Hindi word of the day....

beach · Jan 8th, 2005, 20:38

In the south we have a special language learning campaign. Most of the (central) government offices carries a board at front lobby. Every day a Hindi word & its meaning is written in English. The idea is to make people feel more comfortable with the national language.

What about having a 'Hindi word of the day' at IM (in line with the (in)famous 'Joke of the day' thread)

steven_ber · Jan 8th, 2005, 22:04

Great idea beach.

Not sure if our Chennai members will feel the same though.

Digital Drifter · Jan 8th, 2005, 22:34

Stop! right there!

Take that bucket of black paint and paint over *that* strange looking script. :-)

If there is anything we bloody Tamils share with USA, it's that montana bunker mentality attitude of looking out for commies. Here's the shotgun, bud, the next one through the door spouting hindi gets it. :-)

Stereotyping aside, to muddy waters why not teach Telugu?

see, nobody said we couldn't practise skulduggery; in throwing a spanner in the works.

This was *mean't* as a joke; anyone taking this too seriously will be...err...ummm...ah... will be taught wrong translations of the same Hindi word in Tamil!

Jan 8th, 2005, 22:46

ok nice idea.... i make my contribution to this enterprising thread with a hindi word, that neednt be accompanied by a string of other hindi words.....ie.. can be used freely in english too.

panga
phonetics : PuN-GA - pronounced like ganga
meaning : (n) trouble or fight. close relative of the the hindi word "lafra" (which i will explain tommorow)
as in : (trouble) - i cant figure out what the panga with my computer is!!

(fight) - a big panga took place at the market place today.

(v) to provoke and incite someone into fighting or quarrelling
as in : do not take panga with the policemen - it isnt a good idea.

practical tip for the foreign tourist :
- when heckled so badly, that you cant take it any more, you could try this on the tout/heckler : " stop taking panga with me "

ps: beach, if this string end up sounding like "mrs. lingolila's kannada classes" on radio city 91 fm, bangalore, then don't be surprised

Nick-H · Jan 9th, 2005, 00:05

Yeah... I vote for the Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam Words of the Day

citybell · Jan 9th, 2005, 02:45

Do the central government organisations in the north have a similar board that will teach a word of any south indian language?

Friend Beach has stated as " to make people more comfortable" ..No one is comfortable in the south especialy in Tamilnadu..You may know that recently most of the mile stones on the highways in Tamilnadu were written in Hindi..which was laughed at and people were angry at.Now all those names are being re-written in Tamil.

ashish0608 · Jan 9th, 2005, 05:30

Ah! this a real good idea...In fact there is very little information for travellers on Hindi (or any other indian language)...and phrsebooks are also very old

I will be happy to put-in my bit....

Here is link to a site(s) which will give the hindi world for an english word

www.wordanywhere.com
is a English to Hindi/telagu dictionary, gives the nearest Hindi word in English spellings the phonatics. (Hindi is phonatic language so its possible to spell the Hindi words) I have got 7 out of 10 words on the site...and not knowing Telagu I could not check that part.

www.shabdkosh.com
is English to Hindi dictionary, the word is written in Devnagiri script, may require font download...

citybell: The central government organisations in the north don't do a thing for any south indian language?...

Infact in north also they promote Hindi as a language of office communication there are Hindi usage weeks in which all communcation has to be in Hindi. I met a south Indian who wishes to be on leave during the Hindi weeks.

ashish

Ashish

mira4bai4 · Jan 9th, 2005, 08:06

Great concept Beach, I will follow the lessons or teachings as I shall need Hindi.

May I suggest that another thread is begun to suit the 'southerners sensibilities', that should also be of great interest to many as there is the obvious greater interest in the south from IMers.

Sharonov · Jan 9th, 2005, 09:43

According to either a guidebook or somewhere here (my mind is swimming with info plus I just had a beer and I'm a cheap drunk) many people in India resent Hindi being forced upon them and actually prefer if you speak to them in English. I'm sure that depends on the area--how about Rajasthan? Is it worth it for me to learn a few words in Hindi or should I just stay with my native tongue. I always try to learn the very basic phrases (Hello, please, thank you, good-bye, excuse me, I'm sorry, 1-2-3-4-5) wherever I go but have not yet done so because of the hundreds of languages I'm prepared to encounter.

beach · Jan 9th, 2005, 11:18

Truce (waving a white flag)

People can write Hindi in English and well…read(Pronounce!) as in Tamil or Telugu or Kannada or Malayalam or…Does that make some sense.

