Reviewing AP Inter 2nd Year English Study Material and Kindly Adjust to Our English Annotations Questions and Answers Summary can help students prepare confidently for exams.
AP Inter 2nd Year English Kindly Adjust to Our English Questions and Answers Annotations
Kindly Adjust to Our English Letter Annotations
Contextual Questions
Question 1.
“If Americans can say ‘fall’ for autumn and ‘gotten’ for ‘have got’, why can’t Indians say ‘do the needful “?”
Answer:
Reference: These lines are taken from the insightful essay ‘Kindly Adjust to Our English’ written by Shashi Tharoor.
Context: The author explains that every variety of English has its own local flavor and unique vocabulary. He compares Indian usage to American English to show that if Americans can create their own distinct terms, Indians should also have the right to use their own expressions.
Appreciation: These lines reflect Tharoor’s logical defense of Indianisms. By using the example of ‘fall’ and ‘gotten’, he argues for the equality of all English varieties. He suggests that phrases like ‘do the needful’ are practical and valid within the Indian context, challenging the idea that only British English is “correct.”
Conclusion: The quote highlights the legitimacy of Indian English as a distinct variety and advocates for linguistic independence and pride.
Important Words:
- Flavor – A distinctive quality; ప్రత్యేక శైలి లేదా రుచి
- Indianism – A word or idiom characteristic of Indian English; భారతీయ ఆంగ్ల నుడికారం
- Equality – The state of being equal in status or rights; సమానత్వం
- Legitimacy – The quality of being valid or acceptable; చట్టబద్ధత లేదా ప్రామాణికత
Question 2.
“Some Indian English was created by our media- ‘airdash’ and ‘history sheeter’.”
Answer:
Reference: These lines are taken from the insightful essay ‘Kindly Adjust to Our English’ written by Shashi Tharoor.
Context: Tharoor discusses how Indian English continues to grow and evolve through different social influences. He points out that the Indian media has played a significant role in inventing new words that suit the local functional needs of the country.
Appreciation: The author uses these examples to demonstrate the creativity and adaptability of the language in India. Terms like ‘airdash’ (traveling quickly by air) and ‘history sheeter’ (a person with a criminal record) are uniquely Indian inventions that have become part of the standard local vocabulary through journalism.
Conclusion: This shows that Indian English is a living, breathing language that constantly adapts to its environment through the influence of the media.
Important Words:
- Evolve – To develop gradually, పరిణామం చెందు
- Inventing – Creating or designing something new; ఆవిష్కరించడం
- Creativity – The use of imagination or original ideas; సృజనాత్మకత
- Vocabulary – The body of words used in a particular language; పదజాలం
Question 3.
“What is your good name?’ is still the most polite form, in any version of English, for finding out the identity of your interlocutor.
Answer:
Reference: These lines are taken from the insightful essay ‘Kindly Adjust to Our English’ written by Shashi Tharoor.
Context: The author explains how certain Indian English phrases are direct translations from native Indian languages. He discusses how the phrase “good name” stems from the cultural habit of distinguishing between a formal name and a nickname.
Appreciation: Tharoor defends this common Indianism by focusing on its intent: politeness. While a native British speaker might find it odd, the author argues that it serves a vital social function in India, making it a “polite form” of inquiry that reflects Indian values and courtesy.
Conclusion: This highlights how Indian English is deeply rooted in Indian culture, carrying over traditional social etiquette into the English language.
Important Words:
- Cultural – Relating to the ideas or customs of a society; సాంస్కృతిక
- Distinguishing – Recognizing the difference between things; వేరుగా గుర్తించడం
- Politeness – Behavior that is respectful and considerate; మర్యాద
- Inquiry – An act of asking for information; విచారణ లేదా అడగడం
Question 4.
“But acknowledging the legitimacy of Indian English doesn’t mean that anything goes.”
