Hindustani, also known as Hindi-Urdu, like all Indo-Aryan languages, has a core base of Sanskrit-derived vocabulary, which it gained through Prakrit.[1] As such the standardized registers of the Hindustani language (Hindi-Urdu) share a common vocabulary, especially on the colloquial level.[2] However, in formal contexts, Modern Standard Hindi tends to draw on Sanskrit, while Standard Urdu turns to Persian and sometimes Arabic.[3] This difference lies in the history of Hindustani, in which the lingua franca started to gain more Persian words in urban areas (such as Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad), under the Delhi Sultanate; this dialect came to be termed Urdu.[4][5]
The original Hindi dialects continued to develop alongside Urdu and according to Professor Afroz Taj, "the distinction between Hindi and Urdu was chiefly a question of style. A poet could draw upon Urdu's lexical richness to create an aura of elegant sophistication, or could use the simple rustic vocabulary of dialect Hindi to evoke the folk life of the village. Somewhere in the middle lay the day to day language spoken by the great majority of people. This day to day language was often referred to by the all-encompassing term Hindustani."[5] In Colonial India, Hindi-Urdu acquired vocabulary introduced by Christian missionaries from the Germanic and Romanic languages, e.g. pādrī (Devanagari: पादरी, Nastaleeq: پادری) from padre, meaning pastor.[6]
When describing the state of Hindi-Urdu under the British Raj, Professor Śekhara Bandyopādhyāẏa stated that "Truly speaking, Hindi and Urdu, spoken by a great majority of people in north India, were the same language written in two scripts; Hindi was written in Devanagari script and therefore had a greater sprinkling of Sanskrit words, while Urdu was written in Persian script and thus had more Persian and Arabic words in it. At the more colloquial level, however, the two languages were mutually intelligible."[7] After the partition of India, political forces within India tried to further Sanskritize Hindi,[8] while political forces in Pakistan campaigned to remove Prakit/Sanskrit derived words from Urdu and supplant them with Persian and Arabic words.[9] Despite these government efforts, the film industry, Bollywood continues to release its films in the original Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu) language, easily understood and enjoyed by speakers of both registers;[10] in addition, many of the same television channels are viewed across the border.[11] In modern times, a third variety of Hindustani with significant English influences has also appeared, which is sometimes called Hinglish or Urdish.[12][13][14][15][16]
Linguistic classification
Hindi (हिन्दी Hindi) is one of the Indo-Aryan languages of the Indo-European language family. The core of Hindi vocabulary is thus etymologically Indo-European. However, centuries of borrowing has led to the adoption of a wide range of words with foreign origins.
Examples of borrowed words
Template:Unreferenced section Due to centuries of contact with Europeans, Turkic peoples, Arabs, Persians, and East Asians, Hindi-Urdu has absorbed countless words from foreign languages, often totally integrating these borrowings into the core vocabulary. The most common borrowings from foreign languages come from three different kinds of contact. Close contact with neighboring peoples facilitated the borrowing of words from other Indian languages, Chinese, Burmese, and several indigenous Austroasiatic languages of North India. After centuries of invasions from Persia and the Middle East, particularly under the Mughal Empire, numerous Turkish, Arabic, and Persian words were absorbed and fully integrated into the lexicon. Later, European colonialism brought words from Portuguese, French, Dutch, and most significantly English. Some very common borrowings are shown below.
Borrowings from neighboring languages
Other Indo-Aryan languages
| Word | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| चड्डी چڈی caḍḍī | underwear | Punjabi ਚੱਡੀ caḍḍī |
| खट्टा کھٹا khaṭṭā | sour | Punjabi ਖੱਟਾ khaṭṭā |
| कुंजी کنجی kuñjī | key | Punjabi ਕੁੰਜੀ kuñjī |
| लफड़ा لفڑا laphṛā | fight, love affair (originally Bombay Hindi) | Marathi लफडे laphḍe or Gujarati લફડો laphḍo |
Dravidian languages (द्राविड़ी دراوڑی Drāviṛī)
| Word | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| कबड्डी کبڈی kabaḍḍī | kabaddi | Tamil கை பிடி kai piṭi ("to hold hands") |
| वड़ा وڑا vaṛā | vada | Tamil வடை vaṭai |
| अगर اگر agar | agarwood | Tamil அகில் akil |
| चप्पल چپل cappal | sandals | Telugu చెప్పులు ceppulu ("shoes, footwear") |
Austroasiatic languages
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आलू آلو ālū | potato |
| खोज کھوج khoj | discovery |
| चावल چاول cāwal | rice grains |
| चूल्हा چولہا cūlhā | oven, stove |
| झोल جھول jhol | gravy |
| टांग ٹانگ ṭaṅg | leg |
| ढोल ڈھول ḍhol | dhol, drum |
| पेट پیٹ peṭ | belly |
Chinese (चीनी چینی Cīnī)
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| चाय چائے cāy | tea | 茶 chá |
| चीनी چینی cīnī | sugar/Chinese | 秦 qín |
| लीची لیچی līcī | lychee | 茘枝 lìzhī |
Borrowings from the Persianate era
Arabic (अरबी عربی Arbī)
All Arabic loanwords in Hindi-Urdu are through Classical Persian.
