The abysmal state of English

Recently I had an e-mail from an official with the State Government, seeking some help. What dismayed me was the prose used in communicating his request.

I have noticed increasing number of similar badly written letters (e-mails) in the recent past. Seeing this trend – which I believe is worsening day by day – I began to worry about the status of English communication in a country which prided itself on using graceful English. Is this the land that produced K. Swaminathans, V.S. Srinivasa Sastris, R.K. Narayans and A.K. Ramanujans, who spoke and wrote simple and elegant English? What has gone wrong? None seems to be worried about this woeful decline. Should a language die naturally, it can be accepted; but if a language is killed by sheer abuse, it cannot be tolerated.

My gut feeling is that the quality of teaching English – as a language – at different learning levels has declined to abysmal depths. English language teachers do not encourage their learners to think in English before they either speak or write in English; they follow a practice that drives developing English language skills through the learners’ mother tongues and that is where the decline starts.

I am aware that our ‘native’ politicians – either in Madras or elsewhere in India – fan animosity against the English language by alleging that English would destroy Tamil in Madras and other Indian languages elsewhere in India.This is a myth. Sadly, our youth are led by this myth. The best Tamil scholars of yesteryears professed excellent English language skills and they enabled growth of Tamil, which none can refute. The attitude of some of the present-day Madras politicians is highly myopic and parochial.

We need to keep in mind that English is no more the language of the people of England, North America, Australia and New Zealand alone; it is the world language today. In the present global scenario, a well-rounded capacity in seeking and writing simple, fault-free English is what would keep us ahead of the Chinese – who are becoming an indomitable world human force. If we continue to nourish it.

A. Raman
Charles Sturt University
Orange, New South Wales Australia

Kelly's death

Since jotting down a note about the demise of Col. Robert Kelly (MM, June 16th) for MM, I have come across the following additional information on his death. Col.Kelly was actually killed in a duel (not in battle) in a field near Arni by Lt.Col.Vigors, Col. Kelly’s deputy. Tradition has it that on Col. Kelly’s appointment to Command, Lt.Col.Vigors spoke of him as an “old woman” to his wife, who repeated the remark to Mrs. Kelly, who insisted upon Col. Kelly obtaining “satisfaction” result with death. According to LeFanu, a noted chronicler of those days (who also authored the extremely well researched Salem Gazetteer), “the story has been so handed down, and in those days, it was nothing extraordinary that life should be lost for such a trifle.” Lt.Col.Urban Vigors later erected an imposing monument as a mark of respect for gallant Col. Kelly, in the old parade ground in the fort at Arni.

Col. Kelly, in other records, has been described as “an able and distinguished officer who had seen much service.” As a Captain, he commanded the 9th Battalion which, it was said, came to be known by his name. A gruesome episode in his career happened in 1775. Capt. Kelly, while at Palamcottah, tried his native commandant for mutiny and blew him from a gun (a forerunner-martyr of mutinies that followed – Vellore Mutiny, Sepoy Rebellion etc.?). At the time of his death (September 25, 1790) Col. Kelly was in command of the troops of the 21st Battalion, then being gathered to oppose Tippu Sultan. Mrs. Miriam Kelly died at an advanced age (1837) and lies buried at St.Thomas Mount Cantonment Cemetery.

Rev.Philip K.Mulley
Coonoor mugila2000@yahoo.co.in

State of the roads

The rave about Chennai streets’ new looks in the a-Musings column (MM, July 1st) is rather hasty and uncalled for. I wonder if the author noticed the water pools in all the streets without any exception after a ‘good shower’ – heavy rain. Every street, which earlier ‘sported’ puddles and precariously unfathomable depths, now sports knee-deep pools as the Corporation has just forgotten about having proper drainage for rainwater as well as sewage water.

The forgotten pedestrian is no doubt suffering as usual, but the vehicle owners are also knee-deep in water in all those roads, inching their way to their destinations.

I request the author to have good a look at some important junctions such as Koyambedu, Kodambakkam,Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, etc. before drooling over the roads’ looks and condition.

Kanchana Ravi
Kanchanaravi237@gmail.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: The column was about road signs, not about the state of the roads which Madras Musings has commented on numerous times.

The exiled Gaekwad

Author Karthik A. Bhatt , in ‘When the Congress met in Madras’, makes a mistake in calling Khanderao Gaekwad “the usurper of the Baroda throne” (MM, July 16th). Khanderao Gaekwad, a popular ruler, was the ninth of thirteen Gaekwad maharajas and was well known for his court and patronage of artists. It was his brother Malharrao who ruled briefly after Khanderao and was exiled to Madras for unseemly conduct.

Sudha Venkataraman
sudha2000@hotmail.com

Board to blame

The very first paragraph of the article on the noise pollution in the city (MM, July 16th) outlines the whole problem. As long as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) confines itself to “collecting data” on noise and other kinds of pollution and presenting it to the media instead of living up to its name by taking positive measures to control pollution, we as defenceless citizens will continue to suffer. Every day people get away with doing more and more harm to injure our ears and brain – reverse horns, crackers, loudspeakers and what not. Temples get away with blaring loudspeakers through the night.

I frequently come across noise of crackers being burst well beyond midnight. When there is a rule that you cannot indulge in this between 10 pm and 6 am, how is it that the violators get away with it? This is where the CPCB needs to act and control and wipe out the menace instead of being mere data collectors. I squarely blame the Board.

Ravi Kumar Nair
ravinaair@yahoo.co.in

A scientific reason?

It is one thing to restoring the name of Madras and another to say that changing the Tamil New Year to January 14th was a hasty decision. I do not know whether even Dr. Kalaignar, who steered the change, was aware that this step was more scientific and geographical than the mere Pongal festivities that occur then, as against the scorching summer in April, the traditional Tamil New Year.

The earth on its rotation around the Sun changes its direction to North on January 14th and to South on June 14th, but no such event marks April 14th. As for getting back to Madras, many outsiders pronounce Chennai as Chen-nai, not exactly flattering the city.

N. Dharmeshwaran
Plot 21, Kumaran Nagar
Guduvancherry 603 202

Still Madras

The name Madras which was in use for more than 400 years all over the world was suddenly dropped, saying that it had some foreign connection. When I write to my foreign friends they ask me where is this Chennai! Apart from the many Madras institutions mentioned by Dr. H.K. Lakshman Rao, my former office is still known as Madras Research Centre of CMFRI. It is better the well-known name Madras is restored at an early date.

Dr. D.B. James
37, Sadasiva Metha Street
Metha Nagar
Chennai 600 029

Madras that’s Chennai

Shakespeare said a rose by any other name would smell equally sweet. So, whether it is Chennai or Madras, the city will always remain charming and intellectual.

Siddhu
12, Lakshmi Colony, T.Nagar
Chennai 600 017