Badmash, buda, changa, desi, filmi, kasme, namaste, teek are but a few of the Hinglish words making history in the new edition of the Collins English Dictionary. Hinglish - a linguistic fusion of the words ‘Hindi’ and ‘English’ - marks another phase in the evolution of the English language.
“This is the second wave of words from Indian languages to hit English,” states B.K. Mahal teacher, author, and adviser to the Collins English Dictionary team who have been documenting this new movement. “From the time when British and Indian cultures first collided in the 17th century, Indian languages have contributed to English vocabulary. Many words we now use in everyday conversation originated in India: shampoo, bangle, bungalow, jungle, jodhpurs, pukka, chintzy, cot, and mantra.”
Research for the new edition of the Collins English Dictionary has revealed that Hinglish words are being increasingly used in English. Mahal says: “Thanks to British-Asian media, the word chuddies is now widely known in the UK. ‘Desi’ (authentic), and ‘filmi’ (dramatic) are also used to some extent outside Indian communities.”

According to Mahal, Hinglish is destined to affect the way people in Britain use English. Thanks to the vibrancy of the English-speaking Indian communities, Hinglish words are now being employed more readily in conversations, written media, and broadcasting. Words such as ‘rhanja’ (a male lover) and ‘bandari’ (an impudent or mischievous girl or woman) are adding even more international flavour to the English language.

“The beauty of English,” states Jeremy Butterfield, Editor-in-Chief of Collins Dictionaries, “is that from the earliest times it has been able to incorporate and adapt words from other languages. Already, we probably can’t get through the day without using several words derived from Indian languages. In the long run, we can expect Hinglish to influence English in many fields, in the same way that Latin and French have over several centuries.”

With ‘The Kumars at Number 42’ moving to prime-time BBC1, with mainstream drama such as ‘Life isn’t all Ha Ha Hee Hee’, and with ‘Silver Street’ celebrating its first anniversary, the official inclusion of Hinglish words in the Collins English Dictionary marks an exciting development and a new phase of borrowing by English. As Mahal explains: “English does not pledge allegiance to any one group: it belongs to us all.”