Sorry about the lack of blogposts recently. You see, I've not been sitting on my computer lately.
Test: Are you wondering how I'd type a blogpost if I was sitting on my computer? If you answered yes, then you are not a Hinglish speaker.
Hinglish speakers believe that computers are sat on, not at. That this implies that a computer could be replaced with a nice, comfortable sofa does not occur to them. Also, the thought that it could prove a little inconvenient to sit on the computer when it is necessary to actually use a computer apparently does not arise. If my backside (see backsides ) is on my computer, basic things such as offing or onning the computer (see offing and onning ) will become difficult, never mind surfing the internet or using word processing software.
Computers are not the only things that can be sat on, desks also fall into this category. I have often walked into offices only to be be told that the people I want to meet are sitting on their desks. This conjures up an imagine of a group of people perched on their desks with their feet on their chairs, whiling away their time - which actually may be a better description of what they are doing.
It is also disconcerting to go to someone's house for dinner only to be told that the other guests are already sitting on the dining table (just like a whole roasted pig with an apple it its mouth a la Christmas dinner - to carve or to socialize, that is the questions)!
A tip to all non-Hinglish speakers: when faced with an unlikely seating description, replace sitting on with sitting at and see if the situation seems more probable.
Test: Are you wondering how I'd type a blogpost if I was sitting on my computer? If you answered yes, then you are not a Hinglish speaker.
Hinglish speakers believe that computers are sat on, not at. That this implies that a computer could be replaced with a nice, comfortable sofa does not occur to them. Also, the thought that it could prove a little inconvenient to sit on the computer when it is necessary to actually use a computer apparently does not arise. If my backside (see backsides ) is on my computer, basic things such as offing or onning the computer (see offing and onning ) will become difficult, never mind surfing the internet or using word processing software.
Computers are not the only things that can be sat on, desks also fall into this category. I have often walked into offices only to be be told that the people I want to meet are sitting on their desks. This conjures up an imagine of a group of people perched on their desks with their feet on their chairs, whiling away their time - which actually may be a better description of what they are doing.
It is also disconcerting to go to someone's house for dinner only to be told that the other guests are already sitting on the dining table (just like a whole roasted pig with an apple it its mouth a la Christmas dinner - to carve or to socialize, that is the questions)!
A tip to all non-Hinglish speakers: when faced with an unlikely seating description, replace sitting on with sitting at and see if the situation seems more probable.
No comments:
Post a Comment