Acha is the most frequent word used in spoken Hindi. Acha mans OK or alright or I understand or whatever..

Insert an ‘acha’ here and there (usually to break the sentence of to person you are talking to and start your sentence ). You can use ‘acha’ even in English conversation in India (in the Hindi speaking context)

….shanthi (peace)

SHIMLA · Jan 9th, 2005, 12:17

Saare Jahaan se achcha, Hindustan hamaaraa !!

citybell · Jan 9th, 2005, 12:53

Ashish: Yes.. the central Government does not do anything to promote other languages, specially south indian languages.

Jan 9th, 2005, 13:45

the central government does not promote any other indian language apart from hindi - and i have no complains with that 'cos hindi is our national language, and every indian should know at least how to speak everyday hindi, if not read and write it.

beach · Jan 9th, 2005, 14:06

...at least how to say 'nahi'

Jan 9th, 2005, 14:24

well i think a few words can come in handy, if our foreign friends learn them seriously.
i like this thread, cos its got a pragmatic side to it. i was in manali a month or so back, and i heard a foreigner place an order in a restuarant in hindi...."ek chicken momo steam aur ek cup chai"

i bet he knows a few more words, and with the help of those, he gets around in india with a lot more ease than do most other visitors

Jan 8th, 2005, 20:38	#1
beach Lost in translation Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: India ! Posts: 2,233	Hindi word of the day.... In the south we have a special language learning campaign. Most of the (central) government offices carries a board at front lobby. Every day a Hindi word & its meaning is written in English. The idea is to make people feel more comfortable with the national language. What about having a 'Hindi word of the day' at IM (in line with the (in)famous 'Joke of the day' thread)

Jan 8th, 2005, 22:04	#2
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,147	Great idea beach. Not sure if our Chennai members will feel the same though. __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Jan 9th, 2005, 00:05	#5
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,747	Yeah... I vote for the Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam Words of the Day __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Jan 9th, 2005, 05:30	#7
ashish0608 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Delhi Posts: 353	good idea beach Ah! this a real good idea...In fact there is very little information for travellers on Hindi (or any other indian language)...and phrsebooks are also very old I will be happy to put-in my bit.... Here is link to a site(s) which will give the hindi world for an english word www.wordanywhere.com is a English to Hindi/telagu dictionary, gives the nearest Hindi word in English spellings the phonatics. (Hindi is phonatic language so its possible to spell the Hindi words) I have got 7 out of 10 words on the site...and not knowing Telagu I could not check that part. www.shabdkosh.com is English to Hindi dictionary, the word is written in Devnagiri script, may require font download... citybell: The central government organisations in the north don't do a thing for any south indian language?... Infact in north also they promote Hindi as a language of office communication there are Hindi usage weeks in which all communcation has to be in Hindi. I met a south Indian who wishes to be on leave during the Hindi weeks. ashish Ashish

Jan 9th, 2005, 09:43	#9
Sharonov Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago, Il Posts: 60	What do they speak in Rajasthan? According to either a guidebook or somewhere here (my mind is swimming with info plus I just had a beer and I'm a cheap drunk) many people in India resent Hindi being forced upon them and actually prefer if you speak to them in English. I'm sure that depends on the area--how about Rajasthan? Is it worth it for me to learn a few words in Hindi or should I just stay with my native tongue. I always try to learn the very basic phrases (Hello, please, thank you, good-bye, excuse me, I'm sorry, 1-2-3-4-5) wherever I go but have not yet done so because of the hundreds of languages I'm prepared to encounter.

Jan 8th, 2005, 22:34	#3
Digital Drifter bang a whore? Bangalore Dammit! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,878	Stop! right there! Take that bucket of black paint and paint over that strange looking script. :-) If there is anything we bloody Tamils share with USA, it's that montana bunker mentality attitude of looking out for commies. Here's the shotgun, bud, the next one through the door spouting hindi gets it. :-) Stereotyping aside, to muddy waters why not teach Telugu? see, nobody said we couldn't practise skulduggery; in throwing a spanner in the works. This was mean't as a joke; anyone taking this too seriously will be...err...ummm...ah... will be taught wrong translations of the same Hindi word in Tamil!

