In other laments, why do some people in India try to use English when they clearly can't? It's perfectly OK to be good at your native language and be proud of it, I would want to believe. Yet, even in the remotest corners of India, you'll find big sign boards in English when more than half the population around those parts cannot and doesn't care to understand what they say. Very strange.
This, of course, is totally unrelated to the situation in my house. We are a Maharashtrian family employing two Tamilian maids who converse in Kannada with each other in our house so that we can understand them too. Now that's just the beauty of India - why discard all that for English? In my defense, I blog in English because unfortunately it's the language in which I can best express myself. But that's what everyone else should do - use the language they can express themselves best with. That depends on the listener as much as the speaker, of course. Which brings me to the next paragraph.
Given that my company is American which has employees from all over India and visitors from beyond, I do cut the staff here some slack. So instead of protesting when I see their deformed notices and signboards, I just take a few photos and smile. Once in a while someone comes up to me and asks (in English of course) whether there's something wrong with the signboards. I say "Kaadu" and walk away.
Here's today's catch:
The first is our feedback register for the company's canteen. Apparently, Bock was fed. They just wanted to make sure you knew that.
And then, I was glad to know that when the company bathroom is under maintanse, we are duly informed. Why it is dangerous to enter the bathroom while it is under maintanse, I'll never know, though.
Cute skull huh?
8 comments:
I couldnt take a picture of it.. But we had a mail tht was sent to the company wide alias, apologizing for the 'incontinence' caused due to lack of fruit juice in the cafeteria.
We managed pretty well.
This is EXACTLY why I need a camera phone.. to revive my blog !
While I am devastated by the (good?) news, I have a question on the case of using the language best for expressing oneself.
Language being a means of communication, if I need to communicate to someone, isn't it imperative that I use a language in which I assume my audience is comfortable in, rather than the language in which I can best express myself?
IMHO, one's capability of expression is constrained by the audience's capability of comprehension.
@apps: Haha, I still have that mail lying around. With your perm, it can be added here.
@sunny: "But that's what everyone else should do - use the language they can express themselves best with. That depends on the listener as much as the speaker, of course."
Yes, I do agree with you, and I had made that point, perhaps not strongly enough.
Go ahead! .. steal my thunder..
Ok, I may be dense - but I need to know. What *is* Fed Bock?
@appu: Consider it stolen - umm, when I'm not feeling lazy, that is.
@baji: "feedback" - and no, you're not dense. The guy who wrote it is just a little too imaginative.
OMG ... waah, maanla baba... even though that part of your post started with 'The first is our feedback register for the company's canteen.', I didnt catch on - Fed Bock was *that* awesome ... muchas gracias for the explanation, dost.
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