HAVE YOU SHAMPOOED YOUR BUFFALO IN THE GYM ?
Chinese & Indian Etymology in the English Language World
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis
The English language has always been recognized as a magpie of etymology – stealing, adapting and weaving foreign words into its own usage. Generally regarded as being Latin and Greek based however, this does a serious disservice to the role that Sanskrit, Chinese and especially Arabic words have had on the curious mix that produces contemporary English. While others may moan about cultural purism, it truly is a global language – and the reasons for this are buried not too far beneath the surface.
The title of the piece, for example, deliberately absurd as it is, does however contain its primary objectives with origins in three classic languages: Latin, Persian and Chinese. Yet the picture it conjures up, while deliberately amusing, is nonetheless entirely descriptive. “Buffalo” is from the Latin bubalus, from which via the Portuguese we get the word bufalo and then onto it’s modern spelling. “Gym” however is a more modern word, and appears to be an Anglo-Indian creation, from the word gymkhana, which is said to have been coined by a Major John Trotter, in Rurki (India) in 1861, when he held a sports event involving tennis competitions. The Hindi word for racquets is gend-khana, which itself is derived from archaic Persian – jama-at khana. You go to the gym today to work out and you are following a tradition laid down in Mesopotamia six thousand years ago. “Shampoo” is equally interesting as the word has evolved and has changed from it’s original meaning. Now used to specifically describe hair cleaning products, it initially meant “to knead and press the muscles in order to relieve fatigue” – i.e. – a massage. The word first appears way back in 1616 and in the context of being used by barbers – and is further mentioned in 1748 in an account describing a visit to obtain a trim at which “several China merchants were also shampooed before me”. Shanghai hairdressers today, when offering a head massage, are simply giving the traditional ‘shampoo’ in a custom which dates back at least 400 years.
Some words one comes across in China or India are rarely used and can cause some modern debate over the terminology. “Shroff” is a word commonly seen in Hong Kong, even today. Widely used in China up to the second world war, it is of Arabic origin, and simply means “money changer”. Hence the current use, often at car parking toll booths. “Compradore” is another; again common throughout China one hundred years ago, it denotes a buyer. Often given to indigenous Chinese – who would rake off 10% as commission – the words origins are Portuguese from the verb comprar – to purchase.
Have you ever hired an Amah, or Aiyi ? Wondered why they are always women ? The word, again, is Portuguese and means ladies maid, or nurse maid, from the vernacular aia.
Joss – as in the joss-sticks one burns at a Chinese Temple – again is from Portugal – it’s derived from the word Deos – meaning quite simply, God. Indeed, the influence of the early Portuguese traders – over 600 years ago – have added numerous words still used in contemporary Chinese today. “Would you like Sugar in your Coffee ?” Another three language sentence, uttered by millions every day in Starbucks. Sugar is a Sanskrit word, derived from sarkara, originally meaning grit, or gravel, but then applied to crystallized sugar due to its appearance. Coffee is Arabic, and oddly was originally used as a term for wine, and has evolved from the word kahwah (wine) to kihwah (meaning coffee) – a close relative due to coffees caffeine content being noted to possess mild drug induced symptoms upon consumption.
Other words strongly associated with China are not what they seem. Ginger ? Arabic, from the term zingiber. Bamboo ? There are obscure claims, however it appears to be derived from the Concan word mambu, a language used in India near Goa, and subjugated, again, by the Portuguese. The Chinese however did give us Ginseng, from the words jen-shen. Chinese Porcelain however owes its name to the Italians, who used the shells of the unfortunate Cowrie mollusc, known in those days as porcellana, which, ground up, was used as a coating when firing pottery.
Some words seem to survive through the ages in small pockets. Often confused with the English translations of Chinese menus that mention “Shaddock”, It is fact a fruit of West Indian origin, perhaps better known as the Pomelo, named after a roguish trader named Captain Shaddock who first brought it to Asia. In fact the fruit originates from Jamaica – courtesy of Mr. Shaddock, who ended up in Southern Chinese waters sometime around 1740. Fancy an Orange ? It’s an Arabic fruit. The word is derived from naranj, itself from the Persian narang – by which the fruit is still known in Hindustan today.
Jungle ? It’s a Hindi word. Juggernaut ? Sanskrit, meaning “Lord of the Universe”. Those Monsoon rains that will appear in South India in two weeks ? An Arabic term. Hong ? Chinese, meaning a place of business.
But let’s finish the article with something to drink. Tea ? Not, as is commonly assumed, from the Chinese word Chai, but actually handed down from the Malay word, Te. Or how about a glass of Punch ? I can even give you a recipe, handed down from 1638: Arrack, sugar, lime-juice, spice, and water. With arrack being pretty much any alcohol – usually based on sugar cane (now more commonly sued to describe distilled anis) – the word punch is obtained from the Hindi panch – meaning five. There being five main ingredients.
And on that note – Cheers ! Today - we even speak in Globalization.