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| अक़्ल عقل aql | wisdom | عقل ‘aql |
| इलाक़ा علاقہ ilāqā | area | علاقة ‘alāqa "relationship, connection" |
| वज़न وزن vazan | weight | وزن wazn "scale" |
| क़बर قبر qabr | grave | قبر qubr |
| ख़बर خبر k͟habar | news | خبر ḫabar |
| ख़ाली خالی k͟hālī | empty | خالي ḫāliyy |
| ख़्याल خیال k͟hayāl | consideration | خيال ḫayāl " imagination" |
| ग़रीब غریب ġarīb | poor | غريب ġarīb "strange" |
| जवाब جواب javāb | answer | جواب jawāb |
| सवाल سوال savāl | question | سؤال su‘āl |
| जमा جمع jamā | collect | جمع jam‘ |
| तारीख़ تاریخ tārīk͟h | date | تاريخ tārīḫ "history, date" |
| दुनिया دنیا duniyā | world | دنيا dunyā |
| नक़ल نقل naqal | fake | نقل naql |
| फ़क़ीर فقیر faqīr | poor person | فقير faqīr |
| बदल بدل badal | exchange | بدل badl |
| बाक़ी باقی bāqī | remaining | بقي baqīy |
| साहब صاحب sāhab | sir | صاحب ṣāḥib "friend" |
| हिसाब حساب hisāb | calculation | حساب ḥisāb |
| मालिक مالک mālik | owner | مالك mālik "owner, proprietor, holder" |
| लज़ीज़ لذیذ lazīz | delicious | لذيذ laḏīḏ "tasty" |
| किताब کتاب kitāb | book | كتاب
kitāb "book" |
| एहतियात احتیاط ehtiyāt | precaution | احتياط
iḥtiyyāt "precaution, reserve" |
| शख़्स شخص śak͟hs | person | شخص šaḫs "person" |
| शहीद شہید śahīd | martyr | شهيد šahīd "martyr" |
| हद حد had | limit | حد ḥadd "limit" |
| सेहत صحت sehat | health | صحة ṣiḥa "health" |
Persian (फ़ारसी فارسی)
| Word | Meaning | Original Form |
|---|---|---|
| ख़ुश خوش k͟huś | happy | خوش xwaš |
| दर्द درد dard | pain | درد dard |
| बदन بدن badan | body | بدن badan |
| शायद شاید śāyad | maybe | شاید šāyad |
| हमेशा ہمیشہ hameśā | always | همیشه hamēša |
| साल سال sāl | year | سال sāl |
| गर्म گرم garm | warm | گرم garm |
| आसमान آسمان āsmān | sky | آسمان āsmān |
| ज़मीन زمین zamīn | land | زمین zamīn, "the earth" |
| रोज़ा روزہ rozā | fasting | روزه rōza, "a fast" |
Turkic languages (तुर्की ترکی Turkī)
Almost all Turkic loans in Hindi-Urdu have been borrowed via Classical Persian.
