Sunday, May 10, 2009

A lesson in Hyderabadi Hindi

So there is this Bangalore girl who works in my building. She thinks I am a Tamizh, which I sort of am, but she also thinks I am from Chennai because she knows I did my undergraduate there. So she thinks I don't know anything except tamil and English. The other day, I was flexing my arm in the corridor, just to relieve stiffness and not because I'd hurt myself. But she looked concerned.

She: "kya uvaacha?"
Me: "What did you just say???"
She: "kya uvaacha?"
Me: "What language is that?" (politely)

I was seeking clarification. I was aware that 'uvaacha' in sanskrit means 'said' but the combination of words baffled me. She gave me a smug smile.

She: "Its Hyderabadi indi!"
Me: "Oh REALLY?"
She: "Yes, yes. It means 'what happened?'"
Me: "Well, I've never heard of such a thing."
She: "Of course you wouldn't know! They speak a different Hindi in Hyderabad. When I was in PSU(she did her masters there) I had many Hyderabadi friends!"
Me: "Perhaps you've heard them saying something along the following lines: 'aise-ich hua'?"
She: "Ah, yes!"

I just completely burst out laughing my guts out at this point. She assumed adding 'ch' at random locations was what made the 'indi' hyderabadi! :) (Little she did know that I had grown up playing gully cricket with the 'basti' kids in my neighbourhood in Hyderabad :)....)

7 comments:

RukmaniRam said...

man. they should just take away the "hindi" suffix, and just call what they speak "hyderabadi". them and their "pencil box bata". pah!

skar said...

Fantastic@pencil box bata! You are fit to join our clan :)

Gymnast said...

Such treatment you give to a poor soul concerned about your well being! The little error could very well be ignored!! Be assured that the girl will not come 2ur aid, ever!

skar said...

@Gymnast: She is a friend of mine :) We both had a good laugh about it, that's all :)

Devilish Angel said...

You know, I heard about "hydrabadi hindi" from my mom and dad. Been to Hydrabad too. I still don't know what it is.. it looks like a specific dialectic of Hindi spoken in Hydrabad. I wish I understood Hindi

skar said...

My dear angel:
Let me give you a parallel to illustrate. Hyderabadi Hindi is to Hindi as American English is to English. There is a vague resemblance to the original, but the sheer crassness leaves one in shock and wondering if such abuse of a language is not a crime by law yet!

mathew said...

cheppu cheppu...!!;-D