Answer:
Reference: These lines are taken from the insightful essay ‘Kindly Adjust to Our English’ written by Shashi Tharoor.
Context: While Tharoor celebrates the unique nature of Indian English, he also sets a boundary. He explains that there is a difference between a “creative Indianism” (a new, useful word) and a “plain error” (a grammatical mistake).
Appreciation: This line serves as a balanced critique. Tharoor warns against using “bad English” under the guise of “Indian English.” He cites redundant examples like ‘return back’ or ‘waive off’ as simple mistakes that should be corrected, emphasizing that legitimacy requires a certain level of grammatical logic.
Conclusion: The author clarifies that while Indian English is a valid variety, speakers must still strive for clarity and avoid genuine linguistic errors.
Important Words:
- Boundary – A limit or a border; సరిహద్దు లేదా పరిమితి
- Critique – A detailed evaluation or analysis; విమర్శనాత్మక విశ్లేషణ
- Redundant – Not or no longer needed or useful; అవసరమైన లేదా అదనపు
- Legitimacy – The quality of being valid or acceptable; ప్రామాణికత లేదా సబబు
Kindly Adjust to Our English Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Why does Shashi Tharoor argue that Indian English should be seen as a legitimate variety of English?
Answer:
Shashi Tharoor argues that Indian English is a legitimate variety because it is a practical, creative, and naturally evolved language that serves the specific needs of Indian society. He points out that language is not static; it adapts to its environment. Just as American English is accepted for its unique terms like “fall” for autumn or “gotten” for have got, Tharoor believes Indians should have the same right to their own expressions.
He uses his own invention, the word “prepone,” to illustrate how Indian English fills gaps that British English ignores. Furthermore, he highlights that many phrases considered “outdated” in Britain, such as “furlong,” “fortnight,” or “do the needful,” continue to live on effectively in India. Tharoor suggests that because Indian English has grown organically alongside Indian culture and is used by millions for clear communication, it should be accepted and celebrated with pride rather than looked down upon as an inferior version of the language.
Important Words:
- Legitimate – Conforming to the law or to rules; valid and acceptable; శాసనబద్దమైన / సమంజసమైన
- Evolved – Developed gradually over time from a simple to a more complex form; పరిణామం చెందిన
- Prepone – To bring forward to an earlier date or time; నిర్ణిత సమయం కంటే ముందే జరిపించు
- Do the needful – To perform the necessary task or action required; అవసరమైన పని చేయండి
Question 2.
Discuss with examples how Indian English reflects Indian culture and everyday life.
Answer:
According to Tharoor, Indian English is a mirror of the country’s unique social habits and cultural values. One of the most prominent examples is the use of “auntie” or “uncle” for elders, reflecting the Indian tradition of showing respect to those older than oneself, even if they are not biological relatives. Another example is the term “non- veg,” which is a uniquely Indian way to describe dietary habits that would seem unusual to a foreigner but is perfectly understood across the subcontinent.
The essay also explains how Indian languages influence English through direct translations. For instance, the phrase “What is your good name?” is a literal translation of a common Indian greeting meant to show politeness and respect for the interlocutor’s formal identity. Additionally, the specific language used in matrimonial advertisements—such as “wheatish complexion” or “traditional with modern outlook”—shows how the language has been adapted to describe local social priorities and cultural preferences in a way that standard British English cannot.
Important Words:
- Mirror – Something that reflects or gives a true representation of something else; ప్రతిబింబం
- Non-veg – A uniquely Indian term for food containing meat; మాంసాహారం
- Interlocutor – Aperson who takes part in a dialogue or conversation; సంభాషణలో పాల్గొనే వ్యక్తి
- Wheatish – Having a light brown complexion (resembling the color of wheat); గోధుమ రంగు ఛాయ
Question 3.
Tharoor makes a clear distinction between creative Indianisms and plain errors. What does he mean by this?
