Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Hindi words commonly used in English.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Hindi words commonly used in English.

    When I was young my Scottish grandparents insisted my sister and I call our grandfather Papa which is an English corruption of the Indian word for father (I believe the word is bapa).
    -AD&D nerds know all about avatars which comes from Sanskrit meaning incarnation.
    -When I was growing up in the 80's break dancing was popular and everyone wore a Bandanna which is a scarf worn around the head or face.
    -At school we often went to class in a Bungalow which is literally a Bengal style house.
    - Myths were full of the calico cat or the calico mine all of which comes from calicut, meaning "a coarse cotton cloth with a bright printed pattern"
    -We watch the discovery channel where we saw pictures of Cheetahs in Africa which means "variegated".
    -When gambling or betting people would put a Chit down which means a letter or note.
    -We, of course, ate chutney on our bread.
    -In WW1 and WW2 millions of American soldiers slept on a cot which is Hindi for a portable bed.
    -Sometimes people would say something was cushy which meant easy, soft, or happy.
    -If someone was really good at something then they would be called a Guru.
    -We read comic books about The Juggernaut which is Hindi for unstopable force.
    -The tropics are filled with jungles which is a Hindi word.
    -Theives would loot a house or company.
    -When you went to bed you'd wear your Pyjamas which were loose fitting garments often used for sleeping.
    -Common thieves or tough guys were called thugs.

    The reality is the colonization of India was a two way exchange where lots of local words got taken into English just as lots of English words and ideas got imported into India.
    Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

  • #2
    Nothing unique about this. You can find plenty of loan words from many languages. Take Arabic which among other words include, admiral, alcohol, alchemy, adobe, algebra, algorithm, almanac, amber, arsenal, artichoke, assassin, azimuth, azure... and that's just the A's

    Last edited by Al B. Sure!; June 15, 2010, 21:31.
    "Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
    "I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi

    Comment


    • #3
      And actually, calico coming from the city of Calicut is actually Arabic in origin:

      From wikipedia:
      The Arabs called it Kalikooth
      The city's name in India is Kozhikode.
      "Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
      "I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi

      Comment


      • #4
        True. English doesn't just borrow words but beats other languages over the head and then goes through their pockets for spare words.
        Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

        Comment


        • #5
          Not just English, Oerdin... take this:



          The list of Arabic words in Spanish is absurdly long.
          "Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
          "I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi

          Comment


          • #6
            You should probably link to the site you took this from, Oerdin.
            KH FOR OWNER!
            ASHER FOR CEO!!
            GUYNEMER FOR OT MOD!!!

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Albert Speer View Post
              One would accept that given the Arabic colonization of Spain and Portugal. True, the Crusaders eventually beat back the Arabs but hundreds of year of cultural interaction is bound to leave a trace.
              Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Drake Tungsten View Post
                You should probably link to the site you took this from, Oerdin.
                Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Reconquistadors to be exact, Oerdin.
                  "Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
                  "I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Oerdin View Post
                    When I was young my Scottish grandparents insisted my sister and I call our grandfather Papa which is an English corruption of the Indian word for father (I believe the word is bapa).
                    I like words and etymologies, but this is just stupid. Papa/baba and variations is a pretty much universal sound for father, like mama is for mother (sometimes they are reversed). It is usually explained as one of the first sounds a baby is able to make, because all it really entails is putting your lips together while making a sound with your throat.

                    We say pappa in Swedish and we sure as hell didn't get it from "Indian".

                    -AD&D nerds know all about avatars which comes from Sanskrit meaning incarnation.
                    This dates the list.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      No, actually the Catholic church called for multiple crusades to remove the infidels from Spain and Portugal. The Spanish called it the Reconquista (reconquest) but the fact remains that it was a religious duty for all Catholics to join in the religious struggle against the Muslims. In fact huge numbers of Spanish, Italians, Polish, English, and other knights joined in the struggle for no other reason then because the Catholic Church told them they would receive salvation if they did so. It was absolutely a continuation of the Crusades albeit mixed with the national ambitions of the Kings of Spain and Portugal.
                      Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Kitschum View Post
                        We say pappa in Swedish and we sure as hell didn't get it from "Indian".
                        Want to bet? Though I suppose it could have a common Indo-European root.
                        Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Oerdin View Post
                          Want to bet?
                          Yes.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Oerdin, you're wrong. In fact, mama and dada and variations are virtually universal in human languages.
                            "Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
                            "I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              The words are absolutely Indo-European in origin. This would, of course, explain how derivations occur in numerous indo-european languages. I would expect via colonization and regular cultural exchange simple words would become loan words in other languages.
                              Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X