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We Indians are used to sneaking in the occasional English word when we speak in Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, or some other Indian language. But it wasn’t until I shared a home with an Iranian roommate in the US that I realized how much Farsi I already knew, without ever having learned the language.

My discovery began when my roommate ran out of salt, and asked if she could use mine. Now, American sugar is nearly as fine as salt, and it’s easy to mistake one for the other, so if you discarded the original packaging, you’d have to label the jars. I had labelled them in Hindi, and my roommate, of course, couldn’t read a word of it. As I handed her the salt, she asked what I had written on the jar. When I said namak, she excitedly said, “Hey! That’s what we call it too!” I was surprised.

Over the next half-hour, we came up with a list of words we both knew: zeera (cumin), shakkar (sugar), chai (tea), ananas (pineapple), anaar (pomegranate), ghosht (meat), pilau (a rice dish), seb (apple), sabzi (a vegetable dish)… it was a long list! We found we shared a non-food vocabulary, too: manzil (house), jaan (life), fizool (rubbish), shah (king).

I also found out that seersucker, that wonderful cotton fabric with crinkly stripes, perfect for the summer, gets its name from the Farsi words for milk (shir) and sugar. Of course, in Sanskrit, kshiram means milk, and sarkara can mean gravel, grit or sugar.

There are two reasons for all these similarities: one is trade routes, and the other is a shared linguistic ancestry in the form of an Indo-European root language. The latter may explain, for example, why our words for God are so similar: Dev (Gujarati, Hindi, Konkani, Marathi), Deus (Latin and Portuguese), Dio (Italian), Dieu (French), Dios (Spanish), and Theos (Greek).

Can you think of other words that we share with people around the world? Leave a comment, or tweet to @braingainmag with the hashtag #WordNerd

Previous WordNerd posts are here.

By: Uma Asher

Spring means many things to many people: cute little lambs frolicking about, flowers, spring fever, Easter…. For people who suffer from pollen allergies, it may mean staggering about in an anti-histamine stupor. For couch potatoes, it means this:

Above: Spring has sprung, and a couch prepares for rebirth

Of course, “spring” can also mean a natural water source, to leap or appear suddenly (“a light from the shadows shall spring”), to pay a lot of money (“the boss is going to spring for lunch”), or to release or set off something (“spring a trap”).

The origin of the word seems unexpectedly mysterious, when you consider how different the English name for the season is from the words in related languages. Much of the English language has roots in German and Latin, but the German word for spring is Frühling (früh means early), and the Latin one is ver. The Italian word for spring, primavera, is more familiar, because it often features in restaurant menus. In Latin, primum ver means “earliest spring”.

Ever wonder why the English word “spring” has so many meanings? At the root of many of them is the idea of something rising, often suddenly. Many meanings are derived from this sense of “spring”, including the foam-covered metal coils that keep you comfy when you watch TV.

The beginning of spring is called the “vernal equinox”. This one is easy to figure out. Vernal is an adjective derived from the Latin ver, and just means anything spring-related.

Above: Melting snow and rain often gather in vernal pools like this one in Pennsylvania (photo by Nicholas A. Tonelli, used under CC BY 2.0 licence)

The word “equinox” is easy to figure out if you think of the word “nocturnal”. Noctis and nox both mean night in Latin, and the equinoxes are the only times in the year when day and night are of the same duration.

Iranians of all faiths, including our own Parsis, celebrate the vernal equinox, which they call Nowruz (“new day”). Indeed, Nowruz is celebrated all the way from Iran to India, and other places where the Persian and central Asian diasporas live. This year, Nowruz fell on Sunday, March 20 – belated Nowruz Mubarak!

Here’s my favourite spring fever song. Got one of your own to share? Post a comment below, or tweet to @braingainmag!

BY: Uma Asher

In an article on feminist vocabulary, a reader commented that the subject matter had “obviously become too hyperacademicated.” This makes it sound like the words had both tonsillitis and pneumonia, and were in need of research drugs. The other interesting fact to note is this reader was using an imaginary word that he (or she) thought was real to dismiss academic terminology, with all the righteousness that he (or she) could summon.

While it might seem far-fetched, feminism, like every other discipline, does have its own way of saying things. And rightly so.

