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The Raj gave the English language countless such Indian loan-words, including gymkhana (basically a gentlemen’s club), hartal (a mass protest involving a total shutdown), lathi (a heavy stick used by the police), maharaja, maharani, nawab, loot (from Hindi lut, meaning to plunder or steal), and even juggernaut (linked to Jagannath yatra where a massive carriage carries the image of Lord Jagannath and adopted by the British to refer to very large trucks).
Over the years, Hindi words have kept crawling into the English lexicon. Open any English dictionary and you will find untranslatable Hindi words, such as jugaad (an innovative idea providing a quick and smart way of fixing a problem), dadagiri (intimidating or bullying behaviour), chamcha (a sycophant) and my all-time favourite, bindaas (a Bambaiya word that refers to a person who is carefree and daring, ready for any adventure).
The word ‘achcha’, widely used in common parlance across the Subcontinent, was added to the English language just a few years ago. It means good or okay, but can also be used as an expression of surprise. More intriguing is the including of words like timepass, a cute Indianism which stands for passing the time doing nothing! Then we have chup, an untranslatable word which means keep quiet but also has shades of mischief! And who doesn’t know Namaste?
Not surprisingly in a country with a rich gastronomic history, many of the Hindi words found in the English dictionary come from food, such as gulab jamun, keema, mirch masala, chaat, chutney, biryani, roti, papad, raita, etc.
The list of Hindi words that are now part of the English language is long and endless. Here are a few more: Cashmere (fabric spun from the fine wool of the cashmere goat), jungle (Hindi word jangal), chutney (from Hindi chattni) popularised by the British when they exported it to Australia and North America, and so other many words that pass for English, including dungaree, masala, khakhi, karma, mogul, mantra, nirvana, pundit, guru, pajama, shampoo (from champo) and dingy (dingi).
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