I may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier but I just heard for the first time the phrase "Chindia" during a radio interview with a sociologist. The interviewee went on to explain "Chindia" as representing the emerging middle classes of India and China. (Thank god - he felt the need to explain it or I would've felt like a real dolt having to google it later.) So ummm I was ok with Bennifer and Brangelina because those phrases germinated from celeb mags and you gotta hook that audience with cute phrases - the literary equivalent of shiny, bright things. And - the phrases each only represented 2 people. But when clever people, referring to more that 1 billion people, start imitating the writing styles of gossip columnists - specifically the Indian economist, Jairam Ramesh (yes - I googled after all) who is credited with coining the phrase - I start to sweat ... and I'm actually more bothered by the fact that I don't know exactly why this upsets me so much. *sigh* I have no answer.
4 comments:
To seak the solution, you must first clearly define your question! Is that linguistic or if it is from the billion people that merge from sub-economic classes who joining to form a new class of people? Or maybe just bothered by someone who uses a phase to attract new audiences for attention so that he/she can show his ego?
Big dog
I think you're in a 'lovate' (love/hate) or perhaps a 'hatove' (hate/love) relationship with this whole thing.
And you are not the only victim. Imagine if parents decide to teach their kids to call them 'dammies' instead of daddie or mommie. And imagine a kid having trouble with the word and keeps calling them dummies instead. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH, I want my dummies!!!!!
Whatever it is, perhaps a quote from this adult might cheer you up (Rainer Maria Rilke):
Be patient with all that is unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms, or books that are written in a foreign tongue. Live the question raw...
"Chindia" sounds interesting. . .First time I heard that phrase, although I have heard "Chimerica" a few times before (the combination of China and America's economies). . . Perhaps Russianese can one day become a common word (the love of Russia and Japanese coming together) :))
By the way, I emailed you so please check it. . .(I am the Japanese guy, kanjikg@aol).
cheers!
Interesting observation which is relevant in 2011 as much as when you wrote it in 2009.
Post a Comment