Bong-Connection

1.  In West Bengal, when people express their political affiliation, they say,"Ami CPM kori or ami Congress kori.” The literal translation in Hindi are,” Main CPM karta hoon ya main Congress karta hoon,” which do not have any meaning.

Certain expressions in regional languages are difficult to translate in English or if translated they lose their original character. 

     Once I had a heated argument on certain matters with a very unfriendly neighbour, who happened to be a staunch supporter of CPM. When he realized that he was fighting a losing battle, he cautioned me in Bengali.

     “Don’t you know Ami CPM kori?”

I asked politely, “Sorry, I’m not getting what you want to say actually.”

      “You know very well what I mean.” he replied.

     I said, “If you say ‘ami CPM kori’, I won’t understand any thing, If you say,’ you are either a leader, volunteer or supporter of CPM or you are associated with them in some way,’ then perhaps I might understand.”

He stared at me for a few moments with a puzzled look and walked off without   any further argument and I heaved a sigh of relief.

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  2.   While traveling in a local train, I was amused to hear an agitated elderly Bengali Babu shouting at a hapless young man,” Scoundrel, Rascal. Kono kando gyan nai?” (Behave yourself  or Don't you know how to behave?) He was accidentally pushed by the young man in the rush.

     I thought; these Victorian English words were outdated. The elderly Bengali people are still very fond of using them, though there are choicest of abusive words in English, Punjabi (Delhi) and Hindi (Bihar,UP) widely used throughout India. ‘Mind it’, the words ‘Scoundrel’ and ‘Rascal’ are equally popular in Tamil Nadu also!.I love hearing those words!

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