Indian English
South Asian variety
Indian English is the variety of English spoken in India, one of the world's largest English-speaking populations.
It preserves features from British colonial administration—spelling, vocabulary, formal registers—while incorporating syntax, vocabulary, and idioms from Hindi and other Indian languages.
Distinctive features include prepone (opposite of postpone), do the needful, and out of station for away from one's workplace.
Indian English ranges from the formal language of law and journalism to casual speech heavily mixed with Hindi (Hinglish).
Reschedule earlier
- revertReturn to earlier condition
- do the needfulPerform what's required
- croreTen million rupees
- dickyRemovable formal shirtfront
felicitate · passed out · fresher · would-be · tiffin · brinjal
Indian film industry
- chaiSpiced milk tea
- cricketChirping legged insect
- monsoonSeasonal tropical wind pattern
- DiwaliHindu festival of lights
Holi · sari · kurta · samosa · thali · gully · masala · mehendi
Proficiency in two languages
- multilingualKnowing multiple languages
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- borrowingTemporary taking of another's
- diglossiaCoexisting language varieties, distinct roles
Pronounced with audible breath
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- geminationConsonant sound prolongation
prepone
Reschedule earlier
- revertReturn to earlier condition
- do the needfulPerform what's required
- croreTen million rupees
dicky · felicitate · passed out · fresher · would-be · tiffin · brinjal
Bollywood
Indian film industry
Diwali · Holi · sari · kurta · samosa · thali · gully · masala · mehendi · panchayat
bilingualism
Proficiency in two languages
- multilingualKnowing multiple languages
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- borrowingTemporary taking of another's
aspirated
Pronounced with audible breath
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- geminationConsonant sound prolongation
- dialectsregional dialect, local dialect, patois, vernaculars, vernacular
- World EnglishesSinglish, Chinglish, Japanglish, Spanglish, regional variations
- Asian LiteratureHaruki Murakami, Mahabharata, Ramayana, wuxia, Japanese fiction
- Standard Languagesstandard language, Mandarin Chinese, High German, national language, official language
Indian EnglishBritish English
UK's native dialect
American English · Queen's English · Oxford English · BBC English · Australian English