Namaste

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 7:27 PM, Benjamin Zimmer
<bgzimmer at ling.upenn.edu> wrote:
> On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 3:16 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>>
>> I don't see this word in the online AHD. I found a citation where its meaning is taken for granted in Michael
>> Chrichton's _Next_, page 491 (paperback, Harper, 2006):
>>
>> Compared to the other choices, the name Solana Canyon conveyed a muted, understated quality in keeping
>> with a resort that charged thousands of dollars a day to rejuvenate the bodies, minds, and spirits of its clients.
>> This was accomplished through a combination of yoga, massage, meditation, spiritual counseling, and diet
>> help, all delivered by staff who greeted guests with prayerful hands and a heartfelt "Namaste."
>>
>> The word "namaste" is not italicized, but the quotes and capitalization leave the intended status of the word
>> ambiguous.  In other cases, he uses a comma and sentence capitalization (or just italics) to indicate quotations.
>> Without the comma, it's unclear whether the capitalization is intended to indicate that the word is foreign.
>>
>> In any case, the above citation is all he provides for context.
>
> RHUD: http://dictionary.infoplease.com/namaste
> Encarta: http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861632328/namaste.html
>
> Also in NOAD and OED3 (first cite 1942).

Sorry, make that 1948.

> Not yet in MWCD, though it's been suggested by a few Open Dictionary contributors:
>
> http://www3.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary/newword_search.php?word=namaste
>
>
> --Ben Zimmer
>

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