‎'‎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.‎