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| उर्दू اردو Urdū | Urdu | Ultimately from Proto-Turkic *ordu ("army") (via Persian اردو urdū; language sense is shortened from Persian زبان اردوی معلی zubān-i urdū-yi mu‘allā, "language of the exalted camp"; see more at Urdu § Etymology) |
| क़ैंची قینچی qaiñcī | scissors | kaïcï in Chagatai/Proto-Mongolic (via Persian قینچی qaynčī) |
| क़ोरमा قورمہ qormā | korma | Ottoman Turkish قاورمه kaverma ("roasted meat") (via Persian قورمه qōrma) |
| बावरची باورچی bāvarcī | cook, chef | Ottoman Turkish via Persian باورچی bāwarčī |
| बेगम بیگم begam | lady | Chagatai بیگم begim (via Persian بیگم bēgum) |
| क़ुली قلی qulī | laborer, porter | Chagatai قلی quli ("slave of") |
| यूरिश یورش yūriś | assault | Chagatai یورش yöriş (via Persian یورش yūriš) |
Borrowings from the Colonial Era
Portuguese (पुर्तुगाली پرتگالی Purtugālī)
Portuguese borrowings mostly describe household items, fruits, and religious concepts dealing with Catholicism:
Household
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| अलमारी الماری almāri | closet, cupboard | armário |
| आलपीन آلپین ālpīn | safety pin | alfinete |
| इस्त्री استری istrī | to iron | estirar (means to lengthen a cable) |
| इस्पात ایسپات ispāt | steel | espada "sword" |
| गमला گملا gamlā | basket | gamela "wooden trough" |
| चाबी چابی cābī | key | chave |
| जंगला جنگلا jaṅglā | window-railing | janela |
| तम्बाकू تمباکو tambākū | tobacco | tabaco |
| तौलिया تولیہ tauliyā | towel | toalha |
| फ़ीता فیتا fītā | lace, ribbon | fita |
| बराम्दा برامدہ baramdā | verandah | varanda |
| बाल्टी بالٹی bālṭī | pail | balde |
Food
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| अनानास انناس anānās | pineapple | ananás |
| काजू کاجو kāju | cashew | caju |
| गोभी گوبھی gobhī | cabbage, cauliflower | couve |
| पाउ रोटी پاؤ روٹی pāu roṭī | sliced bread | pão "bread" (generic name for bread) |
| पपीता پپیتا papītā | papaya | papaia |
| साबूदाना سابودانا sābūdānā | sago | sagu |
| सलाद سلاد salād | salad | salada |
Religion
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| क्रूस کروس krūs | cross | cruz |
| गिरजा گرجا girjā | church | igreja |
| पादरी پادری padrī | Christian priest/minister | padre |
Other
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| अंग्रेज़ انگریز aṅgrez | English | inglês |
| ओलंदेज़ اولبدیز olandez | Dutch | holandês ("Hollander") |
| अस्पताल اسپتال aspatāl | hospital | espital |
| पिस्तौल پستول pistaul | pistol | pistola |
| फ़ालतू فالتو fāltū | useless | falto |
French (फ़रासीसी فراسیسی Farāsīsī)
Only a handful of French borrowings are still used in Hindi-Urdu today.
| Word | Meaning | Original form |
|---|---|---|
| कारतूस کارتوس kārtūs | cartridge | cartouche |
| अटैची اٹیچی aṭaicī | suitcase | attaché |
| रेस्तराँ ریستوراں restarā̃ | restaurant | restaurant |
English (अंग्रेज़ी انگریزی Aṅgrezī)
Template:See also Most borrowed words of European origin in Hindi-Urdu were imported through English and involve civic and household concepts:
Civic life
| Word | Original form |
|---|---|
| अफ़सर افسر afsar | officer |
| जेल جیل jel | jail |
| डॉक्टर ڈاکٹر ḍôktar | doctor |
| पुलिस پولیس pulis | police |
| बैंक بینک baiṅk | bank |
| वोट ووٹ voṭ | vote |
| स्कूल اسکول skūl/iskūl | school |
Household
| Word | Original form |
|---|---|
| कप کپ kap | cup |
| गिलास گلاس gilās | glass |
| टेबल ٹیبل ṭebal | table |
| बॉक्स باکس bôks | box |
| लालटेन لالٹین lālṭen | lantern |
| कनस्तर کنستر kanastar | canister |
Days of the week
Colloquial Hindustani uses tadbhav words, (more precisely, ardh-tatsam terms), with slight variations across Delhi's Khari Boli and other regional Hindi languages. In present day, Modern Standard Hindi, which is preferred by followers of Dharmic religions, uses pure tatsam forms (direct Sanskrit loanwords). And Standard Urdu, which is preferred by the followers of Islam, uses 2 loanwords from Arabic (for Thursday and Friday), 2 loanwords from Persian (for Monday and Saturday), and remaining words used from colloquial Hindustani as it is. Dakhini distinctively uses a different Persian loanword for Wednesday (chār-śambah), from Rekhta, the older register of Standard Urdu, and still used today by Muslims for religious days like Akhiri Chahar Shambah.