Jan 8th, 2005, 22:46	#4
Bengal Tiger Posts: n/a	ok nice idea.... i make my contribution to this enterprising thread with a hindi word, that neednt be accompanied by a string of other hindi words.....ie.. can be used freely in english too. panga phonetics : PuN-GA - pronounced like ganga meaning : (n) trouble or fight. close relative of the the hindi word "lafra" (which i will explain tommorow) as in : (trouble) - i cant figure out what the panga with my computer is!! (fight) - a big panga took place at the market place today. (v) to provoke and incite someone into fighting or quarrelling as in : do not take panga with the policemen - it isnt a good idea. practical tip for the foreign tourist : - when heckled so badly, that you cant take it any more, you could try this on the tout/heckler : " stop taking panga with me " ps: beach, if this string end up sounding like "mrs. lingolila's kannada classes" on radio city 91 fm, bangalore, then don't be surprised

Jan 9th, 2005, 02:45	#6
citybell Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: INDIA Posts: 164	Do the central government organisations in the north have a similar board that will teach a word of any south indian language? Friend Beach has stated as " to make people more comfortable" ..No one is comfortable in the south especialy in Tamilnadu..You may know that recently most of the mile stones on the highways in Tamilnadu were written in Hindi..which was laughed at and people were angry at.Now all those names are being re-written in Tamil.

Jan 9th, 2005, 08:06	#8
mira4bai4 Lost in Space Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: ND PaharGanj Permanently/Temporarily Posts: 1,188	Great concept Beach, I will follow the lessons or teachings as I shall need Hindi. May I suggest that another thread is begun to suit the 'southerners sensibilities', that should also be of great interest to many as there is the obvious greater interest in the south from IMers.

Jan 9th, 2005, 11:18	#10
beach Lost in translation Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: India ! Posts: 2,233	Truce (waving a white flag) People can write Hindi in English and well…read(Pronounce!) as in Tamil or Telugu or Kannada or Malayalam or…Does that make some sense. Acha is the most frequent word used in spoken Hindi. Acha mans OK or alright or I understand or whatever.. Insert an ‘acha’ here and there (usually to break the sentence of to person you are talking to and start your sentence ). You can use ‘acha’ even in English conversation in India (in the Hindi speaking context) ….shanthi (peace)

Jan 9th, 2005, 12:17	#11
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,125	Saare Jahaan se achcha, Hindustan hamaaraa !! __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

Jan 9th, 2005, 12:53	#12
citybell Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: INDIA Posts: 164	Ashish: Yes.. the central Government does not do anything to promote other languages, specially south indian languages.

Jan 9th, 2005, 13:45	#13
Bengal Tiger Posts: n/a	the central government does not promote any other indian language apart from hindi - and i have no complains with that 'cos hindi is our national language, and every indian should know at least how to speak everyday hindi, if not read and write it.

Jan 9th, 2005, 14:06	#14
beach Lost in translation Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: India ! Posts: 2,233	...at least how to say 'nahi'

Jan 9th, 2005, 14:24	#15
Bengal Tiger Posts: n/a	well i think a few words can come in handy, if our foreign friends learn them seriously. i like this thread, cos its got a pragmatic side to it. i was in manali a month or so back, and i heard a foreigner place an order in a restuarant in hindi...."ek chicken momo steam aur ek cup chai" i bet he knows a few more words, and with the help of those, he gets around in india with a lot more ease than do most other visitors

User Name		Remember Me?
Password

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
A Word of Caution about Festivals (Holi)	indiamike	Scams and Annoyances in India	95	Jun 23rd, 2008 18:37
Indian phrases and word to use HELP?	karmaquest	Chai and Chat	16	Jan 20th, 2008 01:21
help with hindi word	freefred	Books, Music, and Movies	8	Jul 15th, 2006 14:57
Hindi script needed for a word	Clare Turland	Chai and Chat	3	Jul 20th, 2005 14:33
Getting word to Nepal	blogdai	Crossing the Border	1	Feb 2nd, 2005 16:12

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode