LL-L "Etymology" 2004.01.25 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 25.FEB.2004 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Frank Verhoft <frank.verhoft at skynet.be>
Subject: Etymology

Hi all

Rather by accident i found the word "ganja" in a Surinam-Dutch dictionary
as an example of a *Hindi* word that crept into the local variety of Dutch.
All in all not that surprising keeping in mind the many Hindi speaking
contract workers that migrated to Suriname, at least i thought.
But much to my surprise, i have been pointed out that Hindi contract
workers are probably not the source for the loan into Surinam. No further
comments were given, alas.

Could anybody shed some light on the origins of the word and on how the
word spread? Any other examples of Hindi words in that area?

Thanks in advance, and my apologies for cross posting.

Frank

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Orthography

Hi, Frank!

I think you neglected to tell us what the word means in the language
(Sranan? Aukan? Saramaccan? A Dutch variety?).  Is is to be pronounced with
a <j> as in Dutch or as in English?

There is an English word "ganja," meaning 'Indian hemp' (_Cannabis sativa_,
variety _indica_) -- yes, the intoxicating kind.  According to the Oxford
Dictionary, it is supposed to have come from Hindi _gānjhā_.  (Cf. Urdu
_gāñja_, Sanskrit _gājā_, _ghājā_, Sumerian _ganzi_)  Specifically, it
denotes *dried* cannabis in many South Asian language varieties.

Is this what you were referring to?

If so, I wonder if it really entered Sranan, Aukan, Samaraccan or a local
Dutch variety directly from Hindi, or if it arrived via English, perhaps
specifically from Jamaican Rasta Patois: _ganja_ 'marihuana', 'herb'.

Wondering ...
Reinhard/Ron

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