Indian English In US Offices: 5 Everyday Phrases Hurting Your Promotion| Indians In U.S.

Communicating Clearly Across Different English Conventions

Indian English expressions may sound natural in India but be unclear to colleagues in the United States. The goal is not to abandon Indian English or change your identity, but to make requests easy for a particular audience to understand.

Communication Tips

• Be specific: State the action needed, who is responsible, and a realistic deadline.
• Instead of “Please do the needful,” name the task: “Please review the report and share your feedback by Thursday.”
• Instead of “Kindly revert,” make a direct request: “Could you reply by Wednesday?”
• When asking for an explanation, say “I have a question” or “Could you clarify this point?” instead of “I have a doubt.”
• To describe an earlier meeting time, say “Can we move the meeting up to 2:00 p.m.?” rather than “pre-pone.”
• Use “out of town” or “out of office,” as appropriate, instead of “out of station.”
• In workplaces where it sounds overly formal, use “please” instead of “kindly.”
• Check that your message is clear rather than assuming others will understand your wording.

Presenter and Source

No presenter is identified in the subtitles. Source: TimesXP video.