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While
Bihar and Biharis may be looked down upon,
Bihar's very own lingo never fails to entertain
people across the country. Even Bollywood has
often takes liberal helpings of our local lingo
for instant comedy. Actors like Amitabh
Bachchan, Govinda and many others owe their
popularity to the street linguists of Bihar. I
share this sample I just received from a
relative as I feel people of Bihari origin will
instantly relate to it:
LE BALAIYA, ee ka hua?
Kahe albalaye huye hain? Etna narbhasane se
kuchchho nahin hoga (Omigosh, what's this? Why
are you so flustered? Such nervousness won't
help matters.)
EK MUKKA MUH PE DHISHOOM SE MAAR DENGE, KAPAAR
PHAT JAAYEGA......
The inveterate linguist may scream at such an
apparent contamination of Hindi language but the
average Bihari simply loves to throw all narrow
parameters of grammar to the winds. For them,
the funnier they are, the better their
adaptability is into their inimitable lingua
franca.
Over the years, Biharis have invented a
language, which has an unmistakable stamp of
their own. In recent times, its popularity has
travelled far and wide beyond the borders of the
State and many screen heroes, including Amitabh
Bachchan, have mouthed Bihari clichés with
characteristic élan - a far cry from the days
when it was thought to be an infra dig of sorts
for anybody other than country bumpkins and
unscrupulous politicians to perpetrate such
"verbal atrocities".
All that, however, is passé now. Bihari Boli is
sweeter than honey now Not only in Bollywood but
also on the campuses of prestigious universities
and IITs across the country. Words like
harbaraye, garbaraye,bargalaye, thartharaye and
dhanmanaye which would have sounded Greek to
outsiders earlier are being used with gay
abundance by the hip youngsters there.
Sobriquets laced with double entendres like "garda",
bawaal and dhuan denoting the varying degree of
a girl's beauty can be heard not only in Patna
University colleges but also faraway Fergusson
College in Pune.
Moreover, a-go, dugo, teengo and chaartho type
of numerology which was a matter of disdain not
long ago is being accepted even by the stiff
upper-lips without any qualms. So, notes sarka
do (pass on the notes)", "batti buta do (put out
the lights)", Principal ko harka do (bamboozle
the principal), burbak kahin ka (you stupid
fellow!), hum to biga gaye (I was thrown out)
and Hum to huan thebe kiye the (I was very much
there) are some of the expressions which have
conveniently made their way into the otherwise
prim-and-propah St Stephens, New Delhi.
Similarly, coinages like dhakiyaye (shoved),
mukiyaye (punched), and latiyaye (kicked) are
the current rage. Hiyan (here), huan (there),
kahe (why), enne (this way) and onne (that way)
are some of other typical words,which are spoken
rather nonchalantly by so-called educated lot in
the State.
One, therefore, does not get surprised if one
hears tanikke for little, nimman for good, anhar
for darkness and ejot for lights. For them,
colloquial language need not be tied to any
narrow rules.
E topicwa par maatha khapane se kuchchho nahi
hoga (nothing is to come out of this topic), as
one wit commented. Among many characteristics of
this language are its terms of endearment.
Seldom does one hear people on the streets
calling each other by their real names. Raju
automatically becomes Rajua, Pappu turns into
Pappua, Rajesh into Rajeshwa and Shatrughna at
best Satrohna. This potpourri of all Bihari
dialects has also coined new terms for human
anatomy which would baffle an FRCP if he were to
land here straight from Edinburgh. Here gor
means legs, moori is substitute to head, ongree
is equivalent to finger, thor denotes lips and
kapar is synonymous with forehead.
This language also has more onomatopoeic words
than probably any other. Words like tapak se,
gapak se, and japak se can be understood by
listening to their phonetic sounds. No longer is
Bihari language associated with a few howlers
like eskool (school)", teeshan (station) and
singal (signal) only. There are certain words
which carry the precise meaning but cannot be
properly substituted by any word in other
languages.
Machchar bhambhor liya is probably is one such
example. Bhambhorna is a super word, which means
the collective assault of mosquitoes to "bhambhor"
you. But then, one might argue, where else do
you find so many mosquitoes to bhambhor you.
Right from Lalu Prasad Yadav, who emerges as the
best speaker of his ghar ki boli to Shekhar
Suman, everybody loves to flaunt his native
command of the language. Earlier, Biharis were
notorious for atrocious gender sense and shoddy
pronunciation. Now, the same traits have become
the tour de force of their conversation.
The time has certainly come to raise ekadhgo
(one or two) toast to the longevity of the
Bihari language. "Teengo" cheers to that!!!
