15 English Words of Indian Origin Posted: 26 Jan 2014 08:04 PM PST The English language has absorbed words

from cultures the world over. The follow ing is a list of some English words whose origins lie in the Hindi, Urdu or Sans krit languages spoken in India, Pakistan and other countries. These words have e ntered English through a variety of routes, but the presence of many dates back to the days of the Raj, when India was occupied by the British. 1. Avatar In Hinduism, an avatar is the manifestation in human or animal form of a god, es pecially Vishnu. The word first appeared in English in the 18th century and deri ves ultimately from the Sanskrit word avatara meaning descent. More recently the word has gained additional senses, for example to refer to a c omputer user s visual representation within a game, on a forum etc. 2. Bangle A rigid ornamental bracelet worn around the wrist (or ankle). Its appearance in English dates back to the 18th century. It derives from the Hindi word bangri me aning a glass ring or bracelet. 3. Bungalow A one-storied house. Derives from the Hindi word bangla meaning, literally, in t he style of or belonging to Bengal. The word bungalow in English dates back to t he 17th century when it was used to refer to a type of cottage built in Bengal f or early European settlers. 4. Cheetah A long-legged big cat from Africa, the fastest land animal on Earth. Its black s pots provide the clue to the origins of its name, which derives from the Hindi w ord cita, meaning speckled or variegated. 5. Chutney A thick, pickled condiment made from fruit, vinegar, spices and sugar. This word entered the English language in the 19th century and derives from the Hindi wor d chatni, whose meaning is more or less the same as the English word. 6. Cot This word has several meanings, but in the sense of a portable bed or a high-sid ed child s bed, it derives from the Hindi word khat, meaning a bedstead or hammock . It arrived in the English language during the 17th century. 7. Guru Originally a Hindu or Sikh spiritual guide, guru entered English in the 17th cen tury, where it now also means any important and respected intellectual guide or mentor. The original word in the Hindi and Sanskrit, also guru, means venerable. 8. Juggernaut In English, a juggernaut is an unstoppable force or movement that sweeps aside o r destroys anything in its path. In the UK it is also used to refer to very larg e lorries (trucks). The word arrived in English in the 19th century and derives from the word Jagannath, a form of the Hindu deity Vishnu. 9. Jungle An area of dense vegetation or, by extension, any challenging or hostile environ ment. It derives from the Hindi word jangal meaning a forest and began to be use d in English during the 18th century.

10. Loot Loot is both a noun and a verb. As a verb it means to ransack, to steal from som eone or something, often in a violent way. The noun means whatever is stolen by the act of looting or, simply, any money. The word derives from the Hindi verb l ut, meaning to plunder or steal. 11. Pyjamas/Pajamas A set of loose-fitting sleeping clothes, consisting of a jacket and trousers. Th e pajama spelling is used in North America. The word entered English in the 19th century. It derives from the Hindi word payjamah, meaning leg (pay) and clothin g (jamah). 12. Shampoo A soapy liquid for washing the hair (or other things such as carpets). It arrive d in English in the 18th century and derives from the Hindi word champo, meaning to squeeze, knead or massage. 13. Thug A brutal or violent person, it derives ultimately from the Hindi word thag meani ng a thief or a cheat. It entered the English language early in the 19th century . 14. Veranda/Verandah A sheltered gallery or terrace attached to a house or some other building. The w ord began to appear in the English language early in the 18th century. In Hindi, the word varanda has a similar meaning. This is not the source of the word, how ever, as it is thought to derive from the Portuguese word varanda meaning a balc ony. 15. Yoga This was originally a Sanskrit word meaning yoking or union. It refers to a syst em of Hindu philosophy concerned with achieving reunion with the divine. A part of this discipline involves meditation, breath control and the adoption of certa in postures, which is how the word came to have the sense of a system of physica l exercise. It entered English in the 19th century. Note: Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit words in this article have been written in a simp lified, anglicized form, using the representations employed by the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary. You've read the theory, now put it into practice! Become a Pro subscriber and ge t access to 130+ grammar exercises. Start your free trial today! Has vs. Had - DailyWritingTips Has vs. Had Posted: 04 Jan 2014 08:38 PM PST I received this note from a reader: My friends and I consider ourselves to be pretty good English speakers. But, when and where to use has and had has us beat. Can you assist? The verb to have ranks right up there with be and do as far as the variety of wa ys in which it is used. I m guessing that the reader is referring to the use of ha s and had in their role as auxiliary or helping verbs. Has and had are forms of the verb to have. Their use as helping verbs is to form perfect tenses.

First of all, let s clarify the grammatical meaning of perfect. It does not mean In a state of complete excellence; free from any imperfection or defect of quality ; that cannot be improved upon; flawless, faultless. Perfect to describe a verb t ense has to do with the completion of an action. Linguists argue over how many verb tenses English has, but for our purposes, we ll say that English has six basic tenses: Simple Present: They cook. Present Perfect: They have cooked. Simple Past: They cooked. Past Perfect: They had cooked. Future: They will walk. Future Perfect: They will have walked. I ll limit my remarks to Present Perfect and Past Perfect. Present Perfect Have or has is used with a past participle to form the present perfect tense. Th is tense designates action which began in the past but continues into the presen t, or the effect of the action continues into the present. Compare these sentences: My father drove a school bus. (simple past) My father has driven a school bus for three years. (present perfect) The first sentence implies that the father no longer drives a school bus; the se cond sentence indicates that he is still driving a school bus. Past Perfect This past perfect (also called the pluperfect) is formed with had and a past par ticiple. The past perfect indicates an action that was completed in the past bef ore another action took place. Compare: Arnold painted the garage when his friends arrived. (simple past) Arnold had painted the garage when his friends arrived. (past perfect before sim ple past) In the first sentence, Arnold started painting the garage at the time his friend s arrived. He was probably hoping they would help him. In the second sentence, Arnold had completed the action of painting the garage b y the time his friends arrived. In sentences that express condition and result, the past perfect belongs in the part of the sentence that states the condition: If I had made better choices in my youth, I would be better off today. I often hear television characters use the simple past instead of the past perfe ct in the condition clause: If I knew you were coming, I would have baked a cake. They also create such convoluted constructions as If I would have known you were coming, I would have baked a cake instead of: If I had known you were coming, I wo uld have baked a cake.