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Juno
2nd December 2009, 08:29 PM
Hey i'm a native speaker of hindi from Mumbai.. A lot of words in Hindi are transliterations of English words like Cricket, Bollywood, film ( क्रिकेट, बॉलीवुड, फिल्म). I guess it comes down to what ppl would actually type into the browser?

So is it actually worth registering such .com's because majority of people who have access to the internet speak and use it in english. Also there dont seem to be a plethora of hindi keyboards etc?

alexd
2nd December 2009, 08:46 PM
Hi Juno

I actually think you are in a much better position than others here with regards to Hindi domains and their potential.

I have read many things about the majority of Indian internet users being fluent in English, and always using English for the net. I can see how this can be the case, but I can't imagine there not being demand for domain names and internet use in one's own language.

What type of IDN exposure ( if any ) is there where you are ?? Are people aware of IDNs ??

Alex

Juno
2nd December 2009, 09:08 PM
Hey Alex

Yes ppl who have access to the internet are educated and significantly more well of than others. I could see demand for internet use in local languages only if the internet in general is exposed to a larger indian audience.. So if local languages become accessible it would take a long time for it be useful since a majority of ppl use the net in english and are very comfortable with it. the switch would not be difficult but uncomfortable to the millions of english users. However to new users who have been limited to using the net because of their lack of english comprehension, this could be a major boon.

I dont think there is much IDN exposure or awareness of IDNs with users, but it seems domainers are buying up IDN.com's

sbe18
2nd December 2009, 09:16 PM
98 to 99 % of SMS in India/ Pakistan is native script....

mobile WAP and VAS sites are in native script.

the massive 3G networks being built are mobile web focused

idn.in vs.

idn.com

who knows....

idn.com are available now...
the Indian govt. sat on its hands for 10 years....

anglo-phile attitudes and slumdog snobbery...

s/

jacksonm
2nd December 2009, 09:27 PM
the Indian govt. sat on its hands for 10 years....

anglo-phile attitudes and slumdog snobbery...





They are the largest bastion of RP speakers in the world, you know.

Juno
2nd December 2009, 09:33 PM
anglo-phile attitudes and slumdog snobbery...

nice touch.

but yeah the mobile market will be huge depending on 3G and prevalance of smartphones.. most of the local phones now are not web-enabled and if they are ppl are not using them.

blastfromthepast
3rd December 2009, 03:13 AM
Please PM me if you want to offload your Hindi domains.

sbe18
3rd December 2009, 06:39 AM
to MJ.....

RP is an interesting issue...
whether in UK or India...

It seems that RP is not even spoken in England or on Oz's ABC anymore...
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/trudgill.htm


re: English comprehension and reading...

very different story...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0620/1224249169396.html

China will be the largest English READING nation in short order...
but this is for eco. / WTO/ personal advancement etc....


It seems that China is not going with the RP way...
too many Yanks/Canadians/ Kiwis teaching.....(grin).....

s/

jacksonm
3rd December 2009, 07:18 AM
to MJ.....

RP is an interesting issue...
whether in UK or India...




It's most amusing to listen to Bon Scott's mocking of RP!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjkJfMrQ4bc


.