did you know ...

...the english language includes many words from the languages of the indian subcontinent?

Indian Soldiers (Sepoys) in the British Army in India.

British links with the Indian subcontinent go back a long, long way. The East India Company (EIC) was founded in 1600, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. By 1763, victory in the Seven Years’ War meant that the enduring colonial power in the region until the twentieth century would be Britain, rather than France or Spain. In 1858, following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Crown took possession of India from the EIC. The subsequent ‘British Raj’ lasted until 1947 when India gained independence from the British Empire. 

To be sure, the English language has evolved over time, often as a result of British interactions with people from other geographical locations and cultures. Anyone who has studied Shakespeare or studied the Norman Conquest will no doubt be aware of that! Given the extensive history of the British in India, it is perhaps unsurprising to learn that many words used in the English language are actually of Indian origin. Here are just a few of them. Some might well surprise you ...

Bungalow
Cheetah
Cushy
Dinghy
Juggernaut
Punch (as in the drink)
Pundit
Pyjama 
Shampoo 
Thug 

It is clear, therefore, that history has made its mark on the English language. 

Patrick (@historychappy)