indian origin man has sparked a conversation online after responding to a comment about his English accent. Taking to Instagram, the man, identified as Sukhi, shared a video in which he addressed a question that read, “You’re literally the very first Indian I hear talking English without ‘the’ Indian accent.”
(Also read: ‘His English has a Hindi tone’: Ranchi man slams Jaipur firm for rejecting friend over Indian accent)
Sukhi began his response by saying, “Let’s talk about it. Apart from my very first response being, ‘Have you never been on the internet?’ It’s quite an interesting response because it kind of shows how narrow our view of English can be.”
He explained that the comment reflected a common assumption that people of Indian origin are expected to speak English in a particular way. “There’s this assumption that because I look like this, I should have some kind of an Indian accent. There isn’t just one Indian sounding or looking accent,” he said.
(Also read: ‘I’m very much a Bangalore girl with a British accent’: Akshata Murty on identity, heritage)
‘English is truly global’
Sukhi further said that his way of speaking was shaped by his background as a child of immigrants. “This is literally what happens when you’re a child of immigrants. You’re born and raised in a country that isn’t of your heritage, you know?” he said.
He pointed out that Indian voices in English exist across several countries, including the UK, Canada, the USA, Australia, South Africa, Mauritius, Singapore, Kenya and Uganda. According to him, such comments show how limited some people’s exposure is to the many ways English is spoken around the world.
“There’s also this assumption that English should sound or look a particular way,” Sukhi said, adding that he had often faced comments such as, “Where are you from? What are you? Wow, your English is so good! You’re not really British, though, are you?”
He concluded by saying, “Yeah, English doesn’t belong to a group of people; it is truly global. And the idea that you need to sound native or look a particular way to be taken seriously is an inherited idea, and it’s outdated. Your voice doesn’t need to fit a mold to be valid, despite what the systems we’re in might suggest.”
The clip was shared with the caption, “Let’s our expand our idea of what English sounds and looks like.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The video drew several reactions online, with many users agreeing with Sukhi’s point. One user wrote, “This is such an important conversation.” Another said, “People really need to understand that accents are shaped by where you grow up.” A third commented, “English has never sounded just one way.”
(Also read: Indian tourist switches smoothly from Hindi gaalis to posh British accent after arrest. Viral video)
Another user wrote, “This is why representation matters.” Someone else said, “The comment he received shows how limited people’s worldview can be.” Another added, “Being Indian origin and British can exist at the same time.” One user also remarked, “Your accent does not decide your identity.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
