| Indic Languages in the English Lexicon |
| While the influence of English in the spoken form of Indian languages is unmistakable, the influences of Indian languages are also imprinted in English. This article highlights some of the words that have made their way into the dominant language in the world today. |
| While the fact remains undeniable that the British Empire, through its 300-odd years of history in the Indian subcontinent has been a major influence in the evolution of modern-day India, its languages and its culture, the reverse effect is also in evidence with several words of Indian origin entering the realms of the English languages. Some words, that we take for granted as pure English terms, are in reality from the Indian subcontinent. Hindi, as the language spoken among over 500 million people today is one of unique importance. It was the language spoken by a vast majority of the subjects of the British Raj in India. Inevitably, the cross-mingling of cultures have produced some unique words in English that are descended from Hindi and some other Indian languages. |
| The word, "Bangle", denoting an ornament worn around the wrist by ladies comes from the Hindustani word "Bangri". "Bandana", a style statement by the youth today, derives from "Bandhini". The aspirations of all urbanites, better known as a "Bungalow" comes from "Bangla". Weary British soldiers after decades of battling in faraway lands referred to their homeland, Britain, as "Blighty" which is derived from the Hindustani word for foreigner "Vilayati". |
| Many other Hindustani words made a direct entry into the dictionaries of English, with subtle modifications. "Cashmere" (from Kashmir), "Chai", "Chit" (from the Hindi word for letter, "Chhitti"), "Coolie", "Cumemrbund", "Cushy" (from the Hindi word for joy, "Khushi"), "Cot", "Dinghy", "Dungaree", "Gunny", "Jodhpurs", "Khaki", "Loot", "Mugger", the drink "Punch" (from the Hindi word for five, "Paanch", which denoted the number of ingredients in the brew), "Pajamas" (from the Hindustani word "Pyjama"), "Shampoo", "Shawl", "Thug" (from the notorious dacoits known as Thugees) and "Veranda" from the Hindustani word "Baraamda" are some examples of Hindi words that are now accepted bona fide terms in English. |
| The land presently known as the state of Tamil Nadu also came considerable influence of the British Empire and has also pollinated the language with several words from Tamil. The most frequently used term in modern-day slang is perhaps "cash". Cash is postulated to have derived from "Kaasu" (a term for the copper currency employed prior to British occupation of South India). The word "Catamaran", denoting a streamlined raft, comes from "Kattumaram" (meaning "bound wood or trees" in Tamil). The word "Cheroot" is derived from "Churuttu" from "Suruttu" (meaning "roll" or "rolled"). Mango is derived from the word "Maanga", a word common among the languages of Tamil, Malayalam and Kodagu. |
| Again, like Hindi, some words have directly entered English books with subtle alterations. "Curry", "Mulligatawny" (from the Tamil word for "pepper water"), "Pariah" and "Teak" are a few other words that have entered English vocabulary from this classical language of India. |
| Many other Indian languages have also contributed their fair share of words into the English lexicon. "Bandicoot", a large rat found in many parts of the world, derives its name from "Pandhikoku" in Telugu, which meant "pig-like". "Coir" and "Copra" comes from Malayalam. Urdu is said to have contributed, among other words "Sherbet/Sorbet" from the Urdu word "Sharbat". |
| But the language that perhaps had the maximum impact in the lexicon of the English language has been Sanskrit. The word "Cheetah" comes from the Sanskrit word "Chitraka" (meaning "speckled or variegated"). "Jungle" comes from Jangala, which, oddly, meant "dry ground, desert or wasteland". |
| Some other words that are well-documented in English dictionaries like "Aryan", "Avatar", "Axis", "Candy" (from "khanda"), "Charka" (from "Chakra"), "Dharma", "Guru", "Himalayas", "Jute", "Kamasutra", "Karma", "Mandala", "Mongoose", "Musk", "Nirvana", "Orange", "Palanquin", "Pundit", "Raj", "Sati", "Shunyata", "Sugar", "Sutra", "Swastika", "Yoga", "Yoni" and "Navigate" all have descended their meaning and their sounds from Sanskrit. |
| Another interesting Indian word that has been accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary in 2004 is a word that is used very frequently all over the country (and, apparently, the world!) to describe a meeting-place or a place to "hang out". The linguistic origin of this word, "Adda", is currently under some dispute but its geographical origins bears the unmistakable stamp of Indiannness. |
| English does possess a multi-faceted and geographically unbounded character with the growing influences of Indian languages and some others that once identified the cultural heritage of those nations and their people. This just emphasizes the fact that Indian languages have had and will have a lasting influence on the growth and color of English and other languages of the western world |
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