Babu Is a Respectful Indian Title That Was Turned Into a Slur
Babu is a term of respect in South Asia. British colonial usage twisted it into a mocking word for a clerk.
Babu is a Hindi and Bengali term of respect for a gentleman, roughly equivalent to *mister* or *sir*. Its English history is uglier than its origin: British colonial writers used *babu* mockingly for Indian clerks educated in English, and coined *babu English* for prose they considered over-ornate. The word carried genuine respect in its own languages and contempt in the borrowed one. In modern India *babu* is still respectful, and also informal for a civil servant.
- A term of respect. *Babu-ji.*
- A civil servant (modern India). *A babu.*
- Babu English — a colonial slur. *Babu English.*
- Hindi and Bengali — the source. *Hindi.*
- Sahib — a parallel title. *Sahib.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | babu | A babu. |
| Plural | babus | Babus. |
| Variant | baboo | Baboo. |
| Respectful | babu-ji | Babu-ji. |
| Hindi | babu | Sir. |
- He addressed him as babu.Respect.
- Babu is still current in India.Usage.
- Colonial writers used it mockingly.History.
Words colonialism soured
- Babu — a respectful title turned into mockery
- Coolie — from a neutral word for a labourer
- Native — neutral in itself, used dismissively
- Pidgin — from a word for business, applied condescendingly
- Each kept its neutral sense in the source language
Hindi and Bengali *babu*, a term of respect for a gentleman, of uncertain further origin.
Is babu respectful or insulting?
Respectful in Hindi and Bengali. British colonial usage made it mocking in English, but that is not how it works in its own languages.
What does babu mean in India today?
Still a respectful address, and informally a government official or civil servant.