Indian language
Discussion
Strange request!! I am going to India (Pune) in April/May to hand over a large project that I've been involved in for a number of months and I would like to get a basic understanding of the language before I go. I usually find it rather annoying when people I work with from abroad don't bother to research or understand the (very) basics of our society and/or language, so want to just get enough to pass the 'how's your day' point in a conversation!
Is there anyone on PH who is from India or who know's the Pune area that might be able to give me a clue on what dialects are used in this area?
I've googled it and done some relevant searches and found that Marathi and Hindi (apologies for spelling if it's wrong!) are the most prominent, but any advice on which would be most common or which most people would understand is proving very difficult to come by! I know most people will speak English to a degree, but I want to feel a little more involved with the teams over there.
As above, I know it is a very strange request! I've asked it in a number of other places too, so before the inevitable 'this is a car website' comments come through, just wondered if the PH community might have any knowledge!
Is there anyone on PH who is from India or who know's the Pune area that might be able to give me a clue on what dialects are used in this area?
I've googled it and done some relevant searches and found that Marathi and Hindi (apologies for spelling if it's wrong!) are the most prominent, but any advice on which would be most common or which most people would understand is proving very difficult to come by! I know most people will speak English to a degree, but I want to feel a little more involved with the teams over there.
As above, I know it is a very strange request! I've asked it in a number of other places too, so before the inevitable 'this is a car website' comments come through, just wondered if the PH community might have any knowledge!
Mate From my experience learning Hindi is the best language to know when you go to India.
Because majority of the nation understands it and they watch Bollywood movies which are always in Hindi.
I am from Indian decent my self and Hindi is the best way forward.
have fun out there.
do not drink anything but bottled liquids and dont eat of the street Karts.
take imodium with you as well.
Because majority of the nation understands it and they watch Bollywood movies which are always in Hindi.
I am from Indian decent my self and Hindi is the best way forward.
have fun out there.
do not drink anything but bottled liquids and dont eat of the street Karts.
take imodium with you as well.
Truckosaurus said:
If you company is anything like mine, the Indians will be from all over the country who have moved to Pune for work. They will speak a number of languages and use English as a common language even amongst themselves.
Didn't really think of it that way!! I haven't got to the point in the project yet where I'm dealing with anyone other than the higher level mangement as they are the guys recruiting the teams for us. I'll have a word with them about it.Can't beleive I didn't even think of that!
pevin said:
Mate From my experience learning Hindi is the best language to know when you go to India.
Because majority of the nation understands it and they watch Bollywood movies which are always in Hindi.
I am from Indian decent my self and Hindi is the best way forward.
have fun out there.
do not drink anything but bottled liquids and dont eat of the street Karts.
take imodium with you as well.
Ha ha!! I plan to take 2 suitcases with me, one with a few clothes and the other full with immodium, monster munch and loo roll!Because majority of the nation understands it and they watch Bollywood movies which are always in Hindi.
I am from Indian decent my self and Hindi is the best way forward.
have fun out there.
do not drink anything but bottled liquids and dont eat of the street Karts.
take imodium with you as well.
Truckosaurus said:
If you company is anything like mine, the Indians will be from all over the country who have moved to Pune for work. They will speak a number of languages and use English as a common language even amongst themselves.
^^^^^ this.I'm working for one of the larger Indian IT outsourcing companies, and amongst the "native" employees, you do occasionally hear a few of them chatting in their native tongue, but as they're from all over India, they invariably fall back on English.
clonmult said:
Truckosaurus said:
If you company is anything like mine, the Indians will be from all over the country who have moved to Pune for work. They will speak a number of languages and use English as a common language even amongst themselves.
^^^^^ this.I'm working for one of the larger Indian IT outsourcing companies, and amongst the "native" employees, you do occasionally hear a few of them chatting in their native tongue, but as they're from all over India, they invariably fall back on English.
After 2 days (or less) they will annoy you beyond reason with the left/right head shaking, and the even more annoying thing is you will start to do it as well 
Hope you go to a nice place over there, where I was, the street dwellers, just dumped over the pavement, no shame or anything, just disgusting. Guaranteed to regurgitate your breakfast.
Hope you go to a nice place over there, where I was, the street dwellers, just dumped over the pavement, no shame or anything, just disgusting. Guaranteed to regurgitate your breakfast.
