Indian English
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Indian words accepted internationally
2004: Indian words that OED included
English is being spiced up with sprinkling of some more words from Hindi.
In the edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, there is already a host of Hindi words, including 'Angrez' (English person) and 'badmash' (naughty) while many more are being entered into the Collins Bank of English, which screens words for entry.
The Hindi words likely to find a place in the English Dictionary are: Achha (OK, or is that so?), Aloo (Indian potato), Arre (used to express surprise), Chuddi (underwear), Desi (local, indigenous), filmi (related to Bollywood), Very filmi (Drama queen or king), Gora (white person), Jungli (uncultured) and Yaar (friendly form of address). According to a report in 'The Observer' today, Arfaan Khan, a linguist based at Reading University, told a major conference at the University of Newcastle this month to expect a 'whole new dialect' to emerge.
"This will be an increasing trend," said Jeremy Butterfield, editor-in-chief of the Collins dictionaries.
"If new words are used enough, they will end up in the dictionary, and once they are there they become English words, too. With our increasingly multi-cultural society, in 50 years English will have adopted a mass of words from all the different cultures living on this island." And those who complain about the loss of the purity of the language are simply misguided, according to experts.
"English is a mongrel language, and always has been," said Bufferfield.
Many Asian words have already been naturalized into English. Bungalow, cheetahs, ganja have all been shipped over from the sub-continent. And every time Jamie Oliver kisses his fingers and cries 'pukka', he is speaking Hindi.
It is within 'culinary speak' that the largest changes are expected. "The British food habit has been transformed by the arrival of Asian people in the community," said Mahendra Verma, director of Hindi Programme at York University.
"The words are entering local vocabularies. Masala is replacing spice, mooli means white radish, and the word balti is actually Hindi for the type of pan that the dish is cooked in." Accepting the words into the dictionary will also help British viewers to understand what is being said when actors in Anglo-Indian comedies use Hindi and Urdu phrases, the report said. Spoof television programmes such as The Kumars at No 42 and Goodness Gracious Me have had a massive influence on English, with dictionary compilers keeping an eye on the lingo used by star Meera Syal to monitor shifts.
Syal, the actress who plays the grandmother in the Kumars, has already been credited with fast-tracking the word 'chuddies' (underpants) into everyday use. A study in Birmingham, looking at mixed groups of Punjabi Sikhs and whites in youth clubs, found that white teenagers quickly absorbed derogatory Punjabi words to use as insults.
2015: OED adds 6 Indian words
The Oxford English dictionary will now have the colloquial Hindi word ‘Arre Yaar’. Those words are usually used when a person in anguish or exasperation. A lot depends on the context where the term is placed too. There is more: Indian attire ‘Chudidar’ also finds a place. However, it is delicacies that has made the strongest case with ‘Bhelpuri’, Keema, ‘Papad’ and ‘Dhaba’ finding a place in the respected language source book
Here is a complete list of all the words that find a place in the Oxford dictionary and what that means:
Bhelpuri
An Indian street food item with a generous dose of Indian mixture, onions, Fenugreek and tomatoes sprinkled with a generous doze of lemon. The mixture is stirred before serving.
Keema
Taking its origins from Greek, Keema is used with all kinds of meat, popularly though with lamb and sliced into several tiny pieces. It can be cooked by stewing or frying deeply and used as a Pav or Samosa filling. It is also used with Kebabs.
Papad There are several variants across India. Papadam is used in Kerala while Appadam is the reference in Telugu and Happala in Kannada. Tamilians say Appalam while Papad is common in the other parts of the country. Chick Pea and Tapioca are mixed with Black flour and is dipped in a dough with peanut oil.
Churidar
This is a tight-fitting trouser both, men and women wear it. It was predominantly worn by the People in North India but the comfort and aesthetic appeal of the Chudidar won a pan-India appeal. Sarees soon gave way to the most commonly worn ladies attire. Men wear it with a loose shirt at the top. Women complete the ensemble with a Kameez on top.
