Why 'Bad' English is Good!

As many of you, my readers and my critics have probably noticed by now, I often write in English that is not perfect. In fact, you might even believe it is not just imperfect but ‘bad’ English. Many of my posts and published pieces will fail the test for grammar, syntax and perhaps some spelling too. The punctuation is not always right, the tenses and ‘person’ that I write as may not be consistent throughout an article. It would not usually make it to that stage in most Western English media without being edited, but the article is published easily in the ChinaDaily website.  I even get many viewers and positive feedback. I know, I know! I have apparently, litera(ture)lly gotten away with it many times!!

                        While many of you know this, I too am very aware of this. While I am imperfect and even if I put my mind to write ‘perfect’ English, I will likely fail and there will still be errors. This is something I do with a purpose in mind, especially when writing on ChinaDaily. I let many known errors remain, on purpose, while deliberately adding some. I often twist the structure of a sentence such that it seems a word for word translation from another language (Indian) with a different structure where it makes perfect sense. It may sometimes be the way English speakers in India or another country might frame a sentence, coming from their knowledge of their own native tongue. The result might be a strange or ‘convoluted’ sentence for an English purist. I don’t seem to care!

            Here is a brief outline of the process I use to write. I sit down and write raw, as fast as I can, putting down the idea or thoughts down as they ‘flow’ through my mind. Often, even as I write, I can see a need to re-arrange my sentences, phrases or make some changes. If it can be done quickly without losing the flow, I do it. Sometimes, I am interrupted in the process of writing by tasks of higher priority – taking care of my children’s needs or house chores or a neighbour.

            I get back to writing, give it a quick once over to correct obvious, glaring errors that I don’t want to get through. Sometimes I merge two sentences and forget to clean up the grammar or structure and it shows.

            I am often in a rush to get it over with, blog or publish it and move on. I don’t often find time to write and publish things at a leisurely pace – I am not paid for it. If I were, I would definitely spend more time at editing and turn in better pieces. However, I would still not seek perfection, deliberately, of course! Particularly, on ChinaDaily, I would keep a fair bit of imperfection in my English.

            In fact, I try to and have kept a fair amount of imperfect or ‘bad’ English in my writings on ChinaDaily. It serves a great purpose and I am convinced that it is one of a worthy style that I can claim, proudly for myself. There is a method to this ‘madness’ as some might call it.

            You see, my friends, I have sought to prove a point and have done so, repeatedly, over a year and a half on ChinaDaily. I have convincing evidence and proof of the following:

-         It does NOT take ‘perfect’ English to be understood clearly and communicate the important ideas and feelings.

-         Readers with varying degrees of knowledge of English, from bare beginners to highly knowledgeable and nit-picky perfectionists, all, can usually understand exactly what I intend to convey. They let me know from their response, whether they agree with my ideas or not.

-         Many English novices, in fact, seem to grasp the subtleties of views I express quite easily. They are perhaps quite comfortable reading someone who writes a bit like themselves! They are not intimidated.

            I do try and edit my writings so that the more knowledgeable ones are not legitimately confused by my writing, punctuation and structure. If they can see clearly where I have written my English ‘wrong’, then I know I have done alright. They can correct my piece and still understand what I meant to convey.

            And conveying something, without ambiguity, is the true measure of any writing. It is the true purpose and if it is achieved, the goals of writing are served. Anything further is usually needed to satisfy critics and many self-appointed authorities of a language.

            I hope my imperfect writings, and the responses they elicit, provide beginners and novices in English, on ChinaDaily, the confidence to go ahead, write from the heart and mind fearlessly. I hope they keep in mind that they too can be understood perfectly well, even if they write imperfectly in English or any other language. One needs to write just good enough to be understood accurately!

            My message to new writers on ChinaDaily is – don’t be intimidated, don’t feel inferior or shy to write as best as you can. Even if you start by simply substituting English words for Chinese in a Chinese structure, you will communicate well. You will teach others a language with different structure. Many other Chinese will understand your English better than non-Chinese speakers!

            ChinaDaily is a great website with a very open, tolerant and accepting culture. It warmly accepts and publishes posts and articles highly critical of China and its government, people and culture. It supports more freedom of expression than any such publication I have come across in the West or rest of the world! They place value on the ideas and less on perfection of language to encourage anyone to write and publish!

http://blog.chinadaily.com.cn




Copyright  (c) Kannan Narayanamurthy 2015


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