The Use of Hinglish in Indian Print Adverts

Jasmeen Kaur addresses local practices of 'code- switching' and 'code-mixing' in India involving English as the former colonial language and Hindi as the national language. Specifically, it concerns the mixing of Hindi and English in form of Hinglish for eye-catching and humorous effect in advertising slogans. One of the major interests of global linguistics is to study the effect English has on the local varieties of languages it makes contact with and it is this area, which is of particular concern in the field of World Englishes, that is investigated in detail in the present study. In the first part of the study detailed background analysis is provided on the general history of English in India, the nature of print adverts and the recent history of English- Hindi hybridity. In the extensive empirical section of the study particular emphasis is placed on the interpretation by Indian informants of the taglines of a series of Hinglish food and dairy adverts selected for the purpose. Also via the same questionnaire employed, responses of informants towards the English language itself and their actual understanding of the slogans are additionally discussed.