British Council Unveils Oxford Dictionary With 70 Indian-Origin Words

A total of 70 Indian-origin words included in the Oxford Dictionary of English unveiled by the British Council on Thursday (22) as part of its 70^th anniversary in India.

The British Council narrated how the English language has evolved with the words of Indian origin. Some of the Indian-origin words date back to the pre-independence era whereas many words such as bhelpuri, churidar, and others were included recently.

“…As part of our 70th-anniversary celebrations, we bring you 'The 70 Words Project', to bring to light how India has influenced and inspired the English language over the years by presenting 70 words of Indian origin that have found their way into the mainstream English lexicon. All the words featured in the project are part of the Oxford English Dictionary, and experts from the Oxford University Press were consulted while finalising the 70 words,” British Council said.

“Spanning across a wide range of categories from food, to clothing, to people, spirituality, wildlife and more, the words are a testament to the relationship UK and India have shared in the last 70 years through educational and cultural partnerships and fostering collaborations,” it added.

The Indian origin words, Bandana, Bangle, Churidar, Cummerbund, Pashmina, Pyjamas, and Shawl are included in the in the English dictionary under clothing and accessories category.

Under food category, the words such as Bhelpuri, Chutney, Curry, Dal, Kedgeree, Mulligatawny, and  Raita have been entered the dictionary followed by seven words, Chit, Gymkhana, Khaki, Palanquin, Polo, Pukka, Tiffin Chit under high society and the state category.

Under house and home category, Bungalow, Chintz, Cot, Lacquer, Shampoo, Tank, and Veranda have entered to the list of Oxford Dictionary words.

Cheroot, Choky, Coir, Cushy, Loot, Punch, and Roti Choky have been included under the miscellaneous category.

People and places category consists of seven words including, Blighty, Calico, Cashmere, Doolally, Dungarees, Jodhpurs, and Jungle.

Mandarin, Mogul, Pundit, Purdah, Swami, Thug, and Yaar have come under people and society category followed by the words Avatar, Dharma, Guru, Karma, Mantra, Nirvana, and Yoga have been listed under religion and spirituality category in the English dictionary.

Atoll, Catamaran, Cowrie, Dinghy, Godown, Gunny, and Jute have listed under trade and sea category while Cheetah, Langur, Lilac, Mongoose, Myna, Patchouli, and Teak categorised under wildlife and nature in the Oxford Dictionary of English.