Banta and his son who ran a modest motor spare-parts business won Rs. 50 lakhs in a lottery. They spent the money to expand the business to include spare-parts for imported cars. They placed orders with foreign firms and got invoices in return. They were foxed by the language: "excel 929, two pieces. Price $90." The line beneath read: "Ditto, eight pieces, price $360." They could not understand what "ditto" meant, so Banta went to ask a friend who explained what the word meant. Banta then returned to his show-room and conveyed the meaning of the word to his son: "Oye, Main haan ullu da pattha, tey toon hai ditto." (I am son of an owl and you are ditto). |