Hankin pays generous tribute to his forbears...But in all innocence, Hankin may have dealt his bedside companion (Hobson-Jobson) a mortal blow. Hanklyn Janklyn has all its precursor`s qualities but it is more up to date (in definition, and often in spelling) subtler and more explicit." - David Spiller, Times Literary Supplement.
In the tradition of Hobson-Jobson, this dictionary contains Indo-English idioms and English words derived from Hindi. It serves as both a reference book and an interesting cultural examination of language and the postcolonial relationship between the British and Indians. Such words as dungaree, chintz, and lacquer are revealed as having a Hindi origin. Also included are entries on words tied to Hinduism such as guru, gherao, nirvana, asana, avatar and mantra.
Nigel Hankin is a tour guide in New Delhi, India. He was formerly a British soldier stationed in New Delhi in 1945 and has lived there ever since.
