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H-ASIA
January 14, 2006
Further to Punjabi or Hindustani slurs on the British
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From: James Hoover <jhoover@salemstate.edu>
Dear Colleagues,
I am not altogether certain that 'farangi' and 'gora' really count as
terms of abuse on their own, although the latter term certainly would
shade over in idiomatic constructions. I have read through many sepoy
mutiny court martial records, and have found that these terms usually
were considered abusive by the British themselves only when coupled with
more run-of-the-mill Hindustani oaths.
However, I recall that when I was learning Urdu, my professor, Muhammad
Memon, had me read and translate a short story about a pre-Partition
Lahore rickshaw-wallah, who went on at great length, to his friends,
about the bad qualities of the British officers he had been pulling
around all day. The monologue was a fireworks display of invective, as
I recall, and I believe the term 'lal bandar' came up at least once.
Unfortunately, I cannot remember the author or title of the story, but
I'm sure the passage would be a gold-mine for whoever is interested in
this question.
Sincerely,
Prof. James W. Hoover
Dept. of History
Salem State College
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