But this blog is not about those.

Here we have 5 words/phrases which came into existence somewhere between cubicles and coffee-shop conversations, trended as hashtags and memes, and were shots fired in the battle between the sexes. They’re funny, creative, and relevant. And we think you’ll get all of them!

1) Mansplaining: There’s explaining and then there’s mansplaining. Your computer suddenly freezes, and you turn to a male colleague in frustration, saying something like, ‘I wonder if it’s my RAM being defective,” and he replies, ‘Have you tried moving your mouse or pressing enter?’ It is assumed that as a woman, your knowledge about computers is likely limited.

Or, you’re a Professor of Economics, and someone from the History department makes sure you know who Adam Smith is, just in case your gender makes you forgetful of the basics.

2) #NotAllMen: For the internet, feminism is a gift that keeps on giving. Especially when it comes to social media trends. #NotAllMen is the plaintive cry of a man defending his gender every time women point out sexist behavior. As this article discusses, when the trend first emerged, it was irritating, but is now kind of funny.

3) Not My Nigel: The stock typical defense women make of the men in their lives – fathers, brothers, partners, sons or even friends, when discussing observations and explanations of sexist behavior. “Not my Nigel, he’s never made me change the way I do my hair, or commented on a lady’s driving skills.” Alright sister, if you say so!

4) Cookies, anyone?: So, for men who not only believe women should be allowed to make their own choices, but also declare it proudly, there are cookies. These cookies, however, aren’t made of dough and chocolate chips and sugar, only sarcasm.
What else can you dole out to someone who has managed to recognize that women are human beings too?

5)  Lean In: This phrase is a book title, hashtag, and movement all in one. The book was authored by Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, and has spawned the movement, and the hashtag. It means everything women need to do at the workplace, to assert their presence, and earn what they deserve – whether it’s positions, respect or paychecks.

Any more you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments below.

by: Skendha Singh

We would all readily associate the First World War with catastrophe. But, it was also a time of creativity. Trenches, tanks, steel helmets, poisonous gases, blood banks, and mobile x-ray machines were some legacies of the war. As was the emergence of Poland, the Soviet Union, Turkey and other nationalities.

However, what emerged from the war was not just a new world, but also a new way of expressing it. In the trenches, English had been under siege. The mingling of men from different classes, counties and countries, had a far reaching impact. English expanded its borders to include words from German, French, Turkish, Arabic and Hindi, making it all the more fascinating and complex.

Here is a list of 8 Hindi words which were used to temper the khichuri or kedgeree that is English.

Backchat: It is hard to imagine soldiers being cheeky to their seniors in the trenches, but it happened often enough for there to be a word for it. Backchat comes from the Hindi word for conversation, baat-chit.

Badmash: Refers, like the original word, to a scoundrel. Not to a bad potato dish, as one might easily speculate.

Blighty: Comes from the word Urdu word vilayati, which meant foreign, and was used by Indian soldiers to describe Britain. Interestingly, the British came to use it to describe home – Blighty Britain. There are several wartime songs with blighty in the title – Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty, being the best known among them.

Chokey: Meant minor punishment. For example, Sam’s doing the chokey, or, Sam’s in the chokey. It retains the same meaning as its Hindi original – chowki.

Cushy: From the word khushi, which means happiness. During the war, the word was used for comfortable trenches in quiet sectors.

Dekko: Quick look or glance. Much like the Hindi summon – dekho.

Dixie: A large iron pot or 12-gallon camp kettle used for cooking by the British soldiers. The word is a corruption of degchi, which is the Hindi for a small wok.

Go phut: Probably originated from the Hindi word phatna – to burst. It was used to describe the dull abrupt sound of explosions, but also could be used for describing something which had failed to work.

Any important words we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments section!

Words every Game of Thrones fan should know, now that our watch has ended.

As a show, Game of Thrones garnered a mass following quite similar to that of Harry Potter or Avengers. While its last season has been uniquely disappointing thanks to its lackluster writing, we at BrainGain still believe that a show with such a rich well of characters and lands deserve to be remembered and celebrated. Here are four popular and important words in the Game of Thrones universe to commemorate this massive show coming to an end.

