Hobson-Jobson The Definitive Glossary of British India (Oxford World's Classics) - Softcover

Yule, Henry; Burnell, A. C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198718004 ISBN 13: 9780198718000

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 2015

Synopsis

'A glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases, and of kindred terms, etymological, historical, geographical and discursive.'

Hobson-Jobson is a unique work of maverick scholarship. Compiled in 1886 by two India enthusiasts, it documents the words and phrases that entered English from Arabic, Persian, Indian, and Chinese sources - and vice versa. Described by Salman Rushdie as 'the legendary dictionary of British India' it shows how words of Indian origin were absorbed into the English language and records not only the vocabulary but the culture of the Raj. Illustrative quotations from a wide range of travel texts, histories, memoirs, and novels create a canon of English writing about India. The definitions frequently slip into anecdote, reminiscence, and digression, and they offer intriguing insights into Victorian attitudes to India and its people and customs.

With its delight in language, etymology, and puns, Hobson-Jobson has fascinated generations of writers from Rudyard Kipling to Tom Stoppard and Amitav Ghosh. This selected edition retains the range and idiosyncrasy of the original, and includes fascinating information on the glossary's creation and its significance for the English language.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

About this title

Review:

'Everyone interested in British India should have a copy.' (Andrew Robinson, The Independent)

'Hobson-Jobson is a rare dictionary that can be read for pleasure' (Christopher Howse, Sunday Telegraph)

'Teltscher's introduction to this new abridged edition is a model of scholarship and readability.' (Neel Mukherjee, Financial Times)

About the Author:

Kate Teltscher has written about Indian literature and colonial works for both an academic and general readership. Her book The High Road to China: George Bogle, the Panchen Lama and the First British Expedition to Tibet (Bloomsbury, 2006; Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2007) was shortlisted for the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Biography.

About this edition

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0198718004
• ISBN 13: 9780198718000
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 624
• Editor: Teltscher Kate