Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
US English Vs British English
Friday, October 03, 2008
This is an oft debated topic among the editorial circles. While some publishers have either conveniently or deliberately or rather forcefully chosen US English (referred as the corrupt version) in the interests of larger audience, there are a few purists who are following the British format (referred as the correct version), occasionally criticizing the former.
As a school kid, I always wondered why there were unnecessary letters put in a number of words. It doesn't damage if you ignore me from programme and similarly u from colour. Even my English teacher used to pass that question and continued teaching the purists way.
Globalization further complicated things when I started finding American spellings in a few books, especially computer science books. I approached my English lecturer who introduced me to American English and said that's not accepted in India. I was fascinated by the amount of customization done by the Americans and started developing a special liking for it. Since then I struggled with the placement of s and z in a number of words, until I joined my first job.
My first job as Research Associate at Icfai Center for Management Research wanted me to employ US English. Microsoft Word and access to the Internet made my job easier and I started using American English everywhere.
My next job at the recently demised Ochre Media Pvt. Ltd (erstwhile SPG Media Pvt. Ltd.) demanded that I use British English though a majority of our clients resided in North America. To persuade my penchant for American English, I have been incorporating as many American spellings as possible in my blog. Of course, I used to deliberately ignore a few American spellings at my workplace which were often identified and rectified by my colleague Ramakrishna Sadhu, a member of purists school .
As a school kid, I always wondered why there were unnecessary letters put in a number of words. It doesn't damage if you ignore me from programme and similarly u from colour. Even my English teacher used to pass that question and continued teaching the purists way.
Globalization further complicated things when I started finding American spellings in a few books, especially computer science books. I approached my English lecturer who introduced me to American English and said that's not accepted in India. I was fascinated by the amount of customization done by the Americans and started developing a special liking for it. Since then I struggled with the placement of s and z in a number of words, until I joined my first job.
My first job as Research Associate at Icfai Center for Management Research wanted me to employ US English. Microsoft Word and access to the Internet made my job easier and I started using American English everywhere.
My next job at the recently demised Ochre Media Pvt. Ltd (erstwhile SPG Media Pvt. Ltd.) demanded that I use British English though a majority of our clients resided in North America. To persuade my penchant for American English, I have been incorporating as many American spellings as possible in my blog. Of course, I used to deliberately ignore a few American spellings at my workplace which were often identified and rectified by my colleague Ramakrishna Sadhu, a member of purists school .
What am I doing?
Friday, August 01, 2008
This is not the first time I am questioning myself, but this seems to be a serious one and has been bugging me for long. I am really not sure what I am doing with my current employer, except for editing a few articles and taking part in some mundane activities happening around me. Nothing is motivating me to go to work. Blame it on the absence of pretty girls or routine faces and work or anything you would like, I am looking out for something challenging and new.
Worst of all, I have been screaming at a few HR policies and personnel in the HR department. I have tried to be don the avatar of a silent spectator, but my belligerent nature doesn't let me live peacefully. After self introspection, I concluded that I need to get out of the place as soon as possible not only for my good but also for the good of the company and my colleagues.
Yesterday, it was the turn of my new home constructor to face the music. He woke me in the morning and with a disappointed tone started yelling over delay in the registration process. I tried to pacify him for a while, but again, as always, changed gears and retorted strongly. I felt bad for having done that, but that's how I have been behaving over the last few weeks.
More updates coming.
Worst of all, I have been screaming at a few HR policies and personnel in the HR department. I have tried to be don the avatar of a silent spectator, but my belligerent nature doesn't let me live peacefully. After self introspection, I concluded that I need to get out of the place as soon as possible not only for my good but also for the good of the company and my colleagues.
Yesterday, it was the turn of my new home constructor to face the music. He woke me in the morning and with a disappointed tone started yelling over delay in the registration process. I tried to pacify him for a while, but again, as always, changed gears and retorted strongly. I felt bad for having done that, but that's how I have been behaving over the last few weeks.
More updates coming.
