Comments on: Indlish http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html Alexis Leon's weblog Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:57:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Chacko http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1763 Chacko Wed, 02 May 2007 10:08:06 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1763 :D.. I think English in every non-English speaking country differs. we can see the difference in accents ,grammar etc etc among people from different countries. As we talk about Indian English, here am able to see Philippines English, Egyptian English, Portuguese English etc etc.... and all of them make same mistakes in English. BTW below is a website about Engrish :) http://www.engrish.com/ :D.. I think English in every non-English speaking country differs. we can see the difference in accents ,grammar etc etc among people from different countries. As we talk about Indian English, here am able to see Philippines English, Egyptian English, Portuguese English etc etc…. and all of them make same mistakes in English.

BTW below is a website about Engrish :)

http://www.engrish.com/

]]> By: Alexis Leon http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1750 Alexis Leon Sat, 28 Apr 2007 05:21:30 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1750 <b>lalitha</b>: It is an interesting book. <b>bindu</b>: Your college professor was a very sensible person :-) lalitha: It is an interesting book.

bindu: Your college professor was a very sensible person :-)

]]> By: bindu http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1748 bindu Thu, 26 Apr 2007 18:26:13 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1748 i agree with you and anju totally. learning has to be enjoyed. was lucky to get good english teachers throught. one of our college proefssors used to tell the class - "pillere, read some mills& boons at least, you will enjoy them at this age and your english will also improve" :-) i agree with you and anju totally. learning has to be enjoyed. was lucky to get good english teachers throught.
one of our college proefssors used to tell the class - “pillere, read some mills& boons at least, you will enjoy them at this age and your english will also improve” :-)

]]> By: lalitha http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1746 lalitha Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:15:43 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1746 Thanks for the info Alex. will try to get a hold of this book.sounds interesting.How are you doing. Thanks for the info Alex. will try to get a hold of this book.sounds interesting.How are you doing.

]]> By: Alexis Leon http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1741 Alexis Leon Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:55:18 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1741 <b>anju</b>: English is a wonderful language—flexible, versatile, adaptive and universal. I love it in both forms—flamboyant, dazzling, and dashing and plain, simple, and concise. An exponent can bend the rules or as <b>poison</b> said, can create his/her own rules. That is the beauty of the language. And there are many exponents of the language who create magic with their words in my blogroll. I am fortunate to have stumbled upon those wonderful blogs and proud that I can call the authors my friends :-) <b>poison</b>: I completely agree with you buddy. But, you need to know the rules to bend them or create new ones. The book is mainly for journalists and reporters where grammatical errors and verbosity will distract the reader from the news and truth. But that does not diminish the importance of stylish writing. If everybody wrote plain English on every occasion then it would be very boring. So whenever you get an opportunity follow your heart. Your last post was absolutely brilliant. And it is when you are at home and resting, your writing rocks. I didn’t see any flamboyance in the posts while you were in Chennai and Mumbai ;-) <b>bijoy</b>: Thanks Bijoy and welcome to my blog. <b>chekku</b>: <i>Actually am enjoying the first 2 comments in the blog more than the blog…</i> LOL... I think your mom did a wonderful job in teaching you English and making you love the language. My English teacher in the 10<sup>th</sup> grade never bothered to teach us grammar. But every day, we had to write an essay and he would come up with weird topics. Most of my classmates used to dread the English class, but I used to love that class and writing the essays. anju: English is a wonderful language—flexible, versatile, adaptive and universal. I love it in both forms—flamboyant, dazzling, and dashing and plain, simple, and concise. An exponent can bend the rules or as poison said, can create his/her own rules. That is the beauty of the language.

And there are many exponents of the language who create magic with their words in my blogroll. I am fortunate to have stumbled upon those wonderful blogs and proud that I can call the authors my friends :-)

poison: I completely agree with you buddy. But, you need to know the rules to bend them or create new ones. The book is mainly for journalists and reporters where grammatical errors and verbosity will distract the reader from the news and truth.

But that does not diminish the importance of stylish writing. If everybody wrote plain English on every occasion then it would be very boring. So whenever you get an opportunity follow your heart. Your last post was absolutely brilliant. And it is when you are at home and resting, your writing rocks. I didn’t see any flamboyance in the posts while you were in Chennai and Mumbai ;-)

bijoy: Thanks Bijoy and welcome to my blog.

chekku: Actually am enjoying the first 2 comments in the blog more than the blog… LOL…

I think your mom did a wonderful job in teaching you English and making you love the language. My English teacher in the 10th grade never bothered to teach us grammar. But every day, we had to write an essay and he would come up with weird topics. Most of my classmates used to dread the English class, but I used to love that class and writing the essays.

]]> By: chekku http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1740 chekku Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:00:32 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1740 Actually am enjoying the first 2 comments in the blog more than the blog... My mom being a english teacher, I was subjected to intense grammar scrutiny..everytime to prove her wrong!!:-P But like you said you learn a language by loving it..never been a big fan of typical style of teaching grammar in school.. Actually am enjoying the first 2 comments in the blog more than the blog…

My mom being a english teacher, I was subjected to intense grammar scrutiny..everytime to prove her wrong!!:-P

But like you said you learn a language by loving it..never been a big fan of typical style of teaching grammar in school..

