When ‘Felling’ Made More Sense Than Falling
It was just another school morning, where you’re half-distracted by the announcements and half-eager for your next free period so you can have a cup of tea with your friends. That is, until the kitchen helpers started unloading a sack of rice into a big container. The sound of rice spilling was hard to ignore.
From the back of the room, one of the students spoke up, completely serious,“Mam, they’re felling the rice!”
Felling rice? Now that’s a new phrase!
But here’s the thing. Being a teacher in a government school, getting students to speak English is not an easy task. They’re usually so hesitant that even trying to speak feels like a huge deal. It’s not something you can easily teach from a textbook, and it really made me appreciate the effort he put in.
There was no second-guessing, no fear of being wrong. He was completely convinced that “felling” was the right word, and in his mind, it made perfect sense.
It reminded me of Mind Your Language one of the most fascinating shows about learning English. I already mentioned this sitcom in an earlier post about retro TV shows. If you teach English or simply adore the language, this one deserves a permanent spot on your watchlist. The show captures the charm of learning the English language. The journey can be confusing and challenging at times, but those little misunderstandings make it all the more rewarding.
English, But Not As You Know It
Mind Your Language is a ’70s British sitcom that revolves around a young teacher, Mr. Jeremy Brown, and his class of foreign students learning English as a Foreign language.
Italian, French, Japanese, Indian, Pakistani, Greek, Spanish, Chinese, German – they’re all there, each bringing their distinct accent, cultural habits, and their own way of understanding the English language. This leads to confusion, miscommunication, and cultural clashes in the most entertaining ways possible.
If I were to skip the characters in this show, I’d basically be skipping the whole point. Because the magic of Mind Your Language doesn’t live in the plot. It lives in the way each student tries and fumbles their way through English.
That’s why I can’t just give you a quick overview and call it a day. To do this show any justice, we’re going to look at each character properly, through the lens of language. Because that’s the whole reason we’re here. And if you enjoy dissecting the English language the way I do, you won’t just laugh; you’ll analyse why it’s funny.
Miss Courtney (And Don’t You Dare Miss the ‘Miss’)
Mrs. Courtney (Oops!! Miss Courtney) is the grumpy school principal who spends most of her time threatening to fire Mr. Brown or questioning why she ever agreed to run an English class for such a “hopeless” bunch.
Her full name is Miss Dolores Courtney. Though people often call her “Mrs.,” she’s actually unmarried and keeps correcting them. It becomes a running joke in the show, especially because she’s so stern and not exactly the romantic type. Always frowning, she is forever convinced that Mr. Brown’s classroom is one step away from complete collapse. Still, if you squint hard enough, you might catch a glimpse of her softer side.
Mr. Jeremy Brown: Laughing on the Inside, Serious on the Outside
Mr. Brown is the English teacher who somehow stays calm while everything around him fells (errr…. I mean “falls”) apart. No matter how off-track the lessons get (and they always do) Mr. Brown somehow pulls everyone back with a smile and a lot of improvising. His students can barely follow a sentence, Miss Courtney keeps threatening to shut the class down, and yet there he is – explaining, re-explaining, and hoping for the best. He’s got endless patience and is way too cheerful for someone who’s always trying to fix things. You can’t help but root for him, even when it’s clear he’s completely outnumbered.
He teaches English without ever making his students feel small, always laughing with them, not at them; and that’s probably why they keep trying, even when everything goes hilariously wrong.
Ali Nadim: He’s Not Wrong. Just…Differently Right.
Ali Nadim is the first student we meet in Mind Your Language. He is from Lahore, Pakistan, although he once casually mentions growing up in Delhi – which might make him a Muhajir (someone who migrated during Partition).At the beginning of Mind Your Language, he is unemployed. However, by the end of the first season, he lands a job as a door-to-door salesman. This role perfectly suits his energetic personality. He’s got the charm, the confidence, and a knack for talking to anyone – language barrier be damned.
