FIFTY NEW WORDS INTRODUCED TO PAKISTANI ENGLISH

Assignment Submitted by: Samreen

Assignment Submitted to: Sir Anayat

Department of Englishes

Semester: 8th

Subject: World Englishes

Date: 18th September, 2023

Pakistani English

Pakistani English, also known as Paklish or Pinglish, is a variant of English spoken in Pakistan and
among the Pakistani diaspora. It shares many similarities with British English, given the historical
British colonial influence on the region, but it has also adopted American spellings and words due to
the increasing influence of American culture and globalization. In addition, Pakistani English has
absorbed a number of words and phrases from local languages like Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, and others,
making it distinct from other varieties of English. Like other World Englishes, Pakistani English has its
own set of idioms, slang, and vocabulary that reflects the unique social, cultural, and historical context
of Pakistan.

50 New Words Introduced into Pakistani English

Word Origin Meaning and Usage

Something made as complex and layered as biryani, often used
Biryani-fied Local
humorously
A casual term for a jokester or someone who doesn’t take things
Lighter Local
seriously
Short for fundamentalist; usually refers to someone with extreme
Fundo Local
views
Awaam Urdu Refers to the general populace
Loadshedding Local A term for scheduled power outages
Dhaaba Urdu A roadside eatery
Chikna Urdu/Hindi A good-looking guy
Paindu Punjabi A term for someone who is rustic or uncultured
Shadi Urdu Marriage; often used in a casual way to refer to weddings
Rishwat Urdu Bribe
Jugaar Local A makeshift solution or hack
Bharam Urdu Pretense or illusion
Larka/Larki Urdu Boy/Girl
Waderai Sindhi A feudal lord or influential person in rural areas
Shaadi.com Local/Global Used humorously to refer to any matchmaking activity, not just the
Word Origin Meaning and Usage
website
Tapori Urdu A rogue or ruffian
Goraa/Gori Urdu White man/woman
Pind Punjabi Village
Naseeb Urdu Fate or destiny
Guzara Urdu Making do; subsistence
A very wise person, referring to the famous folk singer Pathanay
Pathanay Khan Punjabi
Khan
Bhaang Local A type of intoxicant made from cannabis leaves
Gola Urdu A snow cone
Khokha Urdu A small kiosk or roadside stall
Charsi Pashto Someone who uses drugs, particularly hashish
Bunda Urdu Raindrop
Tandoor Urdu A clay oven, typically used to bake breads like 'naan'
Bandook Urdu Gun
Chappal Urdu Slipper or sandal
Murghi Urdu Chicken
Kameez Urdu A traditional shirt-like garment worn by both men and women
Shalwar Urdu Traditional loose-fitting trousers
Tuk-Tuk Onomatopoeic Auto-rickshaw
Compressed Natural Gas; often refers to vehicles running on this
CNG English Acronym
fuel
Biskoot Local Biscuit; often used to refer to any cookie or cracker
Dost Urdu Friend
Panga Urdu Trouble; often refers to engaging in risky behavior
Aaloo Urdu Potato; sometimes used to describe someone as dull or uninspiring
Botal Urdu Bottle
Masroof Urdu Busy
Tezabi totay Local A term referring to someone who talks a lot and makes people laugh
Word Origin Meaning and Usage

Mashwara Urdu Advice or suggestion

Faisla Urdu Decision
Nojawan Urdu Young man
Uncle/Aunty Local Respectful term for older men and women, not necessarily relatives
Sheesha Arabic A water pipe used for smoking flavored tobacco
A pre-wedding ceremony; also refers to a type of drum used in South
Dholki Urdu
Asian music