Indian English voice overs: what you need to know

A number of different varieties of English hide under the Indian English term. In general, the Indian English dialect refers to the English language that’s spoken in India. An impressive number of people speak this English variety — 260,000 are native speakers, while another 83 million speak it as a second language. Additionally, 39 million people in India speak English as their third language.

English is one of the many official languages of India. It’s also the most commonly used language for official matters — Indian English is the official language of the Supreme Court of India. However, it’s not only an administrative language. English-speaking Indians use it for everyday communication and Indian diaspora keeps this unique English variant alive outside of the country.

Language History

English as a new language appeared in India in the 1600s when the East India Company was established by the British. The founding of this company was the first step to British rule in India — in 1858 South Asian territories, including India, became British colonies. That’s when English flourished in Indian territories.

As a language of the colonists, it soon became widely used in the country’s administrative system, business, and media. English emerged as the sole official language and lingua franca of the colony. However, local and indigenous Indian languages coexisted alongside English and were used in everyday speech by their native speakers.

This British colonial period had a huge impact on language formation in India. After India reclaimed its independence in 1947, English stayed as the administrative language of the country. While the colonists brought the British English variant to the new colony, the language evolved into a completely unique variety of English. Influenced by local languages, Indian English became a distinct and widely used English dialect.

Indian English vs Other English Varieties: How Unique Is It?

Since Indian English developed from British English, the two English variants share plenty of common words and similar pronunciation patterns. Apart from the vocabulary, Indian English is mutually intelligible with the majority of English varieties worldwide.

Where Indian English truly differs from other variants of the language is its vocabulary and numbering system. Many words and expressions from local languages of the subcontinent were adopted into Indian English vocabulary, transforming it into a unique blend of terms. For example, Indian English speakers use the word ‘badmash’ for hooligan, ‘hotel’ for restaurant, and ‘airdash’ for when they’re in a hurry.

The Indian numbering system is used in Indian English, which might be confusing for other English variety speakers. What does that mean? For numbers bigger than 100,000, unique Indian terms are used. For example, 1 million is ‘ten lakh’, 10 million is ‘one crore’, and 1 billion is ‘one Arab’.

Accents and Voice Over Tips

Indian English is a regional dialect on its own, therefore, it doesn’t have officially recognized dialects. The ‘correct’ Indian English variant is considered to be the one that’s used for administrative purposes of the country, education, and media. However, spoken Indian English differs from region to region.

There are several important things to remember when recording an Indian English voice over.

First, remember the unique numbering system that’s used in India. It’s not 1 million, it’s ‘ten lakh’! Second, if you’re recording an informal voice over, don’t be afraid to use slang — it’s commonly used in informal everyday situations and will make the recording sound more natural. And third, make sure you’re familiar with the peculiarities of Indian English pronunciation.

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