Khaleesi

Khaleesi is royal title given to the wife of the Khal, a Dothraki warlord.The Dothrakis are a nomadic horse-riding tribe similar to the early Mongols. The most prominent Khaleesi in the Game of Thrones universe is Daenerys Targareyn, who is wed to Khal Drogo by her brother in exchange for the Khal’s army. Even after Khal Drogo dies, Daenerys is referred to as Khaleesi by her Dothraki soldiers, and at times her trusted advisors Missandei and Greyworm. However, it is Jorah Mormont, her best friend and the man who loved her as hard as she couldn’t, who unwaveringly calls her Khaleesi till his last breath. Traditionally, widowed Khaleesis retire to the temple of Vaees Dothraki. However, Danerys, with her dragons and unbreakable ambition burns the temple, essentially destroying the tradition.  Shockingly, the correct pronunciation of the word is khal-lay-see, and not khal-ee-see.

Valar Morghulis

This high Valyrian saying means “all men must die.” The phrase is first uttered by Jaqen H’ghar, when he gives Arya a gold coin before splitting ways from her in Westeros. “If the day comes when you must find me again, just give that coin to any man from Braavos and say these words to him: valar morghulis.” he instructs her, knowing that she will travel to Braavos to train under the many-faced god.

After hearing the phrase, Arya Stark repeats it every night, before reciting her list of people to kill. The traditional response to this saying is valar dohaeris, meaning “all men must serve”, presumably the god of death. As Arya trains from the many-faced god, Arya learns to defer the god of death, saying ‘not today’. Interestingly, even Daenerys refuses to submit to the idea of valar morghulis, claiming the while all men must die, she is not one, and therefore will not. 

Warg

A warg is person who is able to inhabit the mind of animals– including humans– see the world through their eyes and control their actions. The ability to warg begins in dreams. It is only over time, with a lot of practice, that a person is able to warg with control and at will. Audiences are first introduced to a warg when Jon Snow executes a wildling called Orell, who wargs into an eagle, his consciousness living on in him.

The most well-known and important warg in the Game of Thrones narrative universe is Brandon Stark. Bran is also the Three-Eyed Raven, with the ability to travel in time. Therefore, he can perhaps warg with a little more precision once he has control over his powers. For example, during the Battle of Winterfell, Bran wargs into a bird to get a better view of the progress of the Night King’s army.

Hodor

For six seasons, the audience of Game of Thrones assumed that Hodor was the name of a ‘simple-minded’ stablehand who later became Brandon Stark’s aide. However, in the heartbreaking scene where said stablehand sacrifices his life to keep Bran from turning into an undead white walker, Game of Thrones fans learn that the truth is something else altogether.

As the Three-Eyed Raven (in training), Bran travels to Hodor’s past and discovers that Hodor’s original name was Wylis. When the wights and white walkers attack the cave Hodor, Bran and their companion Meera are staying in, Bran accidentally wargs into young Wylis, linking present-day Hodor with young stableboy Wylis. As Meera shouts for Hodor to hold the door to protect them from the white walkers, Wylis suffers a seizure from the mental trauma of watching his own death. He starts repeating Meera’s cry to ‘hold the door’, which eventually slurs into Hodor, his name and purpose from that moment.

Love Game of Thrones? Have other important words you want to share? Comment below!

by Anandamayee Singh

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We agree that English is a nutty language. To be fluent in English also means you have a smattering of German and French. But, there are still rules about good usage which we need to recognize, just as there are common ways to flout them. If you’re wondering what they are – here are common errors that make up our top five pet peeves.

Waive off. When you request your college or university for exemption from a rule or fee, just ask them to waive it, not waive it off. “Waiving off” is not a thing. “Waving off”, on the other hand, is a thing, but you always wave someone off, which is a way of saying goodbye. Next time you hear someone say “waive off”, you might want to wave them off.

Dispose off. This happens because people pronounce “of” (as in “The Secret Life Of Pets”; usually pronounced “uv”) so that it sounds like “off” (as in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”). If you really must murder the language, at least do it the honor of disposing of the body, rather than disposing off it (or even worse, “disposing it off”).

Revert. Some people use it as a synonym for “reply”, apparently because “reply” isn’t good enough. But “revert” doesn’t even mean reply. It means to return to a previous state or practice. The minimum requirement for people who promise to “revert” should be truly dramatic, like becoming a baby again, or going back to the Paleolithic era. If they are unwilling to oblige, they should just say “reply”.

