On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 22:14:37 -0800, James Newtons Massmind wrote:

> 
> > On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 12:38:25 -0800, James Newtons Massmind wrote:
> > >...<
> > > I can't seem to think of any Asian
> > > words (other then manufacturers names) that have become 
> > well used in 
> > >the  internet world. What am I forgetting?
> > 
> > Well I don't know about the Internet, but everyday English 
> > certainly has a number of Asian words that have dropped in 
> > and stayed.  But now I must take off my pajamas, have a quick 
> > shampoo, and put on my jodhpurs.  
> > Then I'll leave the bungalow, jump in the juggernaut and 
> > visit a pundit who says he knows where there's some loot to be had.
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > Howard Winter
> > St.Albans, England
> 
> 
> Oh Kay....
> 
> Either you were trying to illustrate words that have come from Asian
> countries or you have some strange living habits...

Answer C), all of the above!  :-)
 
> Assuming the former:
> 
> Pajamas: Makes sense as they are often silk or other fine materials, but did
> the world actually come over or is that just our word for the item that came
> over?

No, the word came to us from India, although I believe it's Persian in origin.
 
> Shampoo: That sounds right.

> Jodhpurs: I don't even know what that is.

Trousers worn when horseriding - they have baggy hips for some reason.  Often worn by people playing Polo 
(which sport I believe came from India too).

> Bungalow: Cool, I can see how that could be of Asian origin.

Yes, meaning a house in the Bengal style.

> Juggernaut: How does one jump into "the lord of the world" ?
> http://www.dict.org/bin/Dict?Form=Dict2&Database=*&Query=Juggernaut

Ah, well the word is used in England to mean a Heavy Goods Vehicle (what you call an 18-wheeler, I think).  It 
comes from the huge vehicle used to transport the statue of Vishnu, under which devotees were said to throw 
themselves as a sacrifice, and it implies something huge and unstoppable.  Something to remember when changing 
lanes on a motorway...

> Pundit: Huh? How is that from there?

It comes from the Hindi "pandit", meaning "scholar".
 
> Loot: Excellent! Yes, it does sound Asian.

Good, because it is!  :-)

That's the thing about English - we don't mind whose words we steal!  :-)

Cheers,

(Dammit - while I've been doing this I failed to bid on an eBay item and now I've missed it!)


Howard Winter
St.Albans, England


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