Adil Najam
A friend sent these to me as examples of Pinglish. Supposedly, they are examples of actual language used in letters and applications of various types. Even if they are not real, they are funny.
A candidate’s application:
“This has reference to your advertisement calling for a ‘typist and an accountant–Male or Female’… As I am both for the past several years and I can handle both, I am applying for the post.”An employee applied for leave as follows:
“Since I have to go to my village to sell my land along with my wife, please sanction me one-week leave.”Student writing to headmaster:
“As I am studying in this school I am suffering from headache. I request you to leave me today.”Student writing to teacher:
“I am suffering from fever, please declare holiday to the school.”Letter to boss, requesting leave:
“As my Mother-in-law has expired and I am responsible for it, please grant me 10 days leave.”Opening line in a letter to a friend:
“I am well here and hope you are also in the same well.”
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Def. Pin-glish. For our purpose we will define Pinglish as a particualr variety of ‘Pakistani English’ which emerges when (a) English words are mixed with words of a Pakistani language (usually, but not solely, Urdu); or (b) an English sentence is constructed through the direct and exact translation of a thought in a Pakistani language and in the syntax of the latter, or vice versa; or (c) formal English is made even more uncomfortably formal by merging with the formality of Urdu idiom; or (d) Words in English and any Pakistani language are purposely and purposefully amalgamated for effect; or (e) any other way in which English is ‘Pakistanized’.
(Repost: Originally posted on June 22, 2006)
A really funny post and really good comments. it reflects true Pakistan…which we have, unfortunately ,lost to extremism.
Heard in Brooklyn area with two movers talking about loading and unloading:
“Oey, fridge nooN center ‘ich rakh na’een tay Jump-naa-ay”
1. “Transit Camp” (near Race Course Ground in Rawalpindi) is called “Trouser Camp” by Conductor in wagon :-)
2. Sixth Road Sign on Murree Road in Rawalpindi states “Sixsath” road in Urdu.
3. At Devon Ave, Chicago, IL- USA, J.K Groceries is written in Urdu as JK Graw-series
I met this Pakistani gentleman who was a qualified dangar daktar (Vet) from Faisalabad, working in New York as a taxi driver. When dealing with a very talkative passenger, he declared out of frustation ” OK, OK, Please don’t ear my ears.”
Another FOB (fresh off the boat) Pakistani didn’t know the English word for “dahi”. So he asked the grocery clerk: “Do you have broken milk”, then explained to the confused clerk, “You take milk, then you squeeze a lemon in it to make broken milk”. The clerk suggested to him to buy a lemon and a carton of milk, then break the milk for himself.
You can get your dose of Engrish at http://www.engrish.com/.
http://www.engrish.com/fromyou/fromyou2000-a.php