]]> By: bijoy http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1739 bijoy Mon, 23 Apr 2007 05:17:57 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1739 Nice post, its a really cool blog that you have here, keep up the good work, will be back. Nice post, its a really cool blog that you have here, keep up the good work, will be back.

]]> By: poison http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1738 poison Sun, 22 Apr 2007 18:40:49 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1738 i am a sucker for the verbose if given half a chance. :-D i love this language too much. terse and precise letters and technical documentation has become the order of the day at work. having an opportunity to let go, feels the same as flying like a hawk, somewhere above, rapt in bliss! i completely agree with one thing. :-) the official victorian tinge is slightly visible in letters written by people from the older generation, and a large number of letters from people of my generation lack finesse. i used to be good at grammar 7 years ago. now i make my own grammar :-D people like me will ruin this language one day! what can i say .. too many cooks spoil the broth! i am a sucker for the verbose if given half a chance. :-D
i love this language too much.

terse and precise letters and technical documentation has become the order of the day at work. having an opportunity to let go, feels the same as flying like a hawk, somewhere above, rapt in bliss!

i completely agree with one thing. :-) the official victorian tinge is slightly visible in letters written by people from the older generation, and a large number of letters from people of my generation lack finesse. i used to be good at grammar 7 years ago. now i make my own grammar :-D

people like me will ruin this language one day! what can i say .. too many cooks spoil the broth!

]]> By: anju http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1737 anju Sun, 22 Apr 2007 06:09:14 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1737 Thank you for that long reply! :) You are right about writing and reading. Reading develops your language, writing develops your communication skills and delivery. Really liked the post, the thoughts it evoked and the small dialogue created here. I just LOVE English!!!! Thank you for that long reply! :) You are right about writing and reading. Reading develops your language, writing develops your communication skills and delivery. Really liked the post, the thoughts it evoked and the small dialogue created here. I just LOVE English!!!!

]]> By: Alexis Leon http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1736 Alexis Leon Sun, 22 Apr 2007 05:00:56 +0000 http://www.alexisleon.com/ros/2007/04/21/indlish.html#comment-1736 English writing should be learned by reading a lot and writing a lot. That is the advice given by almost all the famous writers and effective communicators of English. I have read the same advice in the books by William Zinsser (On Writing Well), Stephen King (On Writing), Jack Heffron (The Writers Idea Book), and many more. This book--Indlish--is not different. It is not a grammar book. It makes fun of the pompous, verbose and circumlocutory writing style and explains how to avoid forming such habits. It helps in 'un-learning' what have been taught in grammar classes. The best way to learn English is to read a lot, and then write a lot. You will develop an 'ear' for good and correct English in this way and there is no need to formally study grammar. And if one ever needs a grammar book all the information required to write grammatically correct English can be got from the pocket-sized, 105 page classic--Elements of Style by Strunk and White. It is no surprise that you aced your grammar test. With the number of books you have read--I read your book tag a long time back where you have mentioned about finding the trunk full of books from your grandfather's attic--your success was assured. Reading good books is more effective than taking a grammar class. Only difference is that while the former method is slow but everlasting, the latter is quick but will never help a person become a good writer. While one method is fueled by the love of the language, the other is forced and insincere. I completely agree with you. Language learning should be aided with the right reading materials in the same language. And, yes, English is blessed with brilliant authors and wonderful books. Am equally sorry for the long comment, but this language is not only close to my heart but also my livelihood :-) English writing should be learned by reading a lot and writing a lot. That is the advice given by almost all the famous writers and effective communicators of English. I have read the same advice in the books by William Zinsser (On Writing Well), Stephen King (On Writing), Jack Heffron (The Writers Idea Book), and many more. This book–Indlish–is not different. It is not a grammar book. It makes fun of the pompous, verbose and circumlocutory writing style and explains how to avoid forming such habits. It helps in ‘un-learning’ what have been taught in grammar classes.

The best way to learn English is to read a lot, and then write a lot. You will develop an ‘ear’ for good and correct English in this way and there is no need to formally study grammar. And if one ever needs a grammar book all the information required to write grammatically correct English can be got from the pocket-sized, 105 page classic–Elements of Style by Strunk and White.

It is no surprise that you aced your grammar test. With the number of books you have read–I read your book tag a long time back where you have mentioned about finding the trunk full of books from your grandfather’s attic–your success was assured. Reading good books is more effective than taking a grammar class. Only difference is that while the former method is slow but everlasting, the latter is quick but will never help a person become a good writer. While one method is fueled by the love of the language, the other is forced and insincere.

I completely agree with you. Language learning should be aided with the right reading materials in the same language. And, yes, English is blessed with brilliant authors and wonderful books.

Am equally sorry for the long comment, but this language is not only close to my heart but also my livelihood :-)

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