We will still be continuing with our selection of Hindi Loanwords. The one’s no today’s menu are……….
Khaki is the color which can be best described as dusty gray. It is the uniform color of the Indian Police or the Indian bus conductors. Also and therefore it is used colloquially to represent people in the services. Khaki is now the official word used to denote the color. It is a Hindi origin word. Also Khaki in our own usage is also used to describe loyalty. Any guesses why?
(Khaki pants)
Loot comes from the Hindi word ‘loot’ which means the illicit gains through thievery, robbery or any illegal means. It is a hundred percent borrowed word as in its meaning between the two languages is literally the same. The inflictions are different. While the English usually use it to signify the collections after a crime is committed, us Indians use it to denote abject ruin. As in ‘hum lut gaye! Hai Ram!’. Do you get the difference between the English and Hindi usage.
Pajama is taken from the Hindi Pyjama. Whereas in India ‘kurta pyjama’ is worn throughout the day, the British found it to be a very comfortable and soft fabric, excellently suited for the Indian summers. The British with their ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality would never be caught dead wearing that during the day, but at night was another matter. SO eventually what happened is that the British adopted that word for their ‘nightwear’. In India, it is clothes for the entire day. Also, ‘tum aadmi ho ya paijama?’.
(Member of the Pyjama Party……..India)
(Member of the Pyjama party……….England!)
Shampoo comes from the Hindi word for massage, especially of the head using a lubricating substance. The word in question being Champoo. This word means an energetic massage of the head after applying some oils and all. In English it means some substance to put on your head before rinsing your hair. The birth of the shampoo. (This is kinda self explanatory isn’t it?)
The last word to be discussed today is the word shawl. Shawl is a piece of cloth that is generally wrapped around ones throat and face during the winters. It is very warm and…..well…..nice I guess. Anyways the important thing is that you know the meaning of shawl and that you know it comes from the town Shaliat where its making is first credited to. Comprende?
(Woman wearing a blue shawl)