Wendys Hindi! After a weeks break, I resumed the reading of The Hindus and found the first amusement of the day when Wendy takes a dig at the language. This time it is not Sanskrit but Hindi! In Page 42 Wendy writes //There is still a Hindi saying that might be translated, Stay away from the fore of an officer and the aft of a horse or Dont get in front of an officer or behind a horse.// I heard about this saying from my friends from the North & also from those who worked in Indian Army. What I heard from them is this: అఫ్సర్ కే ఆగే ఔర్ గధే కే పీఛే నహి జానా చాహియే. If you replace that word donkey with a horse, the intended pun is completely lost. But Wendy confidently replaces the donkey with a horse to support her claim of horse being foreigner to India. She also confirms that the said saying dates from those times when petty officials, tax collectors etc., mounted on horses, were pestering the common folks. I wonder as to from when on the word aphsar (Hindi slang for the English word Officer) is in use? Is it from early Gupta period or even before? If any one of you heard about the Hindi saying that Wendy is referring to, please enlighten me quickly.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 04:02:01 +0000
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