Pinglish: Your Humble servant

Posted on July 11, 2008
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Humor, Pinglish
37 Comments
Total Views: 56476

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.”

———————–

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)

37 responses to “Pinglish: Your Humble servant”

  1. Ahmed2 says:

    A certificate which government officials had to render in order to claim married allowance;

    “Certified that I am married and am putting up with my family”.

  2. ahmed says:

    More samples of Pinglish

    whatt-e ( Its same as punjabi language Watta Marna )
    Which place you live
    My heart goes garden garden when i see you.

    Ahh, i love Paki’s

  3. sabizak says:

    Adil, while these may be funny these certainly are no example of ‘Pinglish’ or a dialect or even a patois. This is an academically serious issue that i would recommend you to look into. Will probably do a blogpost about it at some point.

  4. Pervaiz M. Alvi says:

    “SLOWLY, SLOWLY” MEANING “AHISTA,AHISTA”

  5. Suleman says:

    These are hilarious!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*