Sahibs, Nabobs, and Boxwallahs: A Dictionary of the Words of Anglo-India [Hardcover]

Ivor Lewis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 019562582X | ISBN-13: 978-0195625820 | Publication Date: March 12, 1992

This new dictionary not only presents the known vocabulary of Anglo-India, but also provides the sources, etymologies, and usages of the words of the past 350 years. With an extensive historical introduction and register of references, this complete source offers a lively and scholarly history of previous lexicographical work in this area as well as a socio-linguistic analysis of the growth of Anglo-Indian words and their use in the literature of India.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gives an intriguing view of just how far one language and culture so different from English has been so extensively integrated into everyday English, enriching it with a tremendous diversity....Specialized, but a delightful work."--Choice

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Ivor Lewis is a linguist and scholar, formerly with the British Council. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 278 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 12, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019562582X
• ISBN-13: 978-0195625820
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,510,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Informative, April 27, 2000

By 

T. C. Ross (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sahibs, Nabobs, and Boxwallahs: A Dictionary of the Words of Anglo-India (Paperback)

One of the most interesting things about the English language is the way its vocabulary has expanded over the centuries, borrowing new words for new and old concepts from other people and places as need and whimsy require.

Ivor Lewis has devoted a great deal of effort and energy to uncovering the wonderful diversity of the English vocabulary of South Asia. Each entry in the dictionary provides an etymology for the word and when it entered the English vocabulary, as well as an OED-style citation of its earliest usage.

Word sources range from the biographical and geographical to the philosophical and mercantile. It really is a fascinating overview of modern and antiquated words, the vast majority of which are/were rarely (if ever) heard off the subcontinent.

Adding to the value of the book is a 44-page introductory essay that explains the principles used in deciding which words to include in the dictionary, as well as an overview of the English language in South Asia.