Indian English

So, it’s 23.00 and wiser counsel would have me working but somehow I lack motivation. It’s not that there is a shortage of work to do nor that there is plenty of time to do the work but somehow the motivation is a little slow tonight. Rather than write up meeting minutes or clean up my 3000+ mail in box, I’ve been reading my sister’s blog which has long posts frequently updated. I have no idea where she finds the time.

Anyhow as I’m not writing up meeting minutes I thought I may as well update my few loyal readers. I’ve only been working the last few weeks and it’s rather dull talking about work. I have however from various emails culled interesting Indian expressions - please see below some Helen editorial in blue.

While team members would have already got in touch with their respective teams at home locations regarding their forthcoming visit on 10th, 11th and 14th Dec, this mail is to officially intimate you of the same from

Request you to go through the mail below and let us have your comments. Secondly, for the purpose of data cleansing and physical verification we will need to send xxxx to xxxx factory for a week. It will be ideal to have xxx as well there for this purpose for the entire week and if the same would not be possible then at least for 3 days. Basis their occupancy please let us know if this is possible and when will it be possible to make them available for the same.

Request you to kindly include my name on the subject mail as I am not marked any copy on this subject.

Please be invited to attend the meeting on xxx

We must ensure there is no hanky panky in procurement department

If we say that these are untraceable, will not be digested by the auditors

You are cordially invited to a meeting to update you on the 2007 strategic plan and to ‘High Tea’ thereafter. The venue is the xxxxx Banquet Hall and the timing is 5.30 PM to 7.30 PM on Friday , the 7th .
Please do make it convenient to attend (seemingly this means one should RSVP – who would have guessed!)

Other interesting expressions in common use
Donkeys years – meaning a long time, I thought this was only used in Ireland
Prepone – as in opposite of postpone
Revert – used in practically every email, please revert incase of issues = please let me know. However official meaning is to return in discussion to a previous topic – perhaps that’[s why emails rarely communicate anything of value in India!
A few years back – it’s like the word “ago” doesn’t exist


However the most amusing came from an Chinese colleague emailing an Indian colleague

“It seems you are very forgettable” (err we hope he meant forgetful)

So now dinner has arrived thanks to the wonders of room service. Will eat nice meal and then work very hard to write up meeting minutes.