Modern parlance in India is largely a mix of Hindi and Urdu, as well as English. Perhaps an apt name for this new language ought to be Urindi, or even Urindish?
"Haan to main kya keh raha hun ke mere gaadi ki tyres bilkul flat ho chukeen hain, to aap kya fix kar sakenge? Okay, shukriya"
"Rahul ne kya kaha tumko? Tumko chhod ke chala gaya? Aisa badtameez aadmi maine kabhi naheen dekha. I just want to slap him in the face!"
"Dude, let's go racing today, man. Main kaam se bahot bore ho chuka hun"
"Lalita, kya tere Vinod ki shaadi ho chuki hai? Meri Padmini bahot khoobsoorat hai. Kya tu usse milne aayegi? Haan, thheek hai"
Stand on any street corner, watch any Bollywood film, overhear any telephone conversation, and you'll hear the same mix of Hindi, Urdu and possibly English.
I remember the first time I went to India and as I was leaving the rickshaw I very respectfully said dhannevad to the rickshaw driver. He gave me the strangest look. I felt like a complete idiot. I promptly switched to shukriya. Even that seemed too weird. I finally settled for thankyou. And sometimes just saying nothing at all was best.
Few say dhannevad, many say shukriya. Few say udaan and swagat, many say aeroplane and tashreef. So many words are Urdu or Urdu root but are taken for granted to be Hindi, such as tameez and khoob. Even aadmi hails from Urdu.
Urdu just is a more poetic language, hence most Bollywood films and songs use it liberally (perhaps the industry should be called Urindi films?)
Senti and funda are unique creations of Indians. Where do they belong? Hindi? Urdu? English? Perhaps Urindish.
The way Indians communicate today is absolutely beautiful and borrows from and melds the best of all 3 languages. It has evolved the way it has because it puts them together in the most logical and easily understandable way. And it just flows. Perhaps it deserves a new name.
Hindidu or Hindidush could be other options but I think Urindi and Urindish sound better.
Thoughts?
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