[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886) › c10.15841 # Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.15841 Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.15841 - **Language:** English ### [c10.15841](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.15841) The word has never since been recognised as the name of steel in any language, and it would seem to have originated in some clerical error, or misreading, very possibly for \*wook\*, representing the Canarese \*ukku\* (pron. \*wukku\*) ‘steel.’ Another suggestion has been made by Dr. Edward Balfour. He states that \*uchcha\* and \*nicha\* (Hind. \*uncha-nicha\*, in reality for ‘high’ and ‘low’) are used in Canarese speaking districts to denote superior and inferior descriptions of an article, and supposes that wootz may have been a misunderstanding of \*uchcha\*, ‘of superior quality.’ The former suggestion seems to us preferable. \[The \*Madras Gloss.\* gives as local names of steel, Can. \*ukku\*, Tel. \*ukku\*, Tam. and Malayāl. \*urukku\*, and derives wootz from Skt. \*ucca\*, whence comes H. \*uñchā\*.\] - [Previous: c10.15840](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.15840) - [Next: c10.15842](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.15842) - [Up: c10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.15841](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.15841) · Pramāṇa