Sunday 29 December 2013

The harm in hypercorrection- or jurm jindeh ast!

My Iranian friends like to tell the story of the Indian mourners at Ayatolloh Khomeini's funeral who took up the cry 'Khomeini zindeh ast' (Khomeini is alive!) only to be betrayed by Hindi's lack of a 'z' phoneme into proclaiming 'Khomeini jindeh ast' (Khomeini is a bitch whore).
Recently people from Meerut have taken to hypercorrecting by inserting a 'z' into Arabic or Persian words which actually require a 'j'.
A case in point is, Kejrival supporter, the hilarious poet/ stand up comic, Dr. Kumar Vishvas, who certainly knows better and takes a mischievous delight in remaining within the decorous prison of Ghazal 'Muhabbat', at 'Kavi Sameelans' presided over by Professors with the power to rusticate, or District Magistrates who can have you thrown in jail, such that it is entirely what is suggested but unspoken by his gamin persona, which soars aloft on the wing of Zatalli's satire and Chirkheen's scatology.
Still, his mis-pronouncing jurmana as zurumana is to be greatly deplored. This fashion for hypercorrection imperils the historic foundations of Indo-Iranian friendship and mutual respect.
Mind it kindly.
Aiyayo.

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