Snell "Support Group"

[latishya]

Just a small question from Unit 5 - In 5.3 it says

"Possession is expressed by का - राम का नाम, 'Ram's name' or 'the name of Ram'. Being  a postposition, it needs a preceding noun or pronoun to be in the oblique case:"

and gives two examples using the masculine singular noun

बच्चे का घोड़ा         the child's horse

बच्चे की किताब         the child's book

This got me wondering why the dialogue preceding that exposition  has  "राज, तुम्हें मालूम है कि अरुणचाचा की चाबियाँ हैं?" If the possessive postposition puts the preceding noun into the oblique, why चाचा and not चाचे? Is  चाचा an invariable noun?

[MrB]

This got me wondering why the dialogue preceding that exposition  has  "राज, तुम्हें मालूम है कि अरुणचाचा की चाबियाँ हैं?" If the possessive postposition puts the preceding noun into the oblique, why चाचा and not चाचे? Is  चाचा an invariable noun?

McGregor (Outline of Hindi Grammar) has something to say on this. I found it quite interesting, so here he is in full:

Some masculines in final -a follow din [i.e. oblique singular is the same as direct singular]. These are chiefly terms of relationship showing a reduplicated syllable e.g. chacha, dada; or loanwords from Sanskrit e.g. pita, raja, devta, data; also, frequently, in many persons' usage, the oblique case of some comon place-names e.g. Agra, Kolkata.

[Dancelover]

You have previously taught me that "desi" means "people (of India)."
I know that "Bharat" is Hindi for "India."

I have learned that a major Indian political party, Bharat Janata Party, translates as Indian People's Party.

Do "janata" and "desi" both mean "people?" Are they synonyms?

Dancelover

DanceLover, please feel free to post any questions you have here. There are many people, myself included, who'd be happy to help you out.

[latishya]

McGregor (Outline of Hindi Grammar) has something to say on this. I found it quite interesting, so here he is in full:

Some masculines in final -a follow din [i.e. oblique singular is the same as direct singular]. These are chiefly terms of relationship showing a reduplicated syllable e.g. chacha, dada; or loanwords from Sanskrit e.g. pita, raja, devta, data; also, frequently, in many persons' usage, the oblique case of some comon place-names e.g. Agra, Kolkata.

Awesome, thank you!

[Vinita]

You have previously taught me that "desi" means "people (of India)."
I know that "Bharat" is Hindi for "India."

I have learned that a major Indian political party, Bharat Janata Party, translates as Indian People's Party.

Do "janata" and "desi" both mean "people?" Are they synonyms?

Dancelover

desi is more about (a person or a group of people) belonging to a particular country while janataa can be used for any group of people.

desi definition at the Hindi Urdu dictionary.

janataa  definition at the Hindi Urdu dictionary.

[James]

The term 'desi' is often used in the diaspora to describe people who originate from India/South Asia. 'Is s/he desi?'.

Otherwise agreed with what Vinita has said. Also thought I'd point out that it's the Bharatiya Janata Party (I think they use the English 'party' instead of the Hindi 'dal' because some other party has a similar name). The 'iya' makes it the adjective, otherwise it's the word in Hindi for India (fully: bharatavarsha, which is what I think is in the constitution?).

Good question, by the way.

[Vinita]

The term 'desi' is often used in the diaspora to describe people who originate from India/South Asia. 'Is s/he desi?'.

In addition to the original meaning of desi which means a native of any country.  If you were born in America, you are a native American or a desi American.  If you were born in India, you are a desi Indian.  

Of course as James says, the original meaning has been expanded to mean anyone who has an Indian ancestor.  

So, my kids are double desis.  They are American-born and are half Indian.  Maybe they are one and a half desis.

[DCgal]

So, my kids are double desis.  They are American-born and are half Indian.  Maybe there are one and a half desis.

Oh my aching head...it's like second-cousins-three-times-removed.  After a while it gets confusing!