English is such a popular language, almost everyone from my maid to the auto fellow understand and speak with a sprinkling of words in their conversation. It is fun to hear some words mispronounced, used in a different connotation or just to be accepted in a conversation.
Let me begin with my maid, she is a woman no one messes with, she can take on 10 people half her age and get her job done, may it be at municipality or medical dispensary or the market. She has come a long way, educating her children and with great pride she claims that everyone of her five children can read and write English well. The other day she wanted a recommendation for her daughter who was called for an interview for a job. I helped her daughter make her resume and gave her a few prints and wished her all the best and told her I would see if I knew someone who would consider my recommendation! Next morning my maid came in, smiling from ear to ear. I knew there was good news and before I could ask she thanked me for helping her daughter in making her 'Tata bye bye' presentable. I asked her what she meant - so the recommendation worked? or they were impressed by her certificates. Then it finally dawned to me, that what she meant was Biodata! Phew!! That was tough. Now I can figure this quaint jumble and understand what she is trying to say.
There are a few people I know who want to speak the language to show off. Years ago, when I was expecting my first child, I got advise from all my neighbours, about what to eat, what not to eat, what to do and what not to do, frankly I could write a book today, just based on the advise of my concerned neighbours. One of them, a middle aged woman walked in one day and inspected my refrigerator and said, you know you should start eating more garbage to avoid constipation which is not a god thing in pregnancy. I nodded and caught on to what she wanted to say, which was - roughage or more fiber in my diet!! Later we became good friends and I took valuable advice from her. She would also come and take my opinion matters of shopping and what party wear would look good. One day, she walked in wearing a lovely but over-the-top kind of a saree. She looked at my expression and asked, am I looking too prompt?? This was classic and it was not easy for me, but I said she looked good. She went on to the party, more confident than happy!!
One more before I sign off. I went to a boutique to bye some outfits, and the owner is well known to me and very accommodating to me. Her daughter walked in while I was there. A sweet teenager who started chatting with me. I asked her what she wanted to do after school. Her mother quickly replied that her daughter likes a laid back life, and she has decided to become an English Professor in one of the elite girls college in Delhi. She would have to work half day and dreams of traveling in a 'lemonise' with a driver and have a good time! That's life!! I got it - the lemonise was meant to be understood as a Limousine!
What a lemon!!
Let me begin with my maid, she is a woman no one messes with, she can take on 10 people half her age and get her job done, may it be at municipality or medical dispensary or the market. She has come a long way, educating her children and with great pride she claims that everyone of her five children can read and write English well. The other day she wanted a recommendation for her daughter who was called for an interview for a job. I helped her daughter make her resume and gave her a few prints and wished her all the best and told her I would see if I knew someone who would consider my recommendation! Next morning my maid came in, smiling from ear to ear. I knew there was good news and before I could ask she thanked me for helping her daughter in making her 'Tata bye bye' presentable. I asked her what she meant - so the recommendation worked? or they were impressed by her certificates. Then it finally dawned to me, that what she meant was Biodata! Phew!! That was tough. Now I can figure this quaint jumble and understand what she is trying to say.
There are a few people I know who want to speak the language to show off. Years ago, when I was expecting my first child, I got advise from all my neighbours, about what to eat, what not to eat, what to do and what not to do, frankly I could write a book today, just based on the advise of my concerned neighbours. One of them, a middle aged woman walked in one day and inspected my refrigerator and said, you know you should start eating more garbage to avoid constipation which is not a god thing in pregnancy. I nodded and caught on to what she wanted to say, which was - roughage or more fiber in my diet!! Later we became good friends and I took valuable advice from her. She would also come and take my opinion matters of shopping and what party wear would look good. One day, she walked in wearing a lovely but over-the-top kind of a saree. She looked at my expression and asked, am I looking too prompt?? This was classic and it was not easy for me, but I said she looked good. She went on to the party, more confident than happy!!
One more before I sign off. I went to a boutique to bye some outfits, and the owner is well known to me and very accommodating to me. Her daughter walked in while I was there. A sweet teenager who started chatting with me. I asked her what she wanted to do after school. Her mother quickly replied that her daughter likes a laid back life, and she has decided to become an English Professor in one of the elite girls college in Delhi. She would have to work half day and dreams of traveling in a 'lemonise' with a driver and have a good time! That's life!! I got it - the lemonise was meant to be understood as a Limousine!
What a lemon!!
hahahaah lovely stories keep them coming :)
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