He speaks with confidence (often misplaced). His “Yes, please” is both a greeting and a filler, a sign that he’s listening, agreeing, or sometimes just trying to buy time to figure out the next verb. And when things go wrong, he lets out a very British “Oh blimey!” or an enthusiastic “Jolly good!”, reminding us that he’s learning English in England but translating it through a mind wired for Urdu..
Ali’s version of English is not just about incorrect grammar. It’s about how language transfers from one cultural blueprint to another. He translates structures directly from his native language, misplaces articles, and throws in “the” where it isn’t needed. He leans heavily on context to carry meaning. Surprisingly, it works more often than it should. that’s what makes Ali such a joy to watch. He doesn’t just speak English—he bends it, twists it, and sometimes completely flattens it in the process. Surprisingly, this approach works more than it should.
And that’s what makes Ali such a joy to watch. He doesn’t just speak English. He bends it, twists it, and sometimes completely flattens it in the process
And that’s what makes Ali such a joy to watch. He doesn’t just speak English—he bends it, twists it, and sometimes completely flattens it in the process. Surprisingly, this approach works more than it should.
First Scene: Ali Nadim Walks In (And English Walks Out)
Ali marches confidently into the principal’s office, not a flicker of hesitation. Miss Courtney is updating her calendar, completely unprepared for what’s next.
Ali opens with, “Squeeze me, please, lady.” Not excuse me. SQUEEZE ME.
At this point, we all can picture him requesting a gentle embrace from a woman who doesn’t exactly come across as the hugging type.
Nevertheless, Miss Courtney asks what he wants.
Ali, dead serious, “I am coming here for to be learning the English.” (“The” is Ali’s signature seasoning, carelessly sprinkled into each conversation.)
She replies, “You’re early.”
Ali doesn’t miss a beat, “No. I am Ali.”
And just like that, the scoreboard reads: Ali – 1, English language – 0.
Then comes the grand finale, “Yes, please, I am hopping to be unrolled!”.
He’s not hoping to be enrolled.
He’s HOPPING. To be UNROLLED. Like a royal carpet for Her Majesty.
He is so sure, you almost want to believe “unrolling” is how everyone talks about getting into school now.
Miss Courtney tries to fix it, “You mean hoping to be enrolled.”
Ali nods like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “That is what I am saying – hopping to be unrolled!”
And against all logic…we all get what he means.
Ali’s English Journey Starts With a Bang
On his way out, Ali bumps right into Mr. Jeremy Brown, his new English teacher.
With the same unshakeable confidence, he exclaims, “Oh dearie me!! I’m not going where I am looking.”
It’s all wrong. But the way Ali says it, it feels almost poetic. He isn’t making a mistake; he’s creating an entirely new syntax.
It’s wrong. It’s absurd. But there’s something about the way Ali says it that’s almost poetic. He isn’t making a mistake; he’s creating an entirely new syntax.
Mr. Brown tries to correct him, “No, no! I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“No, no! I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
Ali doesn’t catch the correction at all. He hears what he wants to hear. He thinks Mr. Brown is confessing his own mistake. “That makes the two of us!” he says with a grin.
What Ali Taught Me (That No Textbook Ever Could)
Ali Nadeem treats English the way a child treats a playground. No fear, no filters, just fun.
He doesn’t just speak — he leaps into language with both feet.
Does he know the rules? Maybe. Does he follow them? Absolutely not.
But while we’re all nervously checking our grammar, he’s confidently inventing his own.
It’s not always right, but it’s always honest. And that, ironically, makes it work.
It’s not always right, but it’s always honest. And that, ironically, is what makes it work.
Whether in a real classroom or a fictional one, language isn’t always about being right. It’s about being brave enough to try.
This Isn’t Goodbye. Just Going Without Looking.
And that’s where we leave Ali for now. But don’t worry, we’re not done with Mind Your Language just yet. In the next part, we’ll meet the rest of the class – each with their own language struggles.
But here’s the thing. Once I’ve wrapped up all the other characters, I’ll be hopping back to Ali. Because, honestly, his take on the language deserves a whole series of its own. Stay tuned. We’re just getting started.
Not going where I’m looking, but I’ll land here again soon.
Harleen