The Hindu Business Line : Contrasting styles of expression

Just as there are languages, dresses, culinary dishes, eating habits, ways of life and the like distinguishing nations, there are also national styles of writing. Indeed, even within a country, different regions may express themselves differently.

As regards India, for instance, the dominant style in West Bengal (as in neighbouring Bangladesh) and Tamil Nadu tends to be ornate and flowery. Punjab’s may be rugged and earthy, Kerala’s businesslike and direct, Andhra Pradesh’s blunt and forthright, the hill regions’ cheery and engaging, and so on.

It is nothing surprising, then, that the manner of speaking and writing should differ from country to country. I have found this to my delectation as the chairperson of three UN committees.

The Australians adopt a brisk, brusque, no-nonsense style, the French are diplomatic (as befits the home of diplomacy) and roundabout, the Germans to the point and devoid of frills, the Canadians laconic and logical, the Japanese pleasant and accommodating, and so on and so forth.

What about the British and the Americans? The British are unemotional, matter of fact and without any extraneous stuff to confuse the issues at hand. Whereas the Americans are voluble and preachy and are a delight to hear and read.

It is their writing styles that are a classical study in contrast. What the British writers express in crisp, concise and compact manner, the American tends to embroider and elaborate with a lot of colour and detail to accentuate the ambience.

For instance, let us take a fictional write-up by a British reporter featuring the British Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown, and an American writer’s version of the same event. Here goes.

The British version: The Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown, today announced during question hour in the House of Commons that the Government would soon bring in legislation requiring husbands to spend at least two hours with their wives every day as a mark of solidarity and companionship.

The House received the news in sullen silence, except for some scattered clapping from a few women members.

There it is: Short, though not necessarily sweet (for the husbands, that is!)

This is how the same announcement will be portrayed in American writings:

Sarah, wife of the English (Americans blanch at the word British!) Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, knew something was wrong as she observed the listless and lurching manner in which her husband got up from bed in the morning.

He ignored the cup of tea placed before him and was pacing up and down the cavernous bed room in 10 Downing Street.

Musical lullaby

What could be so heavily weighing on his mind, Sarah lovingly wondered. It could not be the weather, for it was bright and sunny, nor the meowing of their pet cat throughout the night; for him there was no lullaby more musical and soothing.

“Gordon, dear” she began tentatively, as the weather outside, as only the English weather could, darkened without notice and the drizzling forced the phlegmatic natives to unfurl their umbrellas. “Is anything the matter?”

“It seems that nothing is as simple as it seems, Sarah” Gordon mumbled plaintively, running his fingers through his dishevelled hair.

“Yes, dear….” Sarah waited with bated breath to hear more.

“There’s a looming crisis”, he said and told her about the announcement he was to make in Parliament about this darned legislation about husbands spending time with wives. She said that was the climax of his term of office and sped him along. And that was how the announcement came to be made.

See, dramatic, full of colour, as if you are right there when the decision was made! You must hand it to the Americans.

B. S. RAGHAVAN