[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Literature, language and dating](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature) › [A Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.beames-1872) › v3.c19.69 # A Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India v3.c19.69 A Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India v3.c19.69 - **Language:** English ### [v3.c19.69](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.beames-1872.v3.c19.69) In Hindi the principal interjections are हे, हो, अहो, ओ “Ho!” or “Oh!” हे is used to superiors, as हे धर्मावतार “O incarnation of justice!” which is the common method of addressing a Magistrate or Judge, हे प्रभु “O Lord!” हे पिता “O father!” हो, अहो, and ओ, have no special tone of respect or disrespect. Sorrow is shown by आ, आह, हाय, हा हा, अहह “alas!” whence the common cry of native suitors, or persons applying to a ruler for redress, दोहाए literally “twice alas!” One often hears dohâe khudâwand, dohâe Angrez Bahâdûr, which is as much as to say “grant me justice,” or “listen to my complaint.” Others are छि छि “fie!” चुप “hush!” ऊह, ओह “ah!” a cry of pain; थू थू disgust; हत तेरी, an expression with a suspicion of indelicacy about it, like too many of the native ejaculations, meaning “begone,” and at times with a menacing tone “how dare you?” I suspect the word now spelt हत was originally हट from हटना “to go away,” “be stopped,” and तेरी the feminine genitive of तू “thou,” is explained by such filthy expressions as तेरी मा “thy mother.” Two men are quarrelling, and one says to the other “âh, terî mâ,” “oh thy mother.” The person addressed at once understands that some gross and filthy insult to his mother is intended, for indiscriminate foul abuse of each other’s female relations is a favourite weapon with the natives of India. Thus the innocent word साला or शाला “brother-in-law,” has become the lowest term of abuse in these languages, the obscene imagination of the people immediately grasping the idea involved in this assumption of relationship. - [Previous: v3.c19.68](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.beames-1872.v3.c19.68) - [Next: v3.c19.70](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.beames-1872.v3.c19.70) - [Up: v3.c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.beames-1872.v3.c19) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.beames-1872.v3.c19.69](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.literature.beames-1872.v3.c19.69) · Pramāṇa