Wednesday, 20 March 2013

Aicha

When I first heard Aicha, I thought it was Arabic. On probing further (read listening on loop) I realised it was French. It's an Algerian song written by a Frenchman and sung (this version) by an Algerian *raï singer. Enjoy listening to this enchanting track!





Another slightly different, and translated, rendition of the same track by Outlandish. The one by Khaled, however, remains my favourite of the two.





* Raï is a form of folk music that originated in Algeria some 8 decades ago. It is a mix of Spanish, French, Arabic and African forms of music.

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Monday, 4 March 2013

Hello English


A few random pointers for the human race regarding the holy institution of language and its usage. 
  • Adding an apostrophe ( ' ) after a word does not indicate its plurality. An apostrophe denotes possession. So it's DOs and Don'ts, not Do's and Don't's.
  • No matter to how many you may be referring to, it is always etiquette. There is no word called etiquettes.
  • Using unofficial short forms of words while chatting or communicating on social media may be acceptable and/or logical when it actually saves your time. However, Kewl, 5yne, Maah, 9ice, frenzzz etc. only denote your pigheadedness. (Yes, that's a word!)
  • Correct pronunciation is important. Correct spellings are important. Grammar is bloody important.
  • All of you are, but none of you is. Both of you all  is bullshit, as is all of you all.
  • Criteria is the plural of criterion. Nobody has any idea what 'criterias' means folks.
  • Sponsors sponsor events. Sponsoror is not a word.
  • Reading Sidney Sheldon does not make you avid reader or even cool for that matter, neither does Mills & Boons. Let's not even get started about Chetan Bhagat's 'literature'.
  • Wanton usage of 'like' and 'stuff' does not make up for your inadequate vocabulary.
  • Using the F-word excessively certainly does not make up for your inadequate vocabulary.
  • You have hair, not hairs. In fact your entire family, put together, has hair and not hairs.
  • Usage of '-ing' words is incorrect 9/10 times. I am feeling good today should actually be I feel good today, for instance.
  • An examiner gives an exam. An examinee takes an exam. So next time you should know better than to say, "I am going to give my exam."
  • Kindly do not introduce yourself as "Myself, Honey Singh!". This is just not English.
  • When one reads out Roman numerals, well here's how it goes: I is first, II is second, XI is eleventh and not one, two and eleven. This applies to all the numbers written thus. So now you know what it means, rather does not, when you write Ist, IInd, IIIrd and so forth.
  • Don't translate blindly. For starters, there is no such thing as your good name or anybody's good name for that matter.  आपका 'शुभ' नाम केवल हिन्दी में होता है । 
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