Updation. Banks love doing this to your account, have you noticed? Why can’t they just say they need to “update records” instead of needing to do “updation of records”? Do they enjoy causing vexation, consternation, frustration, and discombobulation to their customers?

Your / you’re. If you’re careless, your writing will reflect it, and your readers may conclude that you’re not very smart.

Got any pet peeves to share? Email us or leave a comment below! Check out previous Word Nerd posts here!

By: BrainGain Staff Writer

By Rajveer Sardana

It struck me as unjust that these stories weren’t available in Hindi. That their magic was lost for some children because of the circumstances of their birth.

Little faces stare up at me, bursting into cries and requests “One more story bhaiya! Please!”” I cannot resist them. I reach into my backpack and grab another book. Welcome to the Indian Book Project.

I have always been captivated by the power of literature. I fell in love with books when I was five years old. I have floated down the Mississippi river with Huckleberry Finn, and embarked on quests to Mordor with Frodo and Samwise. Literature, to me, is entrancing, empowering and utterly magical.

I was surprised when I realised that some of my favourite children’s books were not available in Hindi. It struck me as unjust. My love for literature had been born with Where the Wild Things Are and grown with the Giving Tree. In the tradition of oral storytelling, my mother would read me these tales, full of vital lessons in morality, growth, and development. In those moments, I would always lose myself in the world of words.

I wanted to share this special magic of words with others. So, I began to volunteer at a major educational NGO in Delhi called Khushi. I worked with students on reading, writing, grammar, and basic English vocabulary. Then, I approached the director with an innovative idea,I wanted to translate children’s books into Hindi on my own, so I could share these important universal tales with my students.

That’s how the Indian Book Project came into being. I picked my favourites – Are you my Mother? and Goodnight Moon – and painstakingly began translating them, word for word. It was more challenging than I expected, and much, much more rewarding as well. I discovered a newfound respect for language, in all its diversity, as I struggled with tenses and idioms. It was a pleasure to communicate these stories to the children at the NGO, and watch them experience the same thrills as I had.

I decided to conduct read-aloud sessions to make the stories truly come alive, and create a more performative and participatory atmosphere. It was a hit. The children listened with rapt attention and waited with bated breath for their turn. I realised that this project was necessary to expose them to aspects of the world that they haven’t had access to because of the circumstances of their birth. Inspired by the success of this project, I now intend to install a book-exchange system in my neighbourhood, to continue to circulate literature, and invite more budding enthusiasts into the charming world of reading.

If you liked reading this, you might also like:
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Vivek Masoji is a microbiology laboratory technician with a farmer-owned multinational dairy company called Fonterra. He went from Kolhapur, India, to Lincoln University, New Zealand, where he earned his Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Science, in Food Science, in 2016. Here he discusses how studying in New Zealand is helping him build his career.

Vivek Masoji got his postgraduate diploma in food sciences from Lincoln University, New Zealand

Studying at Lincoln University was extremely helpful, as I got the chance to know fellow students from different cultures. During our studies, everyone was divided into groups for laboratory work and research work. This has enabled me to work with people from different backgrounds with ease, which is certainly an essential trait at my current workplace.

After my studies in India, I was interested in Food Science subjects. So I enrolled for papers such as Food Microbiology, Food Biochemistry, Food Processing and Quality, Food Contamination and Security, Advanced Microbiology and Applied Toxicology. I gained in-depth knowledge of these subjects as a student in Lincoln University’s Food Science course. Moreover, laboratory work was an essential part of these courses, and helped me learn through a more hands-on approach when it came to studies of various food samples.

Lincoln University library (photo by Kristina D.C. Hoeppner, used under CC license)

Studies in New Zealand are based on self-understanding of a topic, which is very different from studies back home. In India, there are usually no topics assigned to students, and examinations are of utmost importance. But here in New Zealand, topics were assigned to every student, and were to be submitted back to the professor by a deadline. So the grade that you get is through your own work, and you have enough time to complete it, unlike having exams at the end of the year.

