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Why are Indian kids speaking in American accent and using British spelling?

24 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/why-are-indian-kids-speaking-in-american-accent-and-using-british-spelling.149574/

Sarath
Sarath Original post #1
Dec 3, 2011 at 10:39 PM
An occasional trip to the Mall or movies has had me come accross many people who are talking to their kids in English while the kids react in a completely (distinct) American accent.

Ironically our spelling is still British and will for long be so since there is little reason to change, unless we hijack the language entirely since we have more speakers than either US or UK combined :))

Why do you think this is happening?

AND

What of the future, if the present is like this?
Anorion
Anorion #2
Dec 3, 2011 at 10:57 PM
I donno lol, maybe monkey see monkey do?
Faun
Faun #3
Dec 3, 2011 at 11:02 PM
hollywood bro.
skeletor
Dec 3, 2011 at 11:19 PM
Simple way of fixing this - a proper Indian keyboard layout. Where's the Rupee sign? We all use EN (US) don't we? Plus, the same thing in OS too.

The hilarious thing is, Indian accent/pronunciation is hanging in between American, British and Australian. Ever seen our desi news readers? Their shrill voice causes me a head ache.

Our accents will vary depending upon the state we are from. But it's weird.
sujoyp
sujoyp #5
Dec 3, 2011 at 11:27 PM
one reason maybe coz more people r working in MNC/BPO and talk to their child like that...

whelchome mhy chhild...how whas your sckhool thodaye :D dho your homewok :D
ithehappy
Dec 3, 2011 at 11:28 PM
Why is this happening?
Simple answer, they are trying to be smart. They don't even know how idiot are they.
There is NO problem with British spelling though, don't know why you added it in the title!
Arsenal_Gunners
Dec 3, 2011 at 11:37 PM
Posh British accent is where it's at :cool:
Don't attempt to do it consciously though...
Sarath
Sarath #8
Dec 3, 2011 at 11:39 PM
^Added it because the "parents" have completely failed to understand that their kids are the only breed who speak American but write British.

So they are still out of place like the rest of us with neutral Indian accents.

They will have to re-learn all the spelling if they are to be parceled to the US. Just a forced accent wont work.

Also it's very difficult to hold on to a foreign accent in an Indian scenario. I pity the kids. They must be under tremendous pressure to maintain that, despite their own parents speak fairly Indian.
quan chi
quan chi #10
Dec 4, 2011 at 12:54 PM
you see britisher's were wrong they should have posted "monkeys and indians not allowed" Dogs are loyal and atleast dont mimic.:D

Anyways only handful of indians can be considered as real smart rest of the population...hmmm...cant say anything.
Liverpool_fan
Dec 4, 2011 at 1:04 PM
It's not common to see "proper" American accent among Indians. Or British for that manner. Especially for kids.
Maybe you saw a bunch of NRIs from US? That would explain it.

Imitating usually results in mixed up accent which sounds hilarious.
asingh
asingh #12
Dec 4, 2011 at 3:38 PM
They are just fakes and want to put up a facade. Also when they speak Hindi with English rolling of "r" and extension of vowels..it sounds so dumb and stupid. Girls do this more.

Though I spell always in American style. Neighbor and not Neighbour.
A
Dec 4, 2011 at 3:49 PM
It's all just semantics in the end. A lot of kids these days think they need to "fit in" with the global community, and hence start using American accents mainly because that accent is easier to fake (note that there are multiple American accents) and because it's "cool". Speaking *real* British English is not as easy as it sounds.

Indian English is a mishmash, but a definite offshoot of British English. Regardless, we use some Americanizations (like the 'z' I used instead of the 's' in this word).

In my spelling, it's always a fairly decent mix of both styles of English. I've never analyzed (yes, another modification!) my accent though.
skeletor
skeletor #14
Dec 4, 2011 at 4:20 PM
I'll tell you, if you live in a foreign place for a year, your accent will change.

I have a tough time pronouncing <ra> in Hindi in words like "murari" and so on.
Sarath
Sarath #15
Dec 4, 2011 at 4:22 PM
Maybe you saw a bunch of NRIs from US? That would explain it.

Imitating usually results in mixed up accent which sounds hilarious.


Nah! It's not an isolated incident that I came across just yesterday. Have been observing it a lot. Well they could be returning NRIs but not all of them.

I'll tell you, if you live in a foreign place for a year, your accent will change.

I have a tough time pronouncing <ra> in Hindi in words like "murari" and so on.

I've lived for 4 years and nothing happened ;)

But yes we did succeed in changing a classmate's accent to Indian one. He had come from an American school :))
skeletor
skeletor #16
Dec 4, 2011 at 4:24 PM
Regardless, we use some Americanizations (like the 'z' I used instead of the 's' in this word).
Never ever done that. I always select English (UK) in the spell-check. May be because that's what we need to follow. Indians are dumb - decide upon an Indian keyboard layout and dictionary ffs. Spelling standardisation is needed.
prabhu.wali
Dec 4, 2011 at 7:59 PM
just to show that they are a class apart
quan chi
quan chi #18
Dec 5, 2011 at 2:13 PM
British English is not as easy as it sounds.
Indian English is a mishmash, but a definite offshoot of British English. Regardless, we use some Americanizations (like the 'z' I used instead of the 's' in this word).

In my spelling, it's always a fairly decent mix of both styles of English. I've never analyzed (yes, another modification!) my accent though.

Exactly i agree.Real or pure british english is not that easy.Infact sometimes they dosent sound easy too.
asingh
asingh #19
Dec 5, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Why would someone be spelling in mixed styles. Either British or American.
:)
skeletor
skeletor #20
Dec 5, 2011 at 2:32 PM
^^ yup, that's weird.

and it's the reason why we need EN (IN) spelling standard + an Indian keyboard layout with the Rupee symbol.
Liverpool_fan
Dec 5, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Well I can bet everyone here has mixed US and UK spelling one time or other. Just analyze your behaviour. ;)
A
Dec 5, 2011 at 3:06 PM
EN-IN is already becoming standard - for example, Electronic Arts, Microsoft (Vista and later), and some other big companies now provide a separate "EN-IN" section of their websites. You can actually choose an English (India) language in Windows Vista and 7 in the regional settings.

However, I suspect that if English (India) does become a globally recognized formal language with it's very own keyboard layout and a rigorous dictionary, at least one of our neighbours (guess who) will have a problem with it ;)
JojoTheDragon
Dec 6, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Brit EN + Italian Accent = FTW



\lulz
mitraark
mitraark #24
Dec 6, 2011 at 7:49 PM
They are not speaking an American English , they are trying to speak in that tone , which essentially makes up Indian English :)

My elders used to say English originated from Britain so we should speak as they do, but the accent of British English is actually VERY different. Maybe we should stick to our kind of english .... somebody gonna geta hurt real bad :|