| Hinglish | Colloquial Hindustani | Formal Hindi | Formal Urdu | Rekhta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | itvār / ādi | ravivār | itwār | ēk-śambah |
| Monday | sōm | sōmvār | pīr | dō-śambah |
| Tuesday | mangal / mangar | mangalvār | mangal | tī/sī-śambah |
| Wednesday | budh | budhvār | budh | chār-śambah |
| Thursday | biphe / biphai | guruvār | jumerāt | panj-śambah |
| Friday | sukkar / sūk | śukravār | jum'ā | jum'ā |
| Saturday | sanīchar / thābar | śanivār | haftah | śambah |
Numbers
Zero
In Hindustani, the word sunnā is used for zero, and in Urdu, the Arabic word sifar is used. Today in Formal Hindi, the Sanskrit word śūnya is used, and in Hinglish, it is jīrō (direct loanword from English).
Thousand
In Khariboli (Old Hindi), the word sahas was used to denote thousand, which was the shortened tadbhava form of the Sanskrit word sahasra. Since the Delhi Sultanate, the Persian loanword hazār became commonly used in Hindustani for denoting thousand, colloquially pronounced as hajār in Hindi.
Ordinals
For ordinal numbers, Hindustani uses tadbhava words (native vocabulary), Formal Hindi prefers tatsama (Sanskrit loanwords), and Formal Urdu prefers Perso-Arabic loanwords.
| English | Hindustani | Modern Standard Hindi | Standard Urdu |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Pahlā | Pratham | Avval |
| Second | Dūsrā | Dvitīya | Dom / Doyam |
| Third | Tīsrā | Tr̥tīya | Som / Soyam |
| Fourth | Cauthā | Caturtha | Cahārum |
| Fifth | Pāñcvāṅ | Pañcam | Panjum |
| Sixth | Chaṭhā | Ṣaṣṭha | Šašum |
| Seventh | Sātvāṅ | Saptam | Haftum |
| Eighth | Āṭhvāṅ | Aṣṭam | Haštum |
| Ninth | Nauvāṅ | Navam | Nuhum |
| Tenth | Dasvāṅ | Daśam | Dahum |
See also
References
- ↑ Current Trends in Linguistics{{#if:Sebeok|, Sebeok}. Walter de Gruyter(1971)
- ↑ Colloquial Urdu{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Psychology Press(2000). ISBN 9780415135405
- ↑ Colloquial Urdu{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Psychology Press(2000). ISBN 9780415135405
- ↑ Language and National Identity in Asia{{#if:Simpson|, Simpson}. Oxford University Press(30 August 2007). ISBN 9780191533082
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 About Hindi-Urdu, Taj, Afroz. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- ↑ Hindi and Urdu Since 1800{{#if:Shackle|, Shackle}. Heritage Publishers(1 January 1990). ISBN 9788170261629
- ↑ From Plassey to Partition: A History of Modern India{{#if:Bandyopādhyāẏa|, Bandyopādhyāẏa}. Orient Blackswan(1 January 2004). ISBN 9788125025962
- ↑ Indian English and the Fiction of National Literature{{#if:George|, George}. Cambridge University Press(21 November 2013). ISBN 9781107729551
- ↑ Tracing the Boundaries Between Hindi and Urdu{{#if:Everaert|, Everaert}. Brill(2010). ISBN 9789004177314
- ↑ Language and National Identity in Asia{{#if:Simpson|, Simpson}. Oxford University Press(30 August 2007). ISBN 9780191533082
- ↑ Kids have it right: boundaries of Urdu and Hindi are blurred, Patel, Aakar. Network 18.
- ↑ Chutnefying English: The Phenomenon of Hinglish{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Penguin Books India(2011). ISBN 978-0-14-341639-5
- ↑ Hindi, Hinglish: Head to Head. read.dukeupress.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ↑ Salwathura, A. N. "Evolutionary development of ‘hinglish’language within the indian sub-continent." International Journal of Research-GRANTHAALAYAH. Vol. 8. No. 11. Granthaalayah Publications and Printers, 2020. 41-48.
- ↑ Eloquent Parrots; Mixed Language and the Examples of Hinglish and Rekhti. International Institute for Asian Studies Newsletter({Template:Date).
- ↑ Modern Hindustani and Formal and Social Aspects of Language Contact. ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics({Template:Date).