This document provides an overview of the book "Hobson-Jobson" which is a historical dictionary of Anglo-Indian words that came into use during British rule in India. It was written by Henry Yule and Arthur C. Burnell and first published in 1886. The dictionary contains over 2,000 entries with citations and examples of words that were incorporated from local Indian languages into English. Some examples given are pundit, juggernaut, loot, and verandahs. The title of the book is explained as coming from a phrase in Farsi that was corrupted by British soldiers.

1. Topic- ‘Hobson-Jobson
Paper No.11 (The post colonial literature)
Prepared By: Arati R. Maheta,
Roll No: 2,
M.A. Part-2,(Batch 2013-15)
Semester:3,
Submitted to: Department Of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji,
Bhavnagar University
Email id: davearati656@gmail.com
Year:2014

2. It is an essay which we studied in ‘Imaginary Homelands
Written by Salman Rushdie.
What is Hobson- Jobson?
Hobson- Jobson is the short title of Hobson- Jobson: A Glossary of
colloquial Anglo-Indian Words &Phrases ,and of kindred terms
etymological ,historical, geographical. and discursive
A historical dictionary of Anglo-Indian words and terms from Indian
language which came into use during British rule of India.

3. It is written by
Henry Yule Arthur C. Burnell

4. It was first published in 1886
Burnell had died before the work was finished.
A subsequent edition was edited by William Crook in 1903
with extra quotations & an index was added.
The dictionary holds over 2,000 entries generally with
citations from literary sources, many of which date to the
first European contact with the Indian subcontinent
frequently in other non English European Languages.

5. In Anglo-Indian English the term Hobson -Jobson referred to any festival or
entertainment but, especially ceremonies of the Mourning of Muharram.
In origin the term is a corruption by British soldier of "Yā Ḥasan! Yā Husain!"
which is repeatedly cried by Shia Muslims as they beat their chests throughout
the procession of the Muharram.
This was then converted to Hosseen Gosseen this , Hossy Gossy,Hossein Jossein
and ultimately Hobson-Jobson.
Yule and Burnell were looking for a catchy title for their dictionary and decided
upon this since it was a ‘’typical and delightful example’’ of the type of highly
domesticated words in the dictionary and at the same time conveyed ‘’a veiled
intimation of dual authorship’’

6. Example of Anglo-Indian words
• The British Empire, many Pundits nowagree,
descended like a juggernaut upon the
barbicans of the East, in search of loot. The
moguls of the Raj went in palanquins,
smoking cheroots, to sip toddy or sherbet
on the verandahs of the gymkhana club, while
the memsahibs fretted about the thugs in
bandannas and dungarees who roamed the
night like pariahs plotting ghoulish deeds.

7. • All the underlined words in the previous slide can be found with their
eastern family trees.
• In Hobson- Jobson the pages bear eloquent testimony to the unparalleled
intermingling that took place between English and the languages of India.
• Pundit= A person who express opinion, wise
• Juggernaut= a large trucks, forms of Lord Krishna.
• Loot=stolen things
• Moguls= an important or powerful person
• Cheroots= a kind of cigar via French cheroute< Tamil

8. Other examples
Pariah=out cast
• Tamil Pariyan ‘’drummer’’
Pukka= well done (S.A)
• Hindi pakka ‘’cooked ,ripe’’
Tank= used for storage(water)
• Gujarati taku, Marathi take ‘’pond’’

9. Cheroots= a kind of cigar
• via French cheroute< Tamil curuttu ‘’ roll of
tobacco.
Toddy= palm tree sap
• late18th century via Hindi tari ‘’ palm sap’’<
Sanskrit talah ‘’palm’’ probably< Dravidian.
Palanquins= palakhi
• via Portuguese palanquim< Sanskrit Palynka
‘’bed, litter’’.

10. Verandahs
• via Hindi
varanda<
Portuguese
varanda ‘’railing
,balcony’’
Shampoo
• Hindi champo<
campna ‘’knead,
massage
Thug
Hindi thag
‘’cheat robber
• Sthagayati
‘’covers’’

11. Conclusion
• Hobson- Jobson is almost, to regret the passing of the
intimate connection that made this linguistic kedgeree
possible.
• But then one remembers what sort of connection it was, and
is moved to remark.

12. • Remark- as Rhett Butler once said to Scarlett O’ Hara- Frankly, my
dear, I don’t give a small copper coin weighing on tolah, eight
mashas and seven surkhs being the fortieth part of rupee. or put it
more concisely ,a dam