...because frankly, I don't have time to teach you myself.
First published in 1915, this book offers numerous translation exercises for the eager student of Urdu.
...or of colonialism...
...or of brisk management of the servant class...
...or whatever.
from the collection of L&TM5K special Urdu correspondent Vida.
I kept on reading the English-Urdu phrases in a sort of horrible fascination. 'Look here, it smells!'
ReplyDeleteSo, when can we expect you to post in fluent Urdu?
The title piqued my interest because we have a lot of Urdu-speaking clients at the law centre and I've half a mind to learn a bit.
ReplyDelete"Look here, this spoon is dirty!"
Useful! Now how do you say "Saheb got his butt kicked."?
When putting an egg in someone's box, does it matter whether the snake is already behind it?
ReplyDeleteLauren: I think you could also benefit from enhancing your brisk management of the servant class, before you dress up in dark billowy clothing and go for long solitary walks on the lonely windswept moortops.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth: It's actually always a good idea to remain aware of where the snake is.
"I will beat your son if I see him again in this room" is my new favorite phrase!
ReplyDeleteMy uncle actually learned a bit of Urdu when he was teaching English in... India or maybe Pakistan - I can't remember where he was.
It's tempting to learn Urdu from such a textbook and then go gallavanting about the country trying to get bus directions with questions equivalent to "Prithee my good man, wouldst thou knowest whither goeth yon carriage?"
ReplyDeleteNow we just need to take a field trip to the place where this book was bought!
ReplyDelete-Vida