Additional information
by V. Subhash (Author)
The Dictionary Of Indian English, in its first edition, is a glossary of English words or phrases that have been invented in India or have meanings that are different from the ones specified in dictionaries published in the West. This Indian English dictionary has over 400 words. In future editions, it will become a full-fledged dictionary. For now, it is useful for
- non-Indian readers of Indian-English fiction
- foreign readers of Indian news
- foreign travellers to India
Background: India is a land of great diversity. Kerala is about as different from Tamil Nadu as France is from Britain. Yet, we move on, in part thanks to the English language. Over several decades, the language has acquired a unique flavour of its own in the country. People like to call it 'Indian English'; sometimes proudly and sometimes derisively. Indian English is of course not a different language. Yet, we often find that an Oxford or Webster's dictionary is inadequate or incorrect when dealing with certain words or phrases that have changed their meaning or purpose on the Indian soil. And, there are words that are unique to India, such as prepone which are not used anywhere else. In the first edition, this Dictionary of Indian English (DoIE) hopes to provide a ready reference for such words and phrases. In a future edition, it will become a full-fledged dictionary. Its time is sure to come because of the fast-spreading pandemic of political correctness.
