Editor,
Anyone who purchases a new vehicle in Meghalaya is compulsorily bound to fix the ‘High Security Number Plate’ in the vehicle through a Govt Specified Agency at a cost of about Rs 1800.00. It is found that the charges for the cost and installation of the similar number plate is only Rs 350 across various districts in Assam. The reason and justification in the huge difference in the rates may be verified and action should be taken to reduce the prices.
I fixed the high security number plate in my SUV in Shillong. The quality of plate and fitting is so bad that it creates a sound while driving in the bad road conditions of Shillong city. Neither can I remove it to fix a better quality plate as it is supposedly a high security number plate. Concerned departments should look into these problems faced by the vehicle owner after paying such a huge price for the number plate! I wonder who is pocketing the profits!
Yours etc.,
Dr Shantanu Dutta,
Via email
Aping the Americans!
Editor,
We Khasis see American English as the language that shows the refinement and rationality of a person; hence we speak with this accent. But the question is- Are we speaking English like Khasis? And are we speaking English like Indians? Or are we mere imitators of a culture of which we only imagine in our heads through watching movies and soaps on the television. We Khasis have a distinctive way of speaking English. There is the influence of the Khasi dialect in the way we speak out and pronounce English words. We talk in a slow, calm, concise but lucid manner. The best example would be the Baby Boomers who were educated during the time when the missionary schools and colleges were first established in this city. They were more influenced by reading literature and listening to the English news on the radio while speaking English. It was during Generation Y of the nineties that most people had cable televisions and American movies and soaps influenced the way we Khasis speak English. They were ingrained in our consciousness and in our conscious minds we all inherently see American culture as that “ideal” life. We all feel we are (to add some humour)”kind of” American if we speak like the Americans. But again, where is the identity? Almost all of the Generation Y today are fascinated and drawn to the American accent.
Let me give an example. If we travel to America and we speak to an American-say in a taxi-with an American accent, he would not be impressed but utterly amused at how an Indian could be such a good imitator! When the American would ask the person whether he has lived in America, the plausible answer would be “Nope!…I just love watching Hollywood movies and I don’t know,…it just comes out naturally and fluidly.”
Yours etc.,
Willie Gordon Suting ,
Via email
Is the Tura DTO listening?
Editor,
I wish to bring to your kind attention how the Garo Students Union President is openly flouting the motor vehicle rules in the state and how the DTO office is turning a blind eye to his activities
The President GSU drives a Scorpio with NO Number plate. The vehicle proudly displays instead “GSU President Tura” The DTO Tura is either ignoring the situation or simply turning a blind eye to him. Will the DTO office and other authorities look into the matter
Yours etc.,
A concerned citizen
Useless Khasi alphabet
Editor,
Apropos the letter ” Useless Khasi Alphabet ? ” ( ST Nov 20th, 2014 ) by PK Lakiang, I would be amicably ask Mr Lakiang if he has ever found a word in Khasi Language having ‘G’ ( ek ) in it ? Well, answer would be a big NO. Nevertheless, there are words such as Gatphoh, Gashnga, Gassah etc. and these are the names of some of the clans in Jaintia Hills. These words are being pronounced with the sound of ‘G’ in English since it is very indeterminate to pronounce them with the sound of ‘G’ in Khasi alphabets (eg Katphoh, Kashnga, Kassah).
To ameliorate this situation, I would again suggest two alternatives to the concerned : Either (1) ‘G’ be omitted for all times to come, or (2) assign a new sound of pronunciation to ‘G’ so that it could get out of the good-for-nothing nature. This matter must be revisited by the concerned authority as Evan Pohchen recommended.
Yours etc., .
S. Lamin Khonglah
Bakur, Dawki