Monday, November 22, 2004
In the company of Indians
Saturday we went one friend's daughter's birthday party. It was good to meet friends and some new people. However because of so many people at the same place discussion was more cursory and formal in nature. I somehow seem to be preferring having just 2-3 people at home or in any meeting as that gives alot more opportunity for a proper discussion.
Another problem is topics chosen for the discussion. Most of my indian friends are generally NOT at all well read. Most of the times they have mainly read the technical books and some mainstream us/indian news. Discussion usually involves some standard current affairs and one's own office related stuff and some general shit about IT industry and how indians are doing in US. It usually lacks a sense of humour , candid-ness and in-depth insight and usually its full of banalities.
What I am looking for is someone who is interested in discussing about books , music , some lighter jokes/poetry , some humourous incidents/anecedotes , vivid descriptions of peculiar places or people , any adventurous trip , any open / frank discussion on sex etc... but offlate I am finding it more and more difficult to find such people whose company I can really enjoy. Part of the problem has been my own health which forced me to cut down on drinks , sports and other active socialisation. With my improving health I am starting more tennis and trying to get the company of some interesting people.
Part of the reasons many indians have lost their sense of humour is probably because of language mess. Most of the indians know hindi or some other indian language and have good fluency in english as conversational language. However their english lacks spontaniety , sense of humour , naturalness , idiomatic uses etc and many of them still think in indian language and then translate it in English or their english sounds too simple and it lacks subtle nuances. Similarly many of them dont have full command on their language as well. For example many of them can just speak hindi or watch hindi movies and listen hindi songs. They dont read or write or regularly use their indian language so their command and native language is also lost. So on the one hand they might know multiple languages but on the other hand they dont have real mastery on any language.
My own language scenario is bit messy and my English is quite simple and plain. My Hindi is slighlty better and I can speak chaste and idiomatic Hindi with hopefully good sense of humour and interesting phrases. I regulary read hindi books and write diary in Hindi. However for the last 10-12 years with my increased presence in english dominated work and countries I am kind of losing touch with Hindi sometimes.
Another problem is topics chosen for the discussion. Most of my indian friends are generally NOT at all well read. Most of the times they have mainly read the technical books and some mainstream us/indian news. Discussion usually involves some standard current affairs and one's own office related stuff and some general shit about IT industry and how indians are doing in US. It usually lacks a sense of humour , candid-ness and in-depth insight and usually its full of banalities.
What I am looking for is someone who is interested in discussing about books , music , some lighter jokes/poetry , some humourous incidents/anecedotes , vivid descriptions of peculiar places or people , any adventurous trip , any open / frank discussion on sex etc... but offlate I am finding it more and more difficult to find such people whose company I can really enjoy. Part of the problem has been my own health which forced me to cut down on drinks , sports and other active socialisation. With my improving health I am starting more tennis and trying to get the company of some interesting people.
Part of the reasons many indians have lost their sense of humour is probably because of language mess. Most of the indians know hindi or some other indian language and have good fluency in english as conversational language. However their english lacks spontaniety , sense of humour , naturalness , idiomatic uses etc and many of them still think in indian language and then translate it in English or their english sounds too simple and it lacks subtle nuances. Similarly many of them dont have full command on their language as well. For example many of them can just speak hindi or watch hindi movies and listen hindi songs. They dont read or write or regularly use their indian language so their command and native language is also lost. So on the one hand they might know multiple languages but on the other hand they dont have real mastery on any language.
My own language scenario is bit messy and my English is quite simple and plain. My Hindi is slighlty better and I can speak chaste and idiomatic Hindi with hopefully good sense of humour and interesting phrases. I regulary read hindi books and write diary in Hindi. However for the last 10-12 years with my increased presence in english dominated work and countries I am kind of losing touch with Hindi sometimes.
