Difficult time understanding Indian accents

machadinha · Dec 22nd, 2007, 02:34

Of course. All made in India, isn't it

karuna · Dec 22nd, 2007, 02:38

I don't know, I think I prefer prons. Prawn is a silly word.

I have been told the word is definitely Po-TAT-o ("a" as in cat). Not potayto OR potahto, but potatto. This is the correct way to say it, which rather ruins the song, don't you think?

rushie82 · Dec 22nd, 2007, 05:15

"The school is like a garden. You are the seeds, school is the soil. We will bury you in this soil, pour water of knowledge on your heads and one day will become great phools."

"Bengalis do not have 's' sound and Oriyas do not have 'sh'. So when Bengalis sing 'God shave the queen', Oriyas shout 'Same, same'."

The Bengalis like to 'shit outside' in the cool 'bridge'. Of course, it is impossible to cross the Howrah 'breeze' these days, especially during the 'crush' hour, when your clothes in the crowded buses get 'crust'

And a Delhi teenager might ask a restaurant waiter to 'rape the snakes' (wrap the snacks) and 'snakes' could be anything from 'peeza' to 'baig-dish' (baked dish) to 'senwich' or a plain 'aam-late'. And the waiter asks 'Do you want them raped separate, separate or together ?'

And two IIT Kanpur professors were bickering about regional accents. When one Bihari professor got up to make a speech "Bhy bharchu of the authority bheshted in me ...." he was interrupted by his Malayali colleague, (A Malayali colleague = Malayaleague) who commented "What atrocious accent !". Stung, the Bihari retorted. "Bhat bil you shay ?" "Why, I would say it 'praperly'" said the Malayali "Like 'By wertu yof the yatarity wasted in me...."

I am not knowing if you are doing the understanding ?

P.S. All this is taken from Machindia's desi humour link. I hope he doesnt mind.

machadinha · Dec 22nd, 2007, 05:22

Not at all, it's there for the taking right, I just stumbled into it myself one lucky day. Thanks for the laughs, hadn't seen it in a while. That professors one really tops it off

edwardseco · Dec 22nd, 2007, 05:40

Good one Rush(d)ie..

shashank.aggarwal · Dec 22nd, 2007, 09:38

Amazing ones Rush..I am still holding my stomach and I am feeling "same, same" too..

Aishah · Dec 22nd, 2007, 14:38

Simv - wonderful emulation of accent in your spelling - you had me in stitches!
camelgirl - Mr K and his nephews can speak very easily and understand French English far better than me. Whenever French come I go into hiding and leave them to it.French and Indians have just the right English accents to understand each other.
Karuna - this z for j is so common - which is why its Jakir Hussein and not Zakir Hussein the tabla player I always knew! D's also almost as difficult in script for me as T's too - and there is a pronunciation of 'r' which sounds like a 'd' as well.
edwardesco - great post, I'm still laughing!!

brownboy66 · Dec 22nd, 2007, 16:46

This is a great thread, and very educational as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by incitatus

It's absolutely amazing the number of things you can tell someone to do with a chicken in Hindi.
Maybe I'll start a thread......

It always amazes me once you get into a language how much more colourful they are compared to English. Back home if you have a good friend - you might refer to him as a bas*#rd - and if you're really angry with some guy then guess what - you call him a bas*#rd. English can be very limiting sometimes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardseco

Turns out with my accent and the subtle colloquial meanings in Hindi unknown to me I had given an X rated academic lecture (be careful with the verb to sit). I was invited back for next year's convention..

How come my university lectures were never this fun! Still, if you're giving a lecture of breeding techniques - what better occasion to get an x-rating!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Australians, now... I just want to know how they managed to discover five totally different vowels?

they're still looking.....

We, of course, just across the ditch from Australia are still looking for just one vowel....

As recent arrivals to India - its not so much the accent we find difficult - its the speed of the pronunciation. If everyone speaks slowly it seems to be ok, but once someone gets excited its like a machine gun!

