Hybrid ‘Hinglish’ lessons are being taught at a UK college for the first time in a bid to help Britain win business in India.
Portsmouth College has introduced a new course for the language, a mix of English and Hindi, which has been spoken since the 17th Century.
Hinglish is now becoming India’s most important language – to the extent that British diplomats posted to the country were told in 2012 they will need to learn it.
While this mixing has occurred since colonial times, it is now maturing and spreading across the country – meaning a diplomat without some understanding of the Hindi words can be left out of the loop in conversations or miss nuances which could affect relationships and business deals.
Hybrid ‘Hinglish’ lessons are being taught at a UK college for the first time in a bid to help Britain win business in India
Examples of Bollywood films using Hinglish in the titles include ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ (Once There was a Tiger), ‘Love Aaj Kal’ (Love Today Tomorrow) and ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects’ (The Side Effects of Marriage)
Portsmouth College teacher, Viraj Shah, told The Telegraph: ‘Films are being watched a lot of Indian people and right from the titles to the script, everything is in Hinglish.’
James Watters, a department head at the college, added: ‘It’s great to hear that our future generation of workers are taking into account that things that are happening around us.’
He said the course would make them ‘socially aware and better prepared for situations they may be faced with’.
For 200 years, English has always been a ‘language of choice’ for businesses, private schools and the upper classes.
Meanwhile words have always moved freely between the two languages – words used every day in English-speaking countries such as shampoo and pyjamas have their origins in India.
Portsmouth College has introduced a new course for the language, a mix of English and Hindi, which has been spoken since the 17th Century
For 200 years, En glish has always been a ‘language of choice’ for businesses, private schools and the upper classes
But with many Indian TV channels and movies now freely mixing the two languages, the impact is now spreading into other areas of life.
Examples of Bollywood films using Hinglish in the titles include ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ (Once There was a Tiger), ‘Love Aaj Kal’ (Love Today Tomorrow) and ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects’ (The Side Effects of Marriage).
It is also spreading across the country – with cheaper televisions and access to the internet spreading across rural areas spreading the influence further than the cities.
Hinglish glossary
‘Chuddies’ – underpants
‘Airdash’ – to go somewhere very quickly
‘Timepass’ – to pass time
‘Chaivanist’ – a person who is extremely fond of chai tea
‘Prepone’ – a word used to describe the opposite of postpone, i.e. bringing a meeting forward
‘Glassi’ – thirsty
Ladet year, the BBC hired journalists fluent in Pidgin and English to write for its new Pidgin English for Nigerian readers.
It was funded by a £289m investment by the Government to expand the BBC World Service into countries such as North Korea.
It is the first of 12 new language services as part of its biggest expansion since the 1940s.
Pidgin began when European traders started visiting the West African coastline to barter for slaves in the 15th century.
Similar to Creoles found in the Caribbean, it spread as English became a language of prestige in colonial times.
In a country whose inhabitants speak hundreds of different dialects, it is used as a lingua franca, or bridge language.
It is spoken by more than 75million people across the country.
Pidgin takes inspiration from Portuguese, the first European language to reach Nigeria’s shores, English, the enduring colonial-era language, as well as Jamaican patois imported by former slaves returning to the continent.
Widely-used phrases include ‘How you dey?’ (how are you?), ‘I dey fine’ (I’m okay) and ‘wahala’ (problem).
From English to Pidgin: Other stories on the BBC’s new website
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Leicester go don dey bite finger, as FIFA reject di English side application to register midfielder Adrien Silva.
Dis na because di club miss di deadline by 14 seconds – wey be less than one-quarter of a minute.
BBC Sport tori person, Steve Crossman, say Leicester sign di midfielder from Sporting Lisbon of Portugal for £22m, but dem no finish some part of dis deal before di Summer transfer window close on August 31.
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Tom Cruise Don Break Leg on top Mission: Impossible 6
American actor Tom Cruise break im ankle as e dey try do stunt for im latest film wey be Mission: Impossible 6.
Na Paramount film studio wey dey make the movie talk say, as dem dey record one scene, the Hollywood superstar wound, as e dey jump between two very tall buildings for London.
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Paramount Pictures, the film studio which makes the movies, said the Hollywood star was wounded while filming a jump between two high-rise buildings in London at the weekend.
Japan: Princess Mako don announce engagement
Princess Mako of Japan don announce say she wan marry person outside di royal family, after di Emperor give am green light.
Dis announcement na di first step for wetin go be one long engagement, before marriage and e go also mean say Princess Mako go lose her royal title and di better things wey royals dem dey enjoy for Japan.
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Why dem dey call Hurricane human being name
Hurricane na type of storm wey get plenty-plenty rain plus strong wind. Sometimes sef thunder go follow join.
Meteorologists wey dey research weather matter think say if dem give hurricane name, people go fit remember am well-well and e go help people wen dem dey talk about am.
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Tropical storms like hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons last a long time.
The Met Office says naming big storms means people are more aware of them and how dangerous they can be.
You go fit study Beyonce as university course?
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Local TV station say di class don already dey full; na 75 students register quick-quick for di course.
E be like say plenty people get interest for dis “Beyonce, Gender and Race” course, sotay di University of Copenhagen don move students go lecture hall wey get more space.
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