Even though English is the official language of my country, it is not the primary (nor secondary, not even tertiary) spoken/written language of choice. Most of us in Karachi speak in Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, and at times in Minglish. Minglish is not any one particular language, and it can only adequately be described as a mixture of English and any other language that you happen to be speaking at the time.
For some odd reason, people in Karachi seem to think that the better they are able to speak/write in English, the cooler they will become. At this rate, an average Karachiite can be described as being lukewarm at best. Don't get me wrong, there are many of us who are best served chilled and even frozen solid. But it's from the mildly refrigerated that you will hear such remarks beginning with 'anyways,' and 'sorry for the inconvenient.' Loadshedding is pronounced load 'shading,' you pay premium 'own' top of the basic price, and everyone calls the Native Jetty 'naitee jaitee.'
So, you can probably imagine my surprise, when I heard a phrase that I had instantly put in that part of my brain marked 'vocabulary of the hot and humid,' as being absolutely correct in all forms of English; 'believe you me.'
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3 comments:
There are so many "urdu" words that are really english words badly mispronounced. The sweet thing you put in your tea is "shukar" or sugar, but the actual word is "cheenee". When you get out of the shower your dry yourself off with a "twell" or towel, but the actual word is "thoila". You serve soup in a "bowel" or a bowl, but the actual word is "pyala". If you need to loosen up something that is screwed tight you might use a pair of "plaas" or pliers. You might buy a cotton t-shirt one size too large because you expect it to "schlink" or shrink once you wash it. If you want to make some marinara sauce you will need a lot of "tumaater" or tomatos. You might go to the beach wearing "naykers" or knickers. I could go on and on. If you really start to pay attention, you will notice a lot of words that are perceived and commonly accepted urdu words but are actually horribly mispronounced english words. HEHEHE. Just you think it.
Shukar is a real Urdu word. I don't think I have ever heard anyone say twell or schlink, you know very strange people Shiraz.
It's not thoila, it's tolia. And tumatar and nayker are real Urdu words as well.
They are not English words that are 'horribly mispornounced'
Many languages overlap. :)
And again with the mind reading!
Shiraz, I cant say I've heard all the words you've listed but I agree with what you're saying.
Kindly add:
'behtar'...the urdu equivalent of better, & 'patloon'....the urdu equivalent of pantaloon, to the list.
Kirna, define what you mean by 'real Urdu words'.
Urdu is a mix of languages; persian and Arabic mainly so nothing is 'real' Urdu.
I don't know you're familiar with Arabic, but I can probably list a tonne of words that we have taken from Arabic....taken and altered to sound a little more 'us'.
Quite sad in my opinion.
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