Language chow-chow

“Naanu outside iddene madam” said my driver today. He had called me to tell that he was unavailable. Nothing significant about it, but what struck me was the word ‘outside’ being used in the sentence and how very out-of-place it was. Me, being a staunch kannadiga (you may call me a regionalist) I absolutely hate English words being introduced forcefully into Kannada. I do agree that language is just a means of communication, but the very thought of infiltrating a language with words from other language (read English) infuriates me. We, people from Mangalore generally speak Kannada less impure, and as we move towards Bangalore the degree of infiltration increases proportionately.
I remember this typical incident when I was doing my B.E in Hassan, a place somewhere midway between Mangalore and Bangalore. Casually I asked a kid of about 5-6 years, “Shaalege hogthiya?” He did not show any signs of answering and looked confused. I asked him, “Kannada barthada?” Kid said, “Howdu”. So this cleared both of my doubts, the kid can hear and understand Kannada as well. I repeated, “Shaalege hogthiya?” The kid looked confused again. Thousand thoughts struck me, Has India reached a state where a kid does not know what is a school? I know of school drop outs but is this kid in such a position that he has not known what a school is? But how can that be possible in 21st century in a place like Hassan? Etc. etc. But the thousand and first thought proved all these were wrong. I rephrased my question, “Schoolige hogthiya?”. Hola, the kid is relieved of the confusion and is all smiles with a jubilant “howdu”. I was happy that all my initial thousand thoughts were wrong but at the same time there remained an irritation just like the remains of a food item stuck in the molars but has to be cleaned off. How is that a word as simple as ‘Shale’ unknown? Every now and then I am asked for time, be at bus stand or while walking on the roads. “Taaime eshtu aaytu”, meaning what is the time. Although I would have preferred a much nice “Gante eshtu aaythu” I still can understand this; but a question like “10 ‘0’ clock aaytha?” is hard to digest.
I am not supporting for a language to be spoken in its purest state. I would find it easy and practical to say a tube light a tube light whether in Kannada, English or Sanskrit than a pure “Dandadeepa”. But “morning milk haakle illa”, “templege hogthene”, “Evening barthene”, “brother buy maadthane”, “mummy cook maadthare”, “vegetablesuuuu, fruitsuuu healthge thumbha useful anthe” are just unacceptable. Why do people have to force English words in the other vernacular languages? Is it to show off one knows English or has it become such a part that inadvertently it gets added into the conversation. Although I like watermelon juice more than moosambi I would not want watermelon juice to be added to my moosambi juice!