Kiss my desi chuddies, yaar

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June 10, 2005

Mutineers across the pond appear to be far more successful at embracing and extending the Queen's English than their US-based brothren -

Badmash, changa, chuddie and desi are the latest Indian-origin words to enter the English language, courtesy the Collins English Dictionary.
...the latest edition of Collins, to be published Thursday, goes a step further by officially acknowledging the role of Hinglish in the evolution of English.

The edition is full of unusual and unexpected Indian words - this time thanks to popular Asian culture rather than colonial collision. Many words have a distinct Punjabi flavour.

Hinglish words figuring in the dictionary this year include aunti-ji and uncle-ji, freshie (a new immigrant), gora (White), kutta (dog) and kutti (bitch), haramzada and haramzadi (described as bastards or obnoxious/despicable) and yaar (friend).

Personally, I prefer the terseness of "FOB" over "freshie" and, at least us poor Mallus (and possibly Tamilians too?) reserve "kutta" and "kutti" as terms of endearment for baby boys & girls. Remind me to be careful with that word next time I'm at a Bhangra blow out whoopin' it up with 8' tall Sikh dudes.

Previous SM coverage of Hinglish - here.

[a big SM hat tip to Francis Assisi!]

Humor

POSTED BY vinod @ 5:18 PM

11 comments

1 · Anil on June 10, 2005 5:57 PM · Direct link

Am I the only one who did a double-take on reading that title as 'Kiss my desi chuddi, yaar'!!!

Time to clean my mind.

2 · Anupa on June 10, 2005 6:48 PM · Direct link

they gave our word away (gora) nooo.
now people will know we're talking about them.

3 · Anil on June 10, 2005 8:03 PM · Direct link

Oh wait, the title has changed to chuddies now.. boy, am I psychic or what!

4 · shiva on June 11, 2005 12:06 AM · Direct link

Vinod,

Kerala on my mind - being a paandi from Madras. What's kutta and kutti when compared to one of those choice insults

Naayenda mone

5 · cssw on June 11, 2005 12:59 AM · Direct link

Kerala on my mind - being a paandi from Madras.

Being a mallu I never actually knew what the insulting thing about paandi was, but I have always heard it said in hushed tones as if it were some sorta anathema.

Naayenda mone

Ah, that brings back memories of patti, thendi and chetta.

6 · Maitri on June 11, 2005 1:16 AM · Direct link

"Kuthi" is Hindi for "bitch."
"Kutti" is Tamil/Malayalam for "little one."

They'll never have "vellai kupai."

7 · Anil on June 11, 2005 2:25 AM · Direct link

"Kuthi" is Hindi for "bitch." "Kutti" is Tamil/Malayalam for "little one."

Don't forget that 'Kutti' is pronounced differently in Hindi and Malayalam. For those who are not from Kerala, the 't' in kutti (malayalam) is pronounced as the 't' from, say, 'Tapioca'. For the hindi version, look towards the 't' in, say, 'Qatar'. I hope the difference is clear. It's a friday night and the Riesling is not helping. *burp*

8 · Anil on June 11, 2005 2:28 AM · Direct link

How can I pass up the opportunity to peddle the Swearasaurus in malayalam!

9 · Saurav on June 11, 2005 3:35 AM · Direct link

they gave our word away (gora) nooo. now people will know we're talking about them.

The key is to stick to other languages entirely (and beware of popular English cognates). Unless you're at Banga Sammelan (or the equivalent event for others where people speak your languages) in which case you're screwed or turn to Spanish/French/etc. You could also accent your language as far as you can to run interference on the listening comprehension skills of the goras in question :)

Or you can stop being catty, given that I have a well thought out theory on how to approach this dilemma, you probably already know that I don't think that option's a possibility :)

10 · MadMan on June 11, 2005 10:38 AM · Direct link

at least us poor Mallus (and possibly Tamilians too?) reserve "kutta" and "kutti" as terms of endearment for baby boys & girls.

I wish. My mum still calls me "kutta". She also treats me as if I'm still 13.

11 · RD on June 11, 2005 11:41 AM · Direct link

Collins's confused. If you call a Punjabi/Hindi speaker "Kutta" or "Kutti",
he or she will think you are calling them a cute baby buffalo! "Kutha" and "Kuthi" are the not so cute Punjabi/Hindi dogs.

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