Wallah
Wallah, -walla, -wala, or -vālā (Hindi: वाला; fem. वाली -vālī), is a suffix used in a number of Indo-Aryan languages, like Hindi/Urdu, Gujarati, Bengali or Marathi. Originating from Sanskrit पा॒ल (pālá) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), it forms an adjectival compound from a noun or an agent noun from a verb.[1] For example; it may indicate a person involved in some kind of activity, where they come from, or what they wear (topiwala), i.e., habitué.[2][3]
Example uses
[edit]Examples of such uses include:
- Dabbawala (डब्बावाला), lunch box deliverer
- Dhobiwallah (धोबीवाला), laundry worker
- Chaiwala (चायवाला), a boy or young man who serves tea
In British military jargon of the first half of the 20th century, a "base wallah" is someone employed at a military base, or with a job far behind the front lines.[4] There were a number of other words of this type, such as "camel wallah" and "machine-gun wallah", and more.[5] "Base wallah" had a derogatory reference for a person who is seldom seen at the front lines during major attacks, pretending to be sick.[6]
There is a short story "Sanjeev and Robotwallah", by Ian McDonald. There is a character named General Robotwallah in the 2010 novel For the Win by Cory Doctorow. "Robotwallah" refers to the pilot of a mecha.
References
[edit]- ^ R. S. McGregor, ed. (1997). The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 915. ISBN 978-0-19-864339-5.
- ^ Clements, J. Clancy (1996). The Genesis of a Language: The formation and development of Korlai Portuguese. John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 139–. ISBN 978-90-272-7618-6.
- ^ Barz, Richard Keith; Siegel, Jeff (1988). Language Transplanted: The Development of Overseas Hindi. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 165–. ISBN 978-3-447-02872-1.
- ^ Edward Fraser and John Gibbons (1925). Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases. Routledge, London, p.18.
- ^ Notes and Queries, 1922, p. 378
- ^ Notes and Queries, 1922, p. 343