Answer:
Tharoor emphasizes that while Indian English is a valid variety, not every unique usage is correct. He distinguishes between “creative Indianisms”—which are new, useful words born out of necessity – and “plain errors,” which are simply grammatical mistakes or redundancies.
Creative Indianisms, like “prepone,” “airdash,” or “history sheeter,” add value and meaning to the language. In contrast, plain errors detract from the clarity of communication. For example, he points out that “return back” is a redundant mistake because “return” already implies coming back. Similarly, “waive off’ is incorrect because the standard term is simply “waive.” He also warns against phrases like “back side” (for rear) or the incorrect use of “till,” which can cause confusion or unintentional humor. Tharoor’s main point is that to maintain the legitimacy of Indian English, speakers must be able to distinguish between authentic local flavoring and genuine linguistic errors that hinder understanding.
Important Words:
- Valid – Well-grounded or justifiable; logically or legally sound; ప్రామాణికమైన / సరైన
- Redundancies – The use of words or data that could be omitted without loss of meaning or function; అవసరమైన పదప్రయోగాలు
- History sheeter – Aperson with a confirmed criminal record; నేరచరిత్ర కలిగిన వ్యక్తి
- Hinder – Create difficulties for someone or something, resulting in delay or obstruction; అడ్డుపడటం / ఆటంకపరచడం
Kindly Adjust to Our English Summary in English & Telugu
Kindly Adjust to Our English Summary in English
In this essay, Shashi Tharoor talks about the special way Indians use English in daily life, called Indian English. He says that this form of English is not something to feel ashamed of, but something to accept and be proud of.
He starts with a personal example. When he was a student at St. Stephen’s College in the 1970s, he created the word “prepone” as the opposite of “postpone.” Instead of saying, “Can we move the meeting earlier?” he said, “Can we prepone it?” This word later became popular across India and is now used by many people. This shows how Indian English often creates new words based on need.
Tharoor explains that every type of English has its own style. For example, Americans say fall instead of autumn and gotten instead of have got. If their way of speaking is accepted, then Indian expressions should also be accepted. Words like furlong, fortnight, and do the needful may not be common in Britain anymore, but they are still used in India.
Indian English also shows Indian culture and social habits. People often call elders auntie or uncle, which may seem strange to foreigners but is normal in India. The word non-veg is used for people who eat meat. Some phrases come from direct translations of Indian languages, like what is your good name?, which comes from the idea of having both a nickname and a formal name.
The essay also shows how media and students create new Indian words. Newspapers introduced words like airdash (to travel quickly by air) and history sheeter (a criminal with many past records). Students use mugging to mean studying very hard, even though it means robbery in other countries. Matrimonial ads use phrases like wheatish complexion or traditional with modern outlook. These examples show the creativity of Indian English.
However, Tharoor also says that not all Indian usage is correct. Some are simply mistakes. For example, return back is wrong because return already means come back. Similarly, people say waive off a fine instead of the correct phrase waive a fine. Using back side for rear can sound funny, and using till incorrectly (like in I will miss you till you are away) can cause confusion. These are examples of incorrect English, not Indian English.
In conclusion, Tharoor says that Indian English is a valid and natural form of the language. It is creative and useful, and it has grown along with Indian society. People should feel proud of it, but also be careful to avoid real mistakes. He ends with a line that shows the spirit of Indian English: “We are like that only. And if you don’t like it, kindly adjust.”
Kindly Adjust to Our English Summary in Telugu
శశి థరూర్ తన వ్యాసంలో భారతీయులు దైనందిన జీవితంలో ఇంగ్లీషును ఉపయోగించే విలక్షణమైన విధానం గురించి చర్చించారు, దీనినే మనం ‘ఇండియన్ ఇంగ్లీష్’ అని పిలుస్తాము. ఈ రకమైన ఆంగ్ల భాషా వినియోగం పట్ల మనం సిగ్గుపడాల్సిన అవసరం లేదని, దాన్ని గర్వంగా అంగీకరించాలని ఆయన పేర్కొన్నారు.
