When I say ‘your good self’ you call me a flattering Indian. But really you are good in the crowd for me.
When I say ‘your esteemed self’ you say I am lying. But really you are esteemed among all those, for me.
When I say ‘your good institution’, I do not cajole, but consider your’s a really good since there are many those I cannot call good.
When I ask 'What's your good name?', I sprinkle lot of optimism that a nice person like you should have equally nice name!
Still raising your eyebrows? Please don't.
My Indian English is as frank as I describe my parents as ‘beloved parents’ and a prime minister as ‘Hon. Prime Minister’. It’s also exactly like closing my letters with ‘yours sincerely’ when I’m genuinely sincere.
Not a pinch of flattery, but factual.
Comments
@ Mr. Bob: Thank u. I was pursuing such usages for long. Recently only it came to my notice that such Indian way of English is widely criticized regarding the genuineness of adjectives added. So I thought somewhere I should write down what's really in my heart while using my Indian usages.
I really like this Sivakumar. It is too bad the British and Americans did not adopt some of the polite Indian ways of addressing people. I do not doubt your sincerity for one minute and you have just educated me about some Indian phrases I heard but didn't really think about.
Thank you and please keep blogging so we can learn some more from you.
@ Mishaikh: Must be. As long as English enjoys reigning as an international language, it should be open to such regional variation as we do in India in saying 'good name' 'good self' and so on. Lest it has already started incorporating many Indian words periodically to its dictionary. So should be these Indian ways of addressing, too.
When English was ruling Indian Subcontinent, where they put number of impacts of their royal culture upon the inhabitants, they also had impact of the then LUKHNUVIAN CULTURE and they made the implication upon them.
You know why the Britishers (the old ones) hate American, it is because Americans have destroyed their beautiful language - English.