40+ Easy English Loan Words In Punjabi

English Loan Words In Punjabi

If you hail from the Indian subcontinent region, then there is a 95% chance that you speak your mother tongue peppered with a lavish smattering of English vocabulary. And if you are a North Indian or Pakistani, the percentage shoots up to 99%! You see, English loan words in Punjabi and Urdu, along with Hindi, have become ubiquitous features of these languages.

Real-life conversations in this day and age are no longer carried in chaste and pure native tongues these days. English, being the modern language of a modern world that is driven by technical advancement, has blurred linguistic boundaries. The language of the Britons has reached every corner of the world and penetrated many a linguistic cohort to make its presence felt. In this article, we will find out how it bombarded its way into the Punjabi language.

Words Borrowed In The Punjabi Language

The Punjabi language has heavily borrowed words from languages like Arabic, Sanskrit, Urdu, and English, to name a few. However, in this article, we will speak about the English words borrowed and assimilated in this particular Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European language family. From everyday words like “biscuit” and “bat” to technical terms like “algorithm” and “software,” Punjabi has integrated a plethora of English vocabulary into its lexicon over the years.

English Loan Words In Punjabi

List Of English Loan Words In Punjabi

Before we go deeper into the history of this linguistic pattern, let’s take a look at some of these borrowed words along with their meanings.

EnglishPunjabiRoman Transcription
AmericaਅਮਰੀਕਾAmrīkā
Australiaਅਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆAsaṭrelīā
Ice Creamਆਈਸ ਕਰੀਮĀīsa karīm
ItalyਇਟਲੀIṭalī
EstoniaਇਸਟੋਨੀਆIsaṭonīā
CalendarਕਲੰਡਰKalaṇḍar
CopyਕਾਪੀKāpī
Coffeeਕਾਫ਼ੀKāfī
CollegeਕਾਲਜKālaj
ColumnਕਾਲਮKālam
CanadaਕਨੇਡਾKaneḍā
CableਕੇਬਲKēbala
CoolerਕੂਲਰKūlara
Cricketਕ੍ਰਿਕਟKrikaṭ
Christmasਕ੍ਰਿਸਮਸKrismas
GunnerਗਨਰGanar
GasਗੈਸGais
GramਗਰਾਮGarām
JanuaryਜਨਵਰੀJanvarī
GermanਜਰਮਨJarman
Jailਜੇਲ੍ਹJelh
TruckਟਰੱਕṬarakka
TaxiਟੈਕਸੀṬaiksī
TyreਟਾਇਰṬā’ira
DoctorਡਾਕਟਰḌākṭar
DopeਡੋਪḌopa
DriverਡਰਾਈਵਰḌarā’īvara
DecemberਦਸੰਬਰDasambar
KnickerਨਿੱਕਰNikkar
PictureਨਿੱਕਰPikcar
PicnicਪਿਕਨਿਕPiknik
Pizzaਪੀਜ਼ਾPīzā
PoliceਪੁਲਿਸPulisă
PencilਪੈਨਸਿਲPainsil
Parachuteਪੈਰਾਸ਼ੂਟPairāśūṭ
Potassiumਪੋਟਾਸ਼ੀਅਮPoṭāśīama
ProteinਪਰੋਟੀਨParoṭīn
Februaryਫ਼ਰਵਰੀFarvarī
Filmਫ਼ਿਲਮFilam
Phoneਫ਼ੋਨFōna
FailਫੇਲPhēla
ButtonਬਟਨBaṭana
BillਬਿਲBil
BiscuitਬਿਸਕੁਟBiskuṭ
BeerਬੀਅਰBīara
BusਬੱਸBassa
MasterਮਾਸਟਰMāsṭar
MinuteਮਿੰਟMiṇṭ
MemberਮੈਂਬਰMaimbar
NurseਨਰਸNaras
RailਰੇਲRel
RecordਰਿਕਾਰਡRikāraḍa
Libraryਲਾਇਬ੍ਰੇਰੀLāibrerī
Lifeਲਾਈਫ਼Lāīfa
ListਲਿਸਟLisaṭ
Video Gameਵਿਡਿਓ-ਗੇਮViḍio-gem
WhiskeyਵਿਸਕੀViskī
WeekendਵੀਕਐਂਡVīkaaiṇḍa
ScaleਸਕੇਲSakēla
SchoolਸਕੂਲSakūl
Stationਸਟੇਸ਼ਨSaṭeśan
CycleਸਾਈਕਲSāīkal
SeatਸੀਟSīṭ
CementਸੀਮਿੰਟSīmiṇṭ
Social Mediaਸੋਸ਼ਲ ਮੀਡੀਆSośal mīḍīā

Colonial Impact On Punjabi

It is an old adage that languages get in contact with other languages, and this causes linguistic change at different levels. These changes can be phonological, morphological, grammatical, or semantic in nature. Now, the colonial history of the Indian subcontinent is a big reason for the adaptation of English loanwords in various recipient languages spoken in the region. The most basic reason for this patterned and systematic phenomenon was the establishment of various institutes and institutions in British-ruled India, most particularly those related to education and academics.

A Look At Patterns Substitution

English-medium education has been one of the most prominent reasons behind the emergence of this linguistic merger across the region, but most importantly in its Punjab region. Now, in this scenario, even though the vocabulary was borrowed from the English language, the phonology was still Punjabi at its core.

Vowel substitution was the mainstay of this merger. English vowels like ‘a’, ‘o’, and ‘i’ have hugely undergone vowel substitution in Punjabi phonology. For instance, words like ‘copy,’ ‘record,’ and ‘line’ are pronounced as ‘Kāpī,’ ‘Rikāraḍa,’ and ‘Lā’īna,’ respectively. The Punjabi pronunciation of the word ‘Canada’ as ‘Kanēḍā’ in Indian pop culture is a nod to the intrinsic Punjabi phonology that has been gradually but constantly gaining popularity worldwide.

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Journey Of The English Loanwords In Punjabi

Another reason for the heavy use of English loanwords in Punjabi and Urdu is the ever-expanding Indian and Pakistani Punjabi diaspora in countries where English is the lingua franca. Punjabi speakers have been borrowing language from the host countries, picking up colloquial terms and slang, and integrating them with their native language to adapt smoothly to their new home.

Not only that, even Punjabi dramas, films, and popular media are replete with this mixed language. English loans a vast vocabulary to Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu, as evidenced by the bilingual multimedia content being churned out of these regions.

Intrigued To Know More?

Here’s the truth: Learning Punjabi is fun when you have the right resources and proven techniques. But more importantly, language learning is about your willingness to truly master a new language. The good news? I know of a platform that combines everything you need to motivate you to learn a new language. Find out what it is in the section below!

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