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Post by Crouchback on Mar 8, 2005 14:50:25 GMT -5
Heres some Indian/hindu words used by British Forces. I'm sure you will Know most of them:- Badmash-rascal/scoundrel Basha-Native house,hut Bibi,Bint-Girl Bundook-Rifle Chabeli-Sweetheart Chah,Char-Well no need translating that!! Charpoy-Bed Cheeny-Sugar Chota Wallah-little fellow Cutch-Inferior-as aposed to Pukka-First rate Dekko-look Dhobi-Laundry Havildar-Sgt Jawan-Soldier Jildi-Quickly Mallum-Understand Pandy-Mutineer(Named after the first sepoy to be hung during the Indian mutiny, tried to shoot a native officer. They hung the officer for not stopping him) Pialla-Mug Ram Ram-Hello Shabash-Bravo Tik Hai-All Right,Good Ulla Kabaja-Son of an Owl You lads must have more? Also just for fun the story of the Belgian Priest during The First World War, "I have looked upphoneticallyin my little English dictionary (fah-ke)and find to my suprise that the word 'fake' means 'false', unreal ornot true to life. Whythe soldiers should refer to us in this way is difficult to understand, and yet everywhere one hears them talk of "fake Belgium" and "fake Belgiuns".....
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Mar 8, 2005 17:32:10 GMT -5
Indian words that have found regular use into English slang is a big fave of mine....
Chudi - Underwear shufty - (corrupted to shifty)examine khaki - dust coloured putees - .. khazi - .. pungi - (corrupted to pongo) fighter.
I'll rack me brains for more...
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Post by rupert on Mar 9, 2005 9:59:31 GMT -5
Mucka- from the indian muckajeesh meaning friend or companion
And a short poem my ole man taught me from the Navy in relation to Dhobi
"Dhobi-dhobi-dhobi never go ashore never catch you hanging round the docs cabin door"
Meaning when you get to port, stay in and do your washing rather than go ashore shagging and catching the the clap.....as Im sure they had want to do.
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Mar 9, 2005 21:06:43 GMT -5
Reminds me of a quote i heard years ago....
No one ever caught clap from the khazi seat.... exept Officers & the Padre.
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tankpark
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Post by tankpark on Mar 20, 2005 10:01:54 GMT -5
I recently did research on Army Slang on our Regimental web site, worth looking at if you get a minute, go to-- www.qdg.org.ukgo to menu, scroll to community guest book, then to General Comments, Army Slang. here's a new one to me, "Kartoffeln-teus" Sort that one out!
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Post by rupert on Mar 22, 2005 5:47:41 GMT -5
Just an expansion on one of the earlier words. KHAKI legend has it that the reason for the colour of the uniforms was that washing the tropical (white shirts and trousers and jackets for the zobs) uniforms in the local water made them come out in a dusty tan colour. It was noted by one of the officers TEXT that this colour blended very nicely into the local suroundings. intrigued by this new camoflage method the officer asked the locals what this colour was called. The locals replied "Khaki" which in native tongue means Dirty. the officers took this as read and implemented Khaki dress. not sure how true this is but it deserves to be if for no other reason to demonstrate the ineptitude of the British Officer...gawd bless en all.
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tankpark
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Post by tankpark on Mar 22, 2005 10:29:16 GMT -5
Rupert! Is this a slang nick-name? The reason I ask is because on our Regimental Slang thread, a "Rupert" is an untrained "Rodney". A Rupert is an officer cadet under training. When passed out and commissioned he/she/it becomes a "Rodney"
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Mar 22, 2005 14:02:31 GMT -5
3 Rupert! Is this a slang nick-name? The reason I ask is because on our Regimental Slang thread, a "Rupert" is an untrained "Rodney". A Rupert is an officer cadet under training. When passed out and commissioned he/she/it becomes a "Rodney" Sounds about right !!!
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Mar 23, 2005 9:04:29 GMT -5
Doolally .... Crackers / barking / frothing mad. A place in India where the heat caused insanity.
Mad dogs & Englishmen etc etc.....
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tankpark
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Post by tankpark on Mar 23, 2005 12:39:48 GMT -5
just for the record, much of your hindi slang is actually Arabic. Shufty, Bint,Bucra, but army slang has no barriers, German, Italian, Indian, arabic, local dialect, and is added to all the time, my favourite latest is "Elephants Ar**" = 11th.Hussars, anyone who has been on Squadron Parade should recognise this! Picture RSM Smedley of the "Cherry Pickers" calling the regiment onto the Square. "Elephants A***", Git ong, Praid" Few more for you, "Key of Egypt" = Bottle Opener. "Passion Killers" = ATS underwear. "Grunt" = infantry man "Grunt Crusher" = Tank "M &V" =Meat /Veg.(tinned "ENSA" =Every Night Something Awful "VAD"(voluntary Aid Detachment)= Virgins Awaiting Destruction! "NAFFI" = No ambition and F*** all Interest. "JL's" =full length underwear (usually issued in Egypt!" "Ghandi's Revenge= short wax matches that broke off under nails! "Rommel Special" =88mm gun! (note,"Rommel Special" and "Bail Out" were banned when 88 was called in Housey Housey (Bingo) "Nig-Nog" =New recruit.(not PC?now?
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Mar 23, 2005 12:55:35 GMT -5
Remind us of the reason their called "Cherry Pickers" Brian..... There's a bit under Regiments & Corps about regimental nicknames you might be interested in.
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Eddie
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Post by Eddie on Mar 23, 2005 13:28:05 GMT -5
"Rommel Special" that reminds me of the name given to the Wooden poles driven into the ground as part of the German defences in Normandy - 'Rommel's Asparagus'
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tankpark
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Post by tankpark on Mar 23, 2005 15:33:12 GMT -5
Re "Rommels Asparagus" was that the German name for it or one of ours?Reason I ask is because we had Asparagus in Germany in Feb, this year and a German friend asked me the English name for it as the German/Dutch word is "Spargel". I must admit, Rommels Spargel doesn't sound as good! Re "Cherry Pickers", popular story is that they missed a battle because they were in an orchard picking cherries, I'm sure the name comes from the Red Breeches they wore at the time of Balaklava and were called the "Cherry Bums". I saw a thread on this web some where about brass shoulder titles, I wore the "BAYS" brasses until I transfered to 1st. Kings Dragoon Guards and was still wearing KDG (I still have em) until demob in 48. The 1stQueens Dragoon Guards (Bays/KDG) now wear old KDG cap badge and "Bays"collar dogs and QDG shoulder titles. Unfortunately seemingly made from a crappy plastic!!!! The QDG cap badge is the "Hapsburg" eagle, which we called the "Double Headed Sh*** Hawk", the Franz Joseph Emperor of AUstria was Col. in Chief in Queen Victorias time, badge was changed in WW1 but reverted back before WW2. I bet you all wanted to know that!!
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Eddie
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Post by Eddie on Mar 23, 2005 15:48:10 GMT -5
Re "Rommels Asparagus" was that the German name for it or one of ours? I believe the Term was originaly German, Rommelspargel adopted by the allies, I have seen a few variations of what is was used for... one being to damage the gliders landing in French fields, the other used to describe mine-tipped poles placed in flooded (Likely) Dropping Zones.
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tankpark
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Post by tankpark on Mar 23, 2005 16:02:55 GMT -5
For what it's worth, half of the fields in Leicestershire in WW2 had bits of wood sticking up in them to deter German airbourne landings. I have also found quite early in the war, strips of silver foil which we hadn't a clue what it was until much later when we were told about "window", the RAF must have been trying it out.
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