I find studies in New Zealand to be more relaxed, non-restrictive, and self-paced. I appreciate these differences now, but the fact is that they were a challenge at first for a student like me, who came from an exam-based study system. But studying at Lincoln was never tiresome. In fact, it was enjoyable.

A quiet corner at Lincoln University (photo by Kristina D.C. Hoeppner, used under CC license)

Being a student isn’t only about studies, though. The Lincoln University Student Association, along with various clubs on campus and the friendly university lecturers, all made sure that I never had a dull day. Also, the availability of computer suites and the play areas (the Workshop) ensured that everyone had access to academics as well as fun and games.

The tutors were extremely helpful and friendly. They had immense knowledge in their respective subjects, and were always there when we faced any difficulties in our studies. They were prompt in marking assignments and replying to emails, no matter how busy they were.

The highlight of my time at Lincoln University was definitely getting on the Dean’s List for achieving straight ‘A’ grades in the first semester! I also scored an overall distinction in my course. This wouldn’t have been possible without the tutors and my colleagues at the University.

Other highlights included being a committee member of the Lincoln University International Students Club, and being President of the Indian Students Club. These experiences helped me develop my people skills and leadership skills and ensured I was an active part of various events that were held at Lincoln.

A piece of advice to students in India who are thinking about study abroad: don’t worry about the different approach to studies – it’s not difficult.

Studying abroad comes with heaps of advantages, such as exposure to different cultures, and getting to know some amazing people while you study. Hard work is the key to overcome challenges and, in the end, you will definitely emerge a more confident and more study-oriented person.

The Christchurch Educated Job Ready Programme helped me understand what exactly an employer wants in a potential candidate, how to format my CV and cover letters for a Kiwi employer, how to find job search websites, and how to tackle interviews.

Want a food-related career? Check out the links below!
An Indian couple celebrates double graduation in New Zealand
How poisonous creatures can help us grow food and treat disease
PhD in Microbiology: how to get started
Molecular Gastronomy – the wonderland of culinary disciplines
See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip—Savor
Taking the heat: an inside look at culinary school
Word Nerd: Paneer, cottage cheese, and the vocabulary of diversity
Gelato University – everything you need to know
Here’s everything you need to know about Hamburger University
Top 10 Australian universities for Hospitality Management
Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration
Powerful alumni a big draw at Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne
Widener blends rigorous academics with paid internships

Recently, the Tamil word ‘aiyoh’ was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. It is unclear who might want to look up ‘aiyoh’ in an English dictionary. But anyway, the question is: how can a dictionary define exclamations like these? Here are a few from India and around the world that are hard to explain. Take them or leave them, but don’t try to make sense of them.

1. Mamma mia! (Italian)
Literally, it means ‘my mother’. Used as an exclamation, it expresses alarm, fear, surprise, or awe. Next time you’re terrified or impressed, remember to try saying this.

2. Holy moly! (American English)
Similar to mamma mia! According to the Oxford dictionary, it dates back to the 19th century, and may be an alteration of ‘holy Moses’. It appears to have been popularized by comics.

3. Dagnabbit! (American English)
Used to express annoyance, displeasure, or frustration. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this excellent phrase is derived by combining ‘dagnab’ and ‘it’. In case you’re wondering (as we were), ‘dagnab’ means ‘darn’. So this expression is basically synonymous with ‘Darn it!’

4. Taari saasu kaanda khaey! (Gujarati)
This literally translates to ‘may your mother-in-law eat onions’. Used as an insult when someone does something stupid, like backing a car into a ditch or forgetting their baby in the mall.

5. Hello! (Hinglish)
This may look like an ordinary greeting, but don’t be fooled. In English, ‘hello’ is a greeting you say after you make eye contact with someone. But in Hinglish, the word is used to catch someone’s eye. So when you’re in a restaurant where the wait staff is ignoring you, shout “Hello!” at a passing waiter. It’s the desi way of saying “Pay attention to me!”

6. Mon petit chou! (French)
Pronounced ‘mon ptee shoo’, this literally means ‘my little cabbage’. The object of your adoration may or may not be high in dietary fiber and vitamin C, but they would still be your ‘petit chou’ in French.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of bizarre expressions in the world. Got any weird or funny exclamations to share? Leave a comment below or email us!

By: BrainGain Staff Writer