September 29, 2024

'Prepone' Today! The Indian English word you should start using posthaste.

In India you can prepone a meeting. It's not a pun; you don't say it with a wry smile. This post is my case for you to start using that word. It is probably also the script of my tight five.

I'm no linguist, but I suppose it's good to take stock of the situation. I've made a few calls to the major English dictionaries. Cambridge defines it to my satisfaction, but with the caveat that it is a feature of Indian English. Merriam-Webster also defines it fine, adds the same caveat, and then sticks it under its "wordplay" section, where it rubs shoulders with 10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version). Oxford posits a twee little origin story from a 1913 NYT article, plus a pronounciation guide in Indian English that verges on insulting caricature. "In later use, most frequent in Indian English," says OED. Wiktionary and the other online dictionaries give it the same treatment, with the Oxford Learner's Dictionary going the extra mile by including the usage note, "Indian English (informal)."

What, then, is the problem? I just think you need to wake up and smell the chai. Here's a good word, one of India's finest products, and it is not in the global English lexicon. Note: I still haven't defined it for you, but I bet you've figured it out. That's how straightforward it is. A sensible Latinate construction that millions (or, should I say, tens of lakhs) use every day, and you should too.