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Introduction

Hindustānī also known as "Hindī-Urdū," is a term used by linguists to describe several closely related idioms in the northern, central and northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. It encompasses two standardized registers in the form of the official languages of Hindī and Urdū, as well as several nonstandard dialects. Because Hindustānī is not an immediate descendant of Sanskrit, the origin of common Hindustani words can be obscure.

Standard Hindī derives much of its formal and technical vocabulary from Sanskrit while standard Urdū derives much of its formal and technical vocabulary from Persian. Standard or shuddʰa ("pure") Hindī and Urdū are used only in public addresses and radio or TV news, while the everyday spoken language in most areas is one of several varieties of Hindustānī, whose vocabulary contains words drawn from Persian, Arabic, and Hindi. In addition, spoken Hindustānī includes words from English and other languages as well.

Hindustani or Hindi-Urdu developed over hundreds of years throughout India (which formerly included what is now Pakistan). In the same way that the core vocabulary of English evolved from Old English (Anglo-Saxon) but includes a large number of words borrowed from French and other languages (whose pronunciations often changed naturally so as to become easier for speakers of English to pronounce), what may be called Hindustani can be said to have evolved from Sanskrit while borrowing many Persian and Arabic words over the years, and changing the pronunciations (and often even the meanings) of those words to make them easier for Hindustani speakers to pronounce. Therefore, Hindustani is the language as it evolved organically.

Categorization of Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu) Words

Words in Hindustānī can be of these types:

Tadbhava (तद्भव/تدبھو derived from): There are words that are drived from Sanskrit, but with some transformation.

Tatsama (तत्सम्/تتسم identical): Words that are in exactly the same form as standard Sanskrit.

Deshaja (डेशज/ڈیشج local): words that are unrelated to any Sanskrit words, and of local origin.

Loan words from non-Indian languages that include Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Portuguese or English.

The use of tatsama words was much less common in Apabhramsha. The most common words in Hindustani are tadbhava and are dervied through Prakrit and Apabhramsha.

Hindustani Word Derivations

Origin of word "hai" (है ہے)

One of the most common words in Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu) is "hai" meaning "is" in English. It originates from the following two sources:

Sanskrit: "asti" (meaning "is")
Prakrit: "ahai" (here a and i are pronounced separately)

The Sanskrit "s" sometimes becomes "h" in Prakrits.

Shortening of "ahai" produced "hai". In some older works in Hindustani literature, one can find usage of "ahai". For example, Bharatendu Harishchandra wrote: "निज भाषा उन्नति अहै, सब उन्नति को मूल" ("نِج بھاشا اُنّتِ اَہے، سب اُنّتِ کو مُول "). In Marathi it becomes "aahe".

Derivation of "jata" (जाता جاتا) and "gaya" (गया گیا)

The word "jata" (goes) is from Sanskrit root yaa (yaati, yaata). "ya" often becomes "ja" in Prakrit.

The word "gaya" (went) is from Sanskrit root gam (gachchhati), from gatah. Here "t" transforms to "y" in Prakrit.

"aajaa" (आजा آجا) and "daadaa" (दादा دادا)

The word "aajaa" has also been used in Northern India and Pakistan for grandfather. It is indeed derived from "Arya" meaning "sir" in this case. Jains nuns are addressed either as Aryika or Ajji.

The word "daadaa" also has a similar meaning which varies in region. It is used in some regions for father, in other regions for older brother, or even for grandfather in other regions. This word is an amalgam of two sources:

Sanskrit "taata" used to address intimate persons which means

either "sir" or "dear".

"Tau" meaning father's older brother in UP is derived from "taata"

too.

"baDaa" (बड़ा بڑا)

The word "baDaa" (older/bigger) is derived from the Sanskrit "vridhha" and Prakrit "vaDhDha".

References

This article, compiled by Wikipedia editor Prof. Yashwant Malaiya (Malaiya (Wikipedia User Page)) [1], has been reproduced with his permission.

History and Evolution of Hindi Language: Extended resource compiled by Abhinav Bhatele, with phonological, morphological, and lexical

development in Hindi, with many period extracts. (Accessed Mar 16, 2006).

Hindi Language and Literature, a site about Hindi's usage, dialects, and history by Dr. Yashwant K. Malaiya, Professor at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Hindi Language Resources A comprehensive site on the Hindi language built by Yashwant Malaiya
Indian Dpeartment of Official Language
Dua, Hans R. (1994a). Hindustani. In Asher (Ed.) (pp. 1554)
Liberman, Anatoly. (2004). Word Origins ... and How We Know Them: Etymology for Everyone. Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-1956-1643-X.
Rai, Amrit. (1984). A house divided: The origin and development of Hindi-Hindustani. Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-1956-1643-X.

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 Standard [[Hindi|Hindī]] derives much of its formal and technical vocabulary from [[Sanskrit]] while standard Urdū derives much of its formal and technical vocabulary from [[Persian language|Persian]]. Standard or ''shuddʰa'' ("pure") Hindī and Urdū are used only in public addresses and radio or TV news, while the everyday spoken language in most areas is one of several varieties of Hindustānī, whose vocabulary contains words drawn from [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Arabic]], and [[Hindi]]. In addition, spoken Hindustānī includes words from [[English language|English]] and other languages as well.
-[[Hindustani]] or Hindi-Urdu developed over hundreds of years throughout India (which formerly included what is now Pakistan). In the same way that the core vocabulary of English evolved from Old English (Anglo-Saxon) but includes a large number of words borrowed from French and other languages (whose pronunciations often changed naturally so as to become easier for speakers of English to pronounce), what may be called Hindustani can be said to have evolved from Sanskrit while borrowing many Persian and Arabic words over the years, and changing the pronunciations (and often even the meanings) of those words to make them easier for Hindustani speakers to pronounce. Therefore, Hindustani is the language as it evolved organically.
+[[Hindustani]] or Hindi-Urdu developed over hundreds of years throughout [[India]] (which formerly included what is now [[Pakistan]]). In the same way that the core vocabulary of English evolved from Old English (Anglo-Saxon) but includes a large number of words borrowed from French and other languages (whose pronunciations often changed naturally so as to become easier for speakers of English to pronounce), what may be called Hindustani can be said to have evolved from Sanskrit while borrowing many Persian and Arabic words over the years, and changing the pronunciations (and often even the meanings) of those words to make them easier for Hindustani speakers to pronounce. Therefore, Hindustani is the language as it evolved organically.
 == Categorization of Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu) Words ==