-dar

[Beth Simon]

Sorry if this is a repeat. I didn't see it appear.

I think this is working on more than one level here.

-dar, in the Urdu - Hindi language spectrum, is a "one who"
noun-forming suffix. So, for instance, dukan + dar is a shop/small
business + one who, i.e., a shopkeeper, store owner or manager (or the
one running the place/the cash register).

Zamindar -- (zamin = land + dar) = the landlord, the land owner, the
boss

So, (I'm probably way out in the unfortunate Cubs left field but..)
Hindu + dar might be trying to work in a South Asian echo.


beth lee simon, ph.d.
associate professor, linguistics and english
indiana university purdue university
fort wayne, in 46805-1499
voice 260 481 6761; fax 260 481 6985
email simon at ipfw.edu


>>> halldj at BABEL.LING.UPENN.EDU 10/4/2004 12:40:11 PM >>>
A posting to this list mentioning the word *gaydar* reminded me of
something
that I wanted to ask you all.

I was recently in a conversation where a female American friend of
Indian
descent, so tan-skinned, was talking about having been approached
recently by
an Indian man who seemed to be trying shyly to forge some kind of
connection
with her on the basis that they might both be Indian and have similar
interests
(this was the only possible connection that she could see, since it was
at a
larger mostly-Caucasian gathering).  Another friend responded,  "Oh
yes,
that'll be his Hindu-dar kicking in":  a coinage from *radar* via
*gaydar*, as
he confirmed.

Has anyone else come across similar coinages?

Damien Hall
University of Pennsylvania