అతను తన వ్యక్తిగత అనుభవంతో ఈ విషయాన్ని ప్రారంభించారు. 1970లలో సెయింట్ స్టీఫెన్స్ కాలేజీలో విద్యార్థిగా ఉన్నప్పుడు, ‘Postpone’ (వాయిదా వేయడం) అనే పదానికి వ్యతిరేక పదంగా ఆయన ‘Prepone’ అనే పదాన్ని సృష్టించారు. “మీటింగ్ను కొంచెం ముందుకు జరపగలమా?” అని అడిగే బదులు, “దీన్ని Prepone చేయగలమా?” అని ఆయన వాడేవారు. కాలక్రమేణా ఈ పదం భారతదేశమంతటా ప్రాచుర్యం పొందింది. అవసరాన్ని బట్టి ఇండియన్ ఇంగ్లీష్ ఎలా కొత్త పదాలను సృష్టిస్తుందో చెప్పడానికి ఇది ఒక ఉదాహరణ.
ప్రతి ప్రాంతపు ఇంగ్లీషుకు ఒక ప్రత్యేక శైలి ఉంటుందని థరూర్ వివరించారు. ఉదాహరణకు, అమెరికన్లు Autumn’కు బదులుగా ‘Fall’ అని, ‘Have go’ కు బదులుగా ‘Gotten’ అని అంటారు. వారి మాటతీరును ప్రపంచం అంగీకరించినప్పుడు, భారతీయ వ్యక్తీకరణలను కూడా ఎందుకు అంగీకరించకూడదని ఆయన ప్రశ్నిస్తారు. బ్రిటన్లో ఇప్పుడు పెద్దగా వాడకంలో లేని Furlong, Fortnight, Do the needful వంటి పదాలు ‘భారతదేశంలో ఇప్పటికీ వాడుకలో ఉన్నాయి.
. ఇండియన్ ఇంగ్లీష్ మన భారతీయ సంస్కృతిని, సామాజిక అలవాట్లను ప్రతిబింబిస్తుంది. మనం పెద్దవారిని ‘ఆంటీ’ లేదా ‘అంకుల్’ అని పిలుస్తాం. ఇది విదేశీయులకు వింతగా అనిపించినా, మనకు మాత్రం చాలా సహజం. అలాగే మాంసాహారం తినే వారిని సూచించడానికి ‘Non-veg’ అనే పదాన్ని ఉపయోగిస్తాం. “What is your good name?” వంటి ప్రయోగాలు మన భారతీయ భాషల నుండి నేరుగా అనువదించబడినవి.
మీడియా మరియు విద్యార్థులు కూడా కొత్త కొత్త భారతీయ పదాలను ఎలా సృష్టిస్తున్నారో ఈ వ్యాసం వివరిస్తుంది. వార్తాపత్రికలు Airdash (విమానంలో వేగంగా ప్రయాణించడం), History sheeter (నేర చరిత్ర ఉన్న వ్యక్తి) వంటి పదాలను పరిచయం చేశాయి. అలాగే విద్యార్థులు బాగా కష్టపడి చదవడాన్ని Mugging అంటారు (అయితే విదేశాల్లో దీనికి ‘దోపిడీ’ అని అర్థం). పెళ్లి సంబంధాల ప్రకటనల్లో Wheatish complexion (గోధుమ వర్ణం) లేదా Traditional with modern outlook వంటి పదబంధాలను చూస్తుంటాం. ఇవన్నీ మన సృజనాత్మకతకు నిదర్శనాలు.