Dhaba
Eateries with bare minimum settings. It initially started as a highway food joint for drivers late at night. Dhabas usually serve only the local cuisine and has its roots in Punjab. Music also forms an integral part of a Dhaba. The word is now popular across the world and restaurants have adopted this name.
2016: Twelve Indian words that OED included
If you are an Indian, you must heard the word ‘aiyo’ – that typical, endearing southern phrase that can easily be a synonym for uh-oh, oh dear or oops (even that doesn’t quite capture aiyo’s breathtaking range). Well, it turns out that ‘aiyo’ is now a legitimate English phrase as well after it was included in the Oxford English dictionary (OED) in 2016, as part of the latest addition of words to its database.
The official website of OED says ‘Aiyo’ was first cited in 1886 in the Chamber’s Journal and later references were attributed to the famed writer R.K. Narayan (“Aiyo! Never thought our beloved headmaster would come to this end.”[Tiger for Malgudi, 1984]).
However, this is not the first time an Indian term has found itself in this eminent dictionary. Reflecting the global popularity of Indian food, a number of Indian words have been earlier accepted in the Oxford English dictionary. Here are some of them.
1. Aiyo
Clearly a word of power with a colourful history, Aiyo is an expressive term that seems to have no content and yet is capable of expressing a range of feelings from dismay to derision. The dictionary describes it as: “In southern India and Sri Lanka, expressing distress, regret, or grief; ‘Oh no!’ or ‘Oh dear!’ ”
2. Badmash
The dictionary describes the word as it means in Hindi: “a dishonest or unprincipled man.” The word actually originates from Urdu, from Persian bad (evil) and Arabic ma‘āš (means of livelihood).
3. Bhelpuri
A popular street food in India, the inclusion of bhelpuri in the dictionary delighted food lovers across the world. The dictionary describes it as: “An Indian dish of puffed rice, onions, spices, and hot chutney”.
4. Churidar
Churidar was first spotted in English usage as early as 1880. It took 135 years to officially make it to the English language. The Oxford dictionary defines churidar as “tight trousers made with excess material at the bottom of the legs, which falls in folds around the ankles, traditionally worn by people from South Asia”.
5. Chutney
One of the most commonly used Indian words, chutney is described by the dictionary as “a spicy condiment of Indian origin, made of fruits or vegetables with vinegar, spices, and sugar.” From Gordon Ramsay to Nigella Lawson, you’ll see everyone slather their dish with a ‘spoonful of chutney’!
6. Dhaba
Once merely stopovers for travelers, now destinations unto themselves, it can be safely said that dhabas are a testimony to how far Indians will drive just to get a sip of kadak chai or a bite into generously stuffed paranthas drenched with homemade butter. In the dictionary, dhaba has been included as a noun and is explained as “In India or in Indian contexts: a roadside food stall or restaurant”.
7. Didi
The Hindi word for elder sister, didi has also crept in and made itself at home in the Oxford dictionary. The dictionary describes didi as “an older sister or older female cousin”. Maybe the dictionary will open its arms to the ‘bhaiya‘ soon too!
8. Ghee
An oil with a rich history in Ayurvedic medicine, ghee remained India’s culinary star for centuries till it was sidelined in the 1980s by vegetable oils because of its high saturated fat. A word with Sanskrit origins, it is described by the dictionary as “clarified butter made from the milk of a buffalo or cow”.
9. Masala
India has a plethora of masala ( from Urdu word ‘masalah‘) or spices that are ground, powdered, dried, soaked or used as they are, to create some of the most special and popular delicacies in the country. The dictionary describes masala as “a mixture of ground spices used in Indian cooking”.
10. Pukka
The word pukka enjoys an unusual status in Britain both as a current slang term and a dusty relic of the Raj. As a London slang term, pukka means first-rate or excellent. The word rose to prominence over a decade ago, when it became one of the catchphrases of the TV chef, Jamie Oliver. But the word’s three descriptions in the dictionary (genuine; excellent; of or appropriate to high or respectable society) are nothing compared to the range of its meanings in India!