Bigzero · Dec 22nd, 2007, 19:06

One common issue i find with Mallu's is their inability to pronounce "z".

like, Maruti sen, sero etc.

You go to some other states, they become Maruti Jen and Jero!

My uncle used to tell me story from his early days in the military. it seems a soldier's ( a sardar, if I remember the story correctly ) number was 6606 or 6066 or something. Everyone used to wait for the guy to go "Jig-jig-jero-jig" when asked...

Khandoma · Dec 23rd, 2007, 16:34

At the Indian Rail roulette I have won the two-berth compartment in the train from Hassan to Hospet, so I'm pretty much stuck with this one guy. An elderly gentleman, he owns a sugar factory in Hospet. And he wants to talk, with a vengeance. We go through the usual suspects, family, work. At some point he asks if I packed water, as he forgot to, and I give him one of my two bottles. Then back to my life story, and soon pops this question :

- Do you have digli ?

I make him repeat. And I rack my brains. Is this food ? Sweets perhaps ? Or some generic medicine ? What could an old man like that need ? I'm totally blanking out here, and he can tell, so he repeats, very loud in case it's my hearing that's wrong :

- Digli ? College digli ?

And then it hits me.
I swear to Krishna, next time I have to produce a resume, there'll be a "College Digli" section.

Nick-H · Dec 23rd, 2007, 16:42

Took me a long time to get that one.

Maybe because I have no digli

!

Combine that with my deafness, and I would, almost certainly have replied, sorry, I don't have any idli, although, yes, I like it for breakfast, and it is great for soothing an upset stomach.

He probably wouldn't have spoken to me again for the rest of the trip.

Aishah · Dec 23rd, 2007, 16:51

This 'r' and 'l' sounding the same - there's a sugar, jaggery, here which sounds to me like 'gul' but I think it actually is 'gur'. Funny story, Khandoma!
Unless I've missed it, I don't think anyone has explained what a Mallu is - would love to know.

shashank.aggarwal · Dec 23rd, 2007, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aishah

Unless I've missed it, I don't think anyone has explained what a Mallu is - would love to know.

I guess some one did explain it..

Mallu is short form or slang for Malyali, people from Kerala ..

Aishah · Dec 23rd, 2007, 18:13

Thanks, Shashank!

Nick-H · Dec 23rd, 2007, 23:53

I did type that information into the box.

Maybe I pressed the wrong button.

It happens

...

Dec 22nd, 2007, 02:34	#61
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 9,369	Of course. All made in India, isn't it __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Dec 22nd, 2007, 09:38	#66
shashank.aggarwal Mr. Tagless Join Date: May 2007 Location: ~ Dilli ~ Posts: 4,669	Amazing ones Rush..I am still holding my stomach and I am feeling "same, same" too.. __________________ Travelogue - Around India Random Reviews

Dec 22nd, 2007, 14:38	#67
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 3,715	Simv - wonderful emulation of accent in your spelling - you had me in stitches! camelgirl - Mr K and his nephews can speak very easily and understand French English far better than me. Whenever French come I go into hiding and leave them to it.French and Indians have just the right English accents to understand each other. Karuna - this z for j is so common - which is why its Jakir Hussein and not Zakir Hussein the tabla player I always knew! D's also almost as difficult in script for me as T's too - and there is a pronunciation of 'r' which sounds like a 'd' as well. edwardesco - great post, I'm still laughing!! __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Dec 22nd, 2007, 19:06	#69
Bigzero back to my old ways Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,427	One common issue i find with Mallu's is their inability to pronounce "z". like, Maruti sen, sero etc. You go to some other states, they become Maruti Jen and Jero! My uncle used to tell me story from his early days in the military. it seems a soldier's ( a sardar, if I remember the story correctly ) number was 6606 or 6066 or something. Everyone used to wait for the guy to go "Jig-jig-jero-jig" when asked... __________________ miles to go.... Bigzero's Photo Gallery

