Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and DiscursiveYule, Henry, Sir
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Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive
Yule, Henry, Sir
English language -- Foreign words and phrases -- Indic -- Dictionaries; English language -- India -- Dictionaries; English language -- India -- Etymology -- Dictionaries; India -- Civilization -- Dictionaries; India -- Languages -- Influence on English -- Dictionaries
My intention has been to give the headings of the articles under the most
usual of the popular, or, if you will, vulgar quasi-English spellings,
whilst the Oriental words, from which the headings are derived or
corrupted, are set forth under precise transliteration, the system of which
is given in a following "Nota Bene." When using the words and names in the
course of discursive elucidation, I fear I have not been consistent in
sticking either always to the popular or always to the scientific spelling,
and I can the better understand why a German critic of a book of mine, once
upon a time, remarked upon the _etwas schwankende yulische Orthographie_.
Indeed it is difficult, it never will for me be possible, in a book for
popular use, to adhere to one system in this matter without the assumption
of an ill-fitting and repulsive pedantry. Even in regard to Indian proper
names, in which I once advocated adhesion, with a small number of
exceptions, to scientific precision in transliteration, I feel much more
inclined than formerly to sympathise with my friends Sir William Muir and
General Maclagan, who have always favoured a large and liberal recognition
of popular spelling in such names. And when I see other good and able
friends following the scientific Will-o'-the-Wisp into such bogs as the use
in English composition of _sipáhí_ and _jangal_, and _verandah_—nay, I have
not only heard of _bagí_, but have recently seen it—instead of the good
English words 'sepoy,' and 'jungle,' 'veranda,' and 'buggy,' my dread of
pedantic usage becomes the greater.[18]
For the spelling of _Mahratta_, _Mahratti_, I suppose I must apologize
(though something is to be said for it), _Marāṭhī_ having established
itself as orthodox.
NOTE A.—LIST OF GLOSSARIES.
1. Appended to the ROTEIRO DE VASCO DA GAMA (see Book-list, p. xliii.) is a
Vocabulary of 138 Portuguese words with their corresponding word in the
_Lingua de Calicut_, _i.e._ in Malayālam.
2. Appended to the VOYAGES, &c., du Sieur DE LA BOULLAYE-LE-GOUZ
(Book-list, p. xxxii.), is an _Explication de plusieurs mots dont
l'intelligence est nécessaire au Lecteur_ (pp. 27).
3. Fryer's New Account (Book-list, p. xxxiv.) has an _Index Explanatory_,
including _Proper Names_, _Names of Things_, and _Names of Persons_ (12
pages).
4. "INDIAN VOCABULARY, to which is prefixed the Forms of Impeachment."
12mo. Stockdale, 1788 (pp. 136).
5. "An INDIAN GLOSSARY, consisting of some Thousand Words and Forms
commonly used in the East Indies ... extremely serviceable in assisting
Strangers to acquire with Ease and Quickness the Language of that Country."
By T. T. ROBARTS, Lieut., &c., of the 3rd Regt. Native Infantry, E.I.
Printed for Murray & Highley, Fleet Street, 1800. 12mo. (not paged).
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