Today, I happened to attend a video conference which featured Mr. Vinod Dham of the 'Pentium' fame. He certainly is a distinguished person who was behind the development of the Pentium processor, thus earning him the recognition as the 'Father of Pentium'.
Though I would have liked to dwell upon the topics that were discussed, the fact that it would also divert me from the idea which motivated me to pen this post was enough to discourage from that discourse. Anyways what amused me a lot during the whole talk was the moderator for the show, a certain professor of our insti(tute). The said professor was a 'Tamziha' fellow who ran into quite some trouble articulating the questions that were put forward by the students. This brings me to the point which I so eagerly want to share with my readers......the average Tamilian's pronunciation of the English language.
If you think that Tams (that's our way of referring to the localites) are experts in English, I would rather that you reconsider that view. Let alone words, their problem starts from the very first letter of the alphabet..namely 'YAH'. You got me..yes, they cannot pronounce 'A' the way it is supposed to be. Another letter that bugs them is 'HEIGTCH'....no prizes for guessing what it stands for. And this goes on for many more letters.
It is fun watching a Tam trying to make you understand what he is trying to tell you.... M.A goes as 'YUM YAH'.Yeaah man... . Actually one almost feels like pulling one's hair out when talking to a Tam. Well that can as well be said of the Andhra boys over here....if only they knew proper English....yes, no, come, go is all that leaves their mouths. But a Tam's English is more accentuated and leaves you trying hard to keep your guffaw inside of you. Of course, as I said this is true of an average Tam guy and doesn't mean there are no guys who can speak very fluently. In fact some of my friends put me to shame when we converse in English.
But for a professor in an institute of such recognition and fame, it truly is regrettable and that too in front of such a renowned personality was definitely something that should not have happened. Anyways, the talk left me trying to come to a definitive conclusion as to the number of ways the Indians lag behind the Americans, or lets say the West..
Joi Aai Axom...
