English or Hinglish - does it matter what Indian students are learning?

[Francis Hult]

Guardian

 

English or Hinglish - does it matter what Indian students are learning?

 

What kind of English should Indians be learning? Purists argue that language skills must meet international standards, but experience tells us that local languages will add flavour to the mix. The result may be fine for the street, but when it comes to the workplace, it is just not good enough.

 

India speaks a lot of English, but she is also known for a dozen more languages spoken across the country - including Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati - plus zillions of dialects. These pop up in spoken English now and then, giving clues about the speaker's origins. Hmmm... was that a piece of south Rajasthan, across the sand dune, but close to the camel market slang that I heard there? You get the picture.

 

Full story:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2010/jan/27/english-hinglish-for-indian-students

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