Cheers for all the advice guys, looks like good ol' English might be the way forward, have to see if I can master that one before I go!!
I've just bought a couple of 'learn it in a month' books for (incredibly) basic Maruthi and Hindi, at least I'll know if they're calling me an a
hole that way!! Given the UK's penchant for offshoring to Mumbai and Pune anyway, it might well prove usefull in future!
The place I'm staying in is supposed to be equivalent of a UK 4* hotel, so it should be more than adequate for my impoverished taste! I imagine I will spend the majority of the time in the hotel room with some DVD's I'm planning on taking over or talking to the wife on Skype anyway. I'd be really interested to see some of the local area, but the crapping in the streets might well keep me confined to, er, more 'comfortable surroundings'!!
All your hints and tips are really appreciated, thanks a lot for this - it's always good to get first hand advice with things like this!
I've just bought a couple of 'learn it in a month' books for (incredibly) basic Maruthi and Hindi, at least I'll know if they're calling me an a
hole that way!! Given the UK's penchant for offshoring to Mumbai and Pune anyway, it might well prove usefull in future!The place I'm staying in is supposed to be equivalent of a UK 4* hotel, so it should be more than adequate for my impoverished taste! I imagine I will spend the majority of the time in the hotel room with some DVD's I'm planning on taking over or talking to the wife on Skype anyway. I'd be really interested to see some of the local area, but the crapping in the streets might well keep me confined to, er, more 'comfortable surroundings'!!
All your hints and tips are really appreciated, thanks a lot for this - it's always good to get first hand advice with things like this!
pevin said:
Asterix said:
When you say hello - bow slightly and say 'Madarchod' with a nice smile - you will endear yourself to the person you speak with.
mate Madachord is not a nice word to say! also stay away from the word Benchord!!
Edited by Asterix on Tuesday 11th January 14:56
I work day in day out with guys out in our offices in India, and they all have very good written and spoken English. I have been out there for a couple of visits of a couple of months at a time, and you couldn't find a friendlier bunch anywhere.
They do respond to little gestures, saying Namaste for hello and Shukria for goodbye for example.
The weirdest thing is seeing the men walking around holding hands or with arms around each other shoulders...perfectly natural for Indian men to do that!
Good times, I am angling for a trip back out there!
They do respond to little gestures, saying Namaste for hello and Shukria for goodbye for example.
The weirdest thing is seeing the men walking around holding hands or with arms around each other shoulders...perfectly natural for Indian men to do that!
Good times, I am angling for a trip back out there!
Asterix said:
pevin said:
Asterix said:
When you say hello - bow slightly and say 'Madarchod' with a nice smile - you will endear yourself to the person you speak with.
mate Madachord is not a nice word to say! also stay away from the word Benchord!!Edited by Asterix on Tuesday 11th January 14:56
the locals would go mad!!
i learnt the hard way"!
I've found that even learning the very basic 'good morning', 'pleased to meet you', etc, etc will earn you significant kudos and help build a better relationship with the people you are visiting - in India and everywhere else in the world... Your attitude is therefore to be commended 
As said above, the common professional language in Pune is English due to the influx of professionals from all over India - but it doesn't take much to learn the odd word in a number of the key dialects/languages.
As for watching DVDs in the room? Don't be such a wuss - you can do that anywhere in the world..get out out and see a bit of India - street eating and dumping in the gutter included - you probably won't see anything like it elsewhere!
I'm off to Mumbai next week and looking forward to getting out and about when I can, eating the food and swimming in the pool at the Renaissance in Powai (32 degrees and sunny today!)
As said above, the common professional language in Pune is English due to the influx of professionals from all over India - but it doesn't take much to learn the odd word in a number of the key dialects/languages.
As for watching DVDs in the room? Don't be such a wuss - you can do that anywhere in the world..get out out and see a bit of India - street eating and dumping in the gutter included - you probably won't see anything like it elsewhere!
I'm off to Mumbai next week and looking forward to getting out and about when I can, eating the food and swimming in the pool at the Renaissance in Powai (32 degrees and sunny today!)
Asterix said:
pevin said:
Asterix said:
When you say hello - bow slightly and say 'Madarchod' with a nice smile - you will endear yourself to the person you speak with.
mate Madachord is not a nice word to say! also stay away from the word Benchord!!Edited by Asterix on Tuesday 11th January 14:56
the locals would go mad!!
i learnt the hard way"!
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