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Is My Humiliation Justified ?.
- gasper crasto
Much is said about the English language. No wonder it is so very difficult
to learn to perfection. I sometimes wonder how people manage to communicate
at all.!. Many folks, especially Churchillian fans like me say that "English
is indeed a funny language!"
Whether or not English as a language is funny might indeed be debatable
after reading this article.
Is English that funny?.That sometimes the user of the language, who goes by
the book, finds himself at the centre of embarrassment and being laughed
at?..
Hang on to know my side of the story.
It was a year back. I'd stepped into Goa's most popular sports shop at
Margao. I fancied buying myself a pair of new shoes. A friend had suggested
I go for 'Nike'.
There were few customers in the shop - some elderly couple, some foreigners
and a bunch of cute-looking babes. I pumped some air in my chest and with a
style or two went right up to the salesgirl and asked (politely), "Madam,
can you show me a pair of Nike shoes?"
I pronounced Nike as Naik. I always pronounce it that way.
The salesgirl gave a look as if I was 'another waste of time'. She attended
her other 'elite' customers.
I tried to draw her attention again. She cared little.
It was nearing noon, perhaps she was hungry? For a moment I felt much
ignored - more so because of the 'beauties' around.
I asked again - a little louder this time, "Miss, can I see Nike (Naik)
shoes..!"
The girl barked back, 'Ahre baba, it is not Nike (Naik), it is Nike
(Naikey). N-I-K-E ---- NIKE!!!!"
Within a spark, the whole shop was a roar of laughter. Everyone looked at
me, not to mention the 'cuties' who by now were cackling as if they had
heard the 'biggest and only joke' in their life.
Next second I found myself walking out of the shop in humiliation.
The following day, I related this brief, dishonorable (dishonorable to my
own wisdom and 'erudite' ego) anecdote to a few of my scholarly and
well-read friends.
I asked them if I was wrong, "Should people laugh at me when I say Nike
(Naik) for N.I.K.E."
One of them said, "English words are pronounced in different ways but in
this instant you are absolutely wrong. People would definitely laugh at you
'cause Nike is not pronounced as Naik but Nai-key."
I tried to quarrel my reason.
'Look here." I told them, "There were three friends whose names were Mike,
Bike and Nike (obviously the last name pronounced as Naik). Nike goes abroad
and joins a company called Nike (pronounced Naikey). Whenever Nike's (Naik's)
colleagues want to call him by name they say Nike (Naik); and address the
company's name as Nike (Naikey) even though both names are spelt one and the
same.'
"Won't you agree with me when I say they are right?" I asked, "That means
Nike can be pronounced as Naik and as Naikey too?"
Most of you will say both Nike (Naik) and Nike (Naikey) are proper nouns and
proper nouns should be pronounced as and how they are named. For that I have
something to add.
When English cricket commentators pronounce Ganguly's (our famous 'axed'
cricketeter) name, you must have heard them pronounce it as Ghengooly and
likewise many other names.
They have heard these names a hundred times perhaps. They all know how their
Indian counterparts pronounce these names too and they know very well that
these names are proper nouns. Even then, they say them as Ghenghooly, Rhem
for Ram -- or Se'shin for Sachin Tendulkar.
Their fellow English commentators and the English people know that Indians
pronounce these names as Ganguly and Sachin. Even then, nobody laughs at
their pronunciation or demands that they say these names correctly as the
Indians do! Or will they?.
Some people will say Ganguly, Kapil Dev, Ram, etc, are Indian names, not
English names. They are Indian names ofcourse, and they are named that way
and they should be pronounced that way, not in any other way. Am I wrong?
And finally, now, after all this brain wracking and pottam poddo nasleleo
khobro my point is simple... If the English people never laugh at their own
fellow Englishmen when they say Cap-ill and Rhem for Kapil and Ram, why
should my fellow Indians chuckle and buckle and fob me off when I say Nike
(Naik) for Nike (Naikey) ?...
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