Dec 23rd, 2007, 16:34	#70
Khandoma Gourmet Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Paris Posts: 302	At the Indian Rail roulette I have won the two-berth compartment in the train from Hassan to Hospet, so I'm pretty much stuck with this one guy. An elderly gentleman, he owns a sugar factory in Hospet. And he wants to talk, with a vengeance. We go through the usual suspects, family, work. At some point he asks if I packed water, as he forgot to, and I give him one of my two bottles. Then back to my life story, and soon pops this question : - Do you have digli ? I make him repeat. And I rack my brains. Is this food ? Sweets perhaps ? Or some generic medicine ? What could an old man like that need ? I'm totally blanking out here, and he can tell, so he repeats, very loud in case it's my hearing that's wrong : - Digli ? College digli ? And then it hits me. I swear to Krishna, next time I have to produce a resume, there'll be a "College Digli" section. __________________ Khandoma Visit my India photo gallery on IndiaMike

Dec 22nd, 2007, 02:38	#62
karuna Ben Goldacre's B*tch Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Posts: 922	I don't know, I think I prefer prons. Prawn is a silly word. I have been told the word is definitely Po-TAT-o ("a" as in cat). Not potayto OR potahto, but potatto. This is the correct way to say it, which rather ruins the song, don't you think?

Dec 22nd, 2007, 05:15	#63
rushie82 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: India Posts: 46	"The school is like a garden. You are the seeds, school is the soil. We will bury you in this soil, pour water of knowledge on your heads and one day will become great phools." "Bengalis do not have 's' sound and Oriyas do not have 'sh'. So when Bengalis sing 'God shave the queen', Oriyas shout 'Same, same'." The Bengalis like to 'shit outside' in the cool 'bridge'. Of course, it is impossible to cross the Howrah 'breeze' these days, especially during the 'crush' hour, when your clothes in the crowded buses get 'crust' And a Delhi teenager might ask a restaurant waiter to 'rape the snakes' (wrap the snacks) and 'snakes' could be anything from 'peeza' to 'baig-dish' (baked dish) to 'senwich' or a plain 'aam-late'. And the waiter asks 'Do you want them raped separate, separate or together ?' And two IIT Kanpur professors were bickering about regional accents. When one Bihari professor got up to make a speech "Bhy bharchu of the authority bheshted in me ...." he was interrupted by his Malayali colleague, (A Malayali colleague = Malayaleague) who commented "What atrocious accent !". Stung, the Bihari retorted. "Bhat bil you shay ?" "Why, I would say it 'praperly'" said the Malayali "Like 'By wertu yof the yatarity wasted in me...." I am not knowing if you are doing the understanding ? P.S. All this is taken from Machindia's desi humour link. I hope he doesnt mind.

Dec 22nd, 2007, 05:22	#64
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 9,369	Not at all, it's there for the taking right, I just stumbled into it myself one lucky day. Thanks for the laughs, hadn't seen it in a while. That professors one really tops it off

Dec 22nd, 2007, 05:40	#65
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,536	Good one Rush(d)ie..

Dec 23rd, 2007, 16:42	#71
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,468	Took me a long time to get that one. Maybe because I have no digli ! Combine that with my deafness, and I would, almost certainly have replied, sorry, I don't have any idli, although, yes, I like it for breakfast, and it is great for soothing an upset stomach. He probably wouldn't have spoken to me again for the rest of the trip. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Dec 23rd, 2007, 16:51	#72
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 3,715	This 'r' and 'l' sounding the same - there's a sugar, jaggery, here which sounds to me like 'gul' but I think it actually is 'gur'. Funny story, Khandoma! Unless I've missed it, I don't think anyone has explained what a Mallu is - would love to know.

Dec 23rd, 2007, 18:13	#74
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 3,715	Thanks, Shashank!

Dec 23rd, 2007, 23:53	#75
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,468	I did type that information into the box. Maybe I pressed the wrong button. It happens ...

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