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Indian English vs. American English Crash Course Training Slides

This document highlights differences between Indian and American business English and provides recommendations for Indian English speakers. Some key differences include: - Americans use "ahead" and "behind" differently for time (ahead means later in India) - Americans say "email address" not "email ID" and use "at" not "on" - Americans are unfamiliar with phrases like "this side" and should use "reply" not "revert" - Americans don't use "the" before university names and say "at" not "in" - Americans don't use the verb "avail" and put modifiers like "only" before the number.

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50 views13 pages

Indian English vs. American English Crash Course Training Slides

This document highlights differences between Indian and American business English and provides recommendations for Indian English speakers. Some key differences include: - Americans use "ahead" and "behind" differently for time (ahead means later in India) - Americans say "email address" not "email ID" and use "at" not "on" - Americans are unfamiliar with phrases like "this side" and should use "reply" not "revert" - Americans don't use "the" before university names and say "at" not "in" - Americans don't use the verb "avail" and put modifiers like "only" before the number.

Uploaded by

ainvayikumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Indian business English vs.

American business English crash


course
Axel Hellman

Spring
2024
RALLY / OURBUS
Indian English:
Let’s prepone the time and move it back to 4pm.

American English:
Let’s change the time and move it ahead to 4pm

Notes: Americans don’t have “prepone” in their


vocabulary. “Ahead” and “behind” in time mean the
opposite of what they do in india. Ahead is earlier,
behind is earlier. It’s best to simply say earlier or later,
to avoid confusion. This has caused code reds!
Indian English:
I will revert to you on your personal email ID
American English:
I will reply to you at your personal email address

Notes: Americans say “email address” instead of “email


ID.” This would confuse them. Best to just say “email”
alone.The preposition used in the US is “at” your email,
not “on”.

Use “reply” or “respond” but not “revert.” Americans


would not think “revert” is for communications
Indian English:
“Axel this side. Who am I speaking to?”
American English:
“This is Axel. Who am I speaking to?”

Notes: Americans aren’t familiar with saying “this side”


This would confuse them.
Indian English:
“Axel this side. Who am I speaking to?”
American English:
“This is Axel. Who am I speaking to?”

Notes: Americans aren’t familiar with saying “this side”


This would confuse them.
Indian English:
“Are you a student in the Cornell Uni right now?”
American English:
“Are you a student at Cornell University right now ?”

Notes: Uni is British.

American English would not use “the” before the name


of the university or college. And would use “at” not “in”.
Indian English:
“You can adjust the bag under the seat itself.”
American English:
“You can fit the bag right under the seat.”

Notes: Adjust means to change, not to fit into a space,


in US English.

“Itself” is rarely used as an intensifier. There are many


ways to express this, but it may be easier to just leave it
out.
Indian English:
“The voucher can be availed for $45 only”
American English:
“The voucher is available for only $45”

Notes: For some reason, avail is not a verb used by


Americans. It’s only used in the stock phrase “to no
avail”

Only, when it is used to mean a small amount, always


goes before the number.
Indian English:
Z, H
American English:
Zee, Aitch

Notes: these letters are pronounced Zee, not Zed, and


Aitch, not Hetch.
Indian English:
“Can you please do the needful? I will forward you the
same”
American English:
“Can you please handle it? I’ll forward it to you”

Notes: “Do the needful” is only used in India and


Nigeria, per wikipedia. I was confused the first time i
heard it. I suggest “handle” or “complete the task.”

“The same” is similar. It is only used in legalese in the


US.
Indian English:
“Download the application”
American English:
“Download the app.”

Notes: Application would usually refer to a form or


document, not a mobile application.
Indian English:
“I have not been to the Nashville till date.”
American English:
“I have not been to Nashville yet.”

Notes: American english never puts “the” in front of


proper names of places (except chain businesses).

“Till date” is exclusive to Indian English.


Indian English:
“I’ll let you know once I reach from outstation”
American English:
“I’ll let you know once I arrive from XXX”

Notes: There’s no American equivalent to the word


“outstation”. I would just say the specific place

Unlike in Indian English, the verb “reach” needs an


object in american english. You can say “reach home”
but not “reach” on its own. Otherwise it means grab
something far away.

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