Language Barrier

If you think English is a common language among UK, USA and India, you may think otherwise on a visit to India. It is plenty difficult to understand "English" and yet I have been speaking it all my life. Trying to understand someone with limited or broken English such as the gardener is even more challenging. Often times, I am not sure if he is speaking English or Kannada. Nevertheless, the language barrier comes out even in the written form. Take for instance the "Super Speciality Hospital" or another one of my favorites is the "beauty saloon" or the "chit company".

At work, a common phrase used to ask or require someone to do something while not being forceful is "please do the needful". That compares to my stern American phrases, "just do it" or "just get it done". Now I do try to soften my American phrases from time to time with a "please".