11. Puri
A Sanskrit word derived from the term ‘purika‘, puri has been described by the dictionary as “(in Indian cooking) a small, round piece of bread made of unleavened wheat flour, deep-fried and served with meat or vegetables”. After all, if tortilla can have a place in the dictionary, so can the utterly delicious puri!
12. Yaar
In the dictionary, the colloquial Indian word, yaar, has been defined as a noun to refer to a ‘familiar form of address: friend, mate’. According to research, yaar was first spotted in English usage in the year 1963.
2017: OED adds 68 more Indian words
Anna, jugaad and 68 more desi words in Oxford now, Oct 30, 2017: The Times of India
Endearing words like `abba' and `anna' to delicacies like `gulab jamun' and `vada' can now be found in the Oxford English Dictionary(OED).Seventy new Indian words from Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and Gujarati languages have been added to the dictionary .
Common words like `jugaad', `dadagiri', `achcha', `bapu' and `surya namaskar' are now part of Oxford dictionary , OED said in a statement.
Many of the words describe food and relationships, such as `anna' (elder brother), `abba' (father), `gulab jamun', `mirch masala', `keema' and `chamcha'.Oft-used terms like `timepass', `natak' and `chup' have also entered OED. The September update adds to the 900 distinctive Indian words already in OED.
“Indian speech etiquette features a complex system of kinship terms... marked by a highly specific vocabulary with no direct equivalents in English,“ said Danica Salazar, OED World English Editor.
Phrases unique to Indian English
English Phrases Used Only By Indians Which The World Knows Nothing About
By Rutu Ladage | January 13, 2015 The Times of India
I know such English that I will leave the British behind. You see sir, I can talk English, I can walk English, I can laugh English, I can run English, because English is such a funny language.
1. What is your good name?
One of the most common of mistakes, this term simply means, 'What's your name?'. This is often a direct, word by word translation of the same phrase in Hindi, "Aapka shubh naam?". Shubh translates to good and most Indians translate the phrase without bothering to make alterations.
2. I have a doubt.
While in the rest of the English world, to harbour a doubt is generally associated with doubting someone's ability, in India, to have a doubt means you have a question about something.
3. Passing out of college
The normal world uses 'graduation' or 'convocation'. Indian English makes it, "I passed out of my college." If you pass out in the US or Australia or the UK, you would probably be rushed to a hospital, not lauded.
4. First-Class!
Indians refer to anything they like or that is really good as being 'first-class'. So anything from a movie to a pani-puri could be 'first-class' in the country.
5. Do one thing.
Once again, literally translated from 'ek kaam kar', the term is used by Indians whenever they want someone to take up their advice and act in a particular way. Eg: Do one thing, cook cabbage soup for lunch today.
6. Out of station.
Out of station = out of town. I'm out of station means I'm on a vacation or not in town. It does not mean you are out of a particular station or inside a particular station, like Harry Potter on Platform 9 3/4
7. Prepone.
What do you do when you do not want to postpone a meeting but reschedule it ahead of it's intended time? Simple. You prepone it! Literally using the antonym for post-, Indians derived this simple way of stating something will happen ahead of time.
8. Mother promise, father promise, God promise.
Used mostly by youngsters, these phrases offer a convenient way out of any tricky situation where the speaker does not really want to put himself/herself in danger by 'crossing his heart and dying'.
9. Doing the needful.
We will do the needful. Only and only the needful. Nothing more, nothing less. 'Please do the needful' is a common request which simply asks the person to finish the task.
10. Like that only.
We might be punny or phunny but we are like that only! We only add only at the end of sentences. Or at the start of them. Or anywhere we want. So we will talk like this only. Problem much?
11. Same to same
Means: Identical. A literal translation of the Urdu hoo-ba-hoo.
12. Free
As in ‘mujhse free honay ki koshish na karein’ [Don’t try to be or act ‘free’ with me.] Meaning: Keep your distance. Don’t try to be informal with me. Don’t try to take liberties with me. (This phrase is used most in Pakistan and the neighbouring Punjabi-speaking areas of India.)
