The other day a couple of my colleagues were discussing about the bad habit of adding the ‘aah’ sound while phrasing a question. I don’t know if it is bad; but it sure will give ulcers to the purists.
Take for example how ‘are you coming with us?’ is brutally hacked to a single word question: coming-aah?
Or, the totally new form of exclamation: ‘Yes-aaah?’ that roughly translates to ‘don’t tell me it is true!’
Or the usual friendly enquiry ‘you ate-aah?’ that is the equivalent of ‘did you have your lunch?’
The ‘aah’ sound is widely used—especially in interrogative phrases— in Tamil and Telugu:
‘Saapteengalaah?’ (Did you eat? - Tamil)
‘Varreengalaah?’ (Are you going with us? – Tamil)
‘Baavunnaaraah?’ (How are you? – Telugu)
‘Bon-chesaraah?’ (Have you eaten? – Telugu)
And we south Indians use the same construction even while conversing in English. I think it is a unique fusion of two different linguistic rhythms. The purists may scoff at it, but I enjoy using it and listening to others use it.
You like it-aah?
Take for example how ‘are you coming with us?’ is brutally hacked to a single word question: coming-aah?
Or, the totally new form of exclamation: ‘Yes-aaah?’ that roughly translates to ‘don’t tell me it is true!’
Or the usual friendly enquiry ‘you ate-aah?’ that is the equivalent of ‘did you have your lunch?’
The ‘aah’ sound is widely used—especially in interrogative phrases— in Tamil and Telugu:
‘Saapteengalaah?’ (Did you eat? - Tamil)
‘Varreengalaah?’ (Are you going with us? – Tamil)
‘Baavunnaaraah?’ (How are you? – Telugu)
‘Bon-chesaraah?’ (Have you eaten? – Telugu)
And we south Indians use the same construction even while conversing in English. I think it is a unique fusion of two different linguistic rhythms. The purists may scoff at it, but I enjoy using it and listening to others use it.
You like it-aah?