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Comments: |
I feel that most Bihari words used
here are far from common vocabulary
in contemporary India but if the
writer is correct in stating that
they are becoming exceedingly
acceptable in all parts of India
then what can I say… Well! No matter
where I am, I will always be a PROUD
BIHARI. Teengo cheers to the writer
of the article. - Neelotpal -
Aug. 25, 2006
I just enjoyed reading every bit of
this article, made me nostalgic
about days gone by, specially
university days. In Delhi, all of us
Bihari students took pride in using
some of the terms used in the
article which also acted as
mechanism to bond. Congratulations
to Mr. Rajesh Chaubey for this
wonderful piece of work which while
being hilarious on the edge, brings
pride to all of us from Bihar in our
"Bihariness" on a more subtle level.
An article worth preserving!! -
Padmaja - Aug. 25, 2006
Badhiya likhey hain Rajes babu. -
Rajesh Kumar, Chennai - Aug. 25,
2006
(Editor's note: This letter was sent
written in Hindi font.)
Very good article written by Mr.
Rajesh. Very often we come across by
these kind of untouched subjects and
the way you have written it, its
like "Daal Mein Tadka".
This is our flavor which is getting
acceptance in Hindi language.
Someone has given a very famous
definition of Hindi Language – "Bol
Chal ki Bhasha hi Hindi Bhasha hai."
- Md. Hizbullah, Mumbai - Aug.
25, 2006
Some of these words are wonderfully
convenient to use. A relative, who
is a factory of such words and
expressions, thanks to his excellent
prowess in the study of the Queen's
language, once told me "Kahe ko
tensionize hote hai?" From that day
the word "tensionize" comes up
instantly when I need to reassure
anyone. I have to fight it back and
use a number of words where "tensionize"
would have sufficed.
Another incident. I am "tensionized"
as the phone is ringing and no one
is answering it. A staff member says
"Sir, ek baj gaya. Ek se Do Wo Log
Lunching karte hai." I stare blankly
at the fellow thinking "Here is
another convenient word I will have
to fight back henceforth."
Wish we could use them without
bringing shock on other people's
faces. It would have been very
convenient. There are many such
examples. These two come to my mind
now. Perhaps you can share some. -
Rajesh Chaubey - Aug. 25, 2006
Here are some I can recall:
Baurailey ka re?? / Paglayle ka re?
(Are you going insane?); or arrey
baurehi ke... (a term of endearment
for close pals, like saying 'hey
dude'; or even someone who you
consider an idiot).
Etna sentianey ka jaroorat nahin hai
(you don't have to get so
sentimental).
Kahey albala rahey hain? (Why are
you getting so restless?)
(Particularly heard in any queue or
while getting into a crowded train).
Ekdum mijaj-e bhutia gaya hai. (I am
tired of it / I am sick of it / I am
upset with it).
Jada chato mat / Bahut chaat rahey
ho. (Don't bore me to death / you
are boring me to death.) - Arun
Mishra - Aug. 25, 2006
Rajeshji, This article in fact was
circulating for last couple in years
at Bihari yahoo groups. I am not
sure if you had originally sent it
there but it was exactly the same.
It would have been better to give
credit to the original author or at
least acknowledge the source.
Thanks. - Prashant Kumar - Aug.
26, 2006
I will agree with the article and
yes it is being acceptable now
almost all over India. Its shows the
speed of our globalisation and its
impact on the language as well the
culture.
Some of which I remember from my
uncle and village where I come from.
Bahut rogan (oil) hai.
Gotiya ko bhoj ke liye bijje
holaiyei ki nahi...? (have relatives
been invited for the feast or
dinner?)
Mehman ji usually referred to the
son-in-law
Chalo bahut ho gaya. - Pankaj
Kishore, UK - Aug. 26, 2006
Ka ji Chaubey ji, bada mast article
likhey hain! Aapka baat sahi hai ki
St Stephens se lekar Fergusson
College tak log Bihari style mein
bolne mein hichkichate nahin hain,
lekin e baat bhula gaye aap ki wohan
par bhi Bihariye log aise bolta hai.
Baki janata chutki lene mein hi mast
hai. Seedha-sachcha baat yehi hai ki
Bihari log her jagah pahunch gaya
hai, aur apna loha manwa raha hai -
finally! - Alok Kumar - Aug. 26,
2006
(Editor's note: This letter was sent
written in Hindi font.)
Here are some I can recall:
Ekra mahton jee ke dalaan samjhey
hain kaa?? (Do you think it to be a
weak man's courtyard?)
Another one is 'tadi ke mamu'. I
have never been able to figure out
what it exactly means. I am,
however, sure that it is a term of
endearment that could mean any thing
from 'hey dude' to 'you fool'. -
Madhukar Anand - Aug. 26, 2006
Prashantji, please read my original
article carefully. In the very first
paragraph I write "I share this
sample I just received from a
relative as I feel people of Bihari
origin will instantly relate to it."
That should tell all that that
someone else wrote it and I am only
posting it here as I feel it will be
of interest to people of Bihari
origin. - Rajesh Chaubey - Aug.
26, 2006
Another one is:
'Matiyaieye' - meaning 'just ignore'
when one is not in a mood to discuss
or dwell upon a subject. -
Madhukar Anand - Aug. 28, 2006 |
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