అయితే, భారతీయ వాడకంలో ఉన్నవన్నీ సరైనవి కావని థరూర్ హెచ్చరించారు. కొన్ని స్పష్టమైన తప్పులు కూడా ఉన్నాయి. ఉదాహరణకు, ‘Return back’ అనడం తప్పు, ఎందుకంటే ‘Return’ అంటేనే తిరిగి రావడం అని అర్థం. అలాగే ‘Waive a fine అనడానికి బదులు ‘Waive off’ అనడం, ‘Rear’ (వెనుక భాగం) అనడానికి బదులు ‘Back side అనడం హాస్యాస్పదంగా ఉంటాయి. ‘Till’ అనే పదాన్ని తప్పుగా వాడటం వల్ల గందరగోళం ఏర్పడుతుంది. ఇవి భాషా దోషాలే తప్ప, ఇండియన్ ఇంగ్లీష్ కిందకు రావు.
ముగింపులో, ఇండియన్ ఇంగ్లీష్ అనేది ఒక సహజమైన మరియు సృజనాత్మకమైన భాషా రూపమని థరూర్ చెప్పారు. ఇది సమాజంతో పాటు ఎదుగుతూ వచ్చింది. దీని పట్ల మనం గర్వపడాలి, కానీ అసలైన తప్పులు దొర్లకుండా జాగ్రత్త వహించాలి. ఆయన వ్యాసాన్ని ఒక చక్కని వాక్యంతో ముగించారు: “We are like that only. And if you don’t like it, kindly adjust.” (మేము ఇంతే.. మీకు నచ్చకపోతే కొంచెం సర్దుకుపోండి).
Glossary:
Prepone (verb) : To move something to an earlier time.
Usage : The meeting was preponed to Monday.
Sneer (noun): An unkind smile or remark that shows disrespect.
Usage: He gave a sneer when he heard her simple question.
Vigorous (adjective) : Strong, energetic, and active.
Usage: The vigorous debate lasted for more than two hours.
Archaism (noun): An old word or expression that is no longer in common use.
Usage : Words like “thou” and “thee” are archaisms in modern English.
Furlong (noun) : A unit of distance equal to 220 yards (about 200 metres).
Usage: The farmer’s land stretched over five furlongs.
Fortnight (noun): A period of two weeks.
Usage: We are going on a holiday for a fortnight.
Legitimate (adjective): Accepted as fair, correct, or reasonable.
Usage: The teacher gave a legitimate reason for postponing the test.
Persistence (noun): The act of continuing to do something even when it is difficult.
Usage: His persistence in studying hard helped him pass the exam.
Airdash (verb): To travel quickly by air, often in an emergency.
Usage: The minister airdashed to Delhi for an urgent meeting.
History sheeter (noun) : A person with a long criminal record.
Usage: The police said the thief was a known history sheeter.
Bewilderment (noun): A state of being very confused.
Usage: She looked in bewilderment when she saw the strange machine.
Interlocutor (noun): A person you are speaking to in a conversation.
Usage: The student listened carefully to his interlocutor.
Propriety (noun): Accepted standards of social or moral behaviour.
Usage: She behaved with propriety at the formal dinner.
Tropes (noun): Commonly used themes, ideas, or expressions.
Usage: Fairy tales often have tropes like “the wicked witch” or “the brave hero.”
Redundancy (noun): The use of extra or unnecessary words or expressions.
Usage: Saying “return back” is a redundancy.
Rubric (noun): A rule or heading under which something is classified.
Usage: The teacher explained the project under rubric of “teamwork”.
Unwitting (adjective) : Not aware of what is happening; done without realizing.
Usage: She made an unwitting mistake on the exam.
Proclaiming (verb) : Announcing something clearly and publicly.
Usage: The poster was proclaiming the arrival of a new shop.
Quaint (adjective) : Attractively unusual or old-fashioned.
Usage: The village had quaint little houses with red roofs.
Anachronism (noun): Something that belongs to a different time and seems out of place.
Usage: Using typewriters today feels like an anachronism.
Vernacular (noun) : The everyday language spoken by ordinary people.
Usage: He wrote the poem in the local vernacular so everyone could understand.