Sylheti/Slang

Chapter 1: Basics of Sylheti Slang edit

The origins and history of Sylheti slang edit

The slang likely emerged organically within the community, influenced by the local Pakrit linguistic roots, conservative cultural values, and an ethnocentric perspective, reflecting the expressions of the Sylheti people in informal and social settings.

The role of slang in Sylheti culture edit

Chapter 2: Common Sylheti Slang Expressions edit

List of common slang words and phrases used in Sylheti edit

Sylheti	Pronunciation	Literally	Meaning
ꠛꠤꠐꠤꠡ	biʈiʃ	British	cunning
ꠌꠥꠔꠤꠀ	sʊt̪ia	Chutia	dodgy

Examples of how these expressions are used in everyday conversations edit

Audio pronunciations edit

Chapter 3: Regional Variations edit

Regional variations in Sylheti slang within different areas of Sylhet and among the diaspora edit

Barak Valley edit

Sylheti	Pronunciation	Literally	Meaning
ꠖꠦꠡꠤ ꠇꠥꠔ꠆ꠔꠣꠞ ꠛꠤꠟꠦꠔꠤ ꠒꠣꠇ	d̪ɛʃi kʊt̪t̪aɾ bilɛt̪i d̪ax	local dog's London style voice	country dog with a foreign bark.^[1]
ꠇꠦꠟꠥ	xɛlʊ	Kalkatian or Kalkata speech	Sylhetis who speaks Bengali with another Sylheti.^[1]
ꠇꠂꠟꠇꠣꠔꠤ	xɔilxat̪i	Kalkatian or Kalkata speech	Sylhetis who speaks Bengali with another Sylheti.^[1]

The slang may differ in urban and rural settings edit

Chapter 4: Sylheti Slang in Pop Culture edit

Sylheti slang has influenced Sylheti music, films, and literature edit

Examples of songs, movies, or books that incorporate Sylheti slang edit

Chapter 5: Usage edit

When and where to use Sylheti slang edit

Situations where slang may not be suitable edit

Sylheti slang is best suited for casual and informal settings, like when you're hanging out with close friends or family. Situations where Sylheti slang may not be suitable:

Sylheti	Pronunciation	Notes
ꠇꠥꠐꠥꠝ ꠛꠣꠠꠤ	kʊʈʊm baɾi	Sylheti relative's place. Avoid using Sylheti slang when visiting relatives in Sylhet.

Any potential offensive or disrespectful terms to avoid edit

Sylheti	Pronunciation	Literally	Meaning
ꠢꠣꠟꠣꠞ ꠢꠣꠟꠣ	ɦalaɾ ɦala	Brother in law's brother in law	Sylheti slang often toss around among close pals might be a bit dicey and disrespectful in more formal situations.
ꠗꠥꠞ ꠢꠣꠟꠣꠞ ꠢꠣꠟꠣ	d̪úɾ ɦalaɾ ɦala	Get lost Brother in law's brother in law	Get lost!

Chapter 6: Preservation and Evolution edit

The challenges facing the preservation of Sylheti slang edit

How slang evolves over time and the influence of social media and technology edit

The catchy phrase "ꠍꠦꠟꠚꠤ ꠝꠣꠞꠅ," which translates to "kill a selfie" in English, reflects the evolving slang in Sylheti culture, showcasing how local languages adapt to contemporary trends influenced by social media and technology, demonstrating how expressions born from global trends can seamlessly integrate into local languages.

Sylheti	Pronunciation	Literally	Meaning
ꠍꠦꠟꠚꠤ ꠝꠣꠞꠅ	sélfí maɾɔ	Kill a selfie	Take a selfie.

Chapter 7: Resources and Learning edit

Contribute to the Wikibook with new slang expressions you may encounter edit

Add a new slang!

Links to online resources, dictionaries, or courses for those interested in learning more about Sylheti slang edit

Sylheti Swear Words

References edit

↑ ^a ^b ^c Tanweer Fazal (2013). Minority Nationalisms in South Asia. Routledge. pp. 58. ISBN 978-1-317-96647-0. "The situation worsen if such speakers use standard Bangla (commonly referred to as Kelu/Koilkati/Kolkatian or Kolkata speech) in their interection with other Sylhetis;"

[Fazal-1] Tanweer Fazal (2013). Minority Nationalisms in South Asia. Routledge. pp. 58. ISBN 978-1-317-96647-0. "The situation worsen if such speakers use standard Bangla (commonly referred to as Kelu/Koilkati/Kolkatian or Kolkata speech) in their interection with other Sylhetis;"

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