Hindi/Urdu: nalkaa vs. ToTii

[eskandar]

What is the difference, if any, between nalkaa نلکا and ToTii ٹوٹی ?

 

[amiramir]

This doesn't answer your question about ToTii-- but here's a thread that talks about nalkaa:

 

[Abu Talha]

I don't know what basis there is for this

but I use nalkaa for an indoor faucet and TuuTii for an outdoor hose bib, but I wouldn't find it strange if I heard them being used interchangeably.

By the way I say (and hear) TuuTii not ToTii.

 

[Alfaaz]

A scenario where the words might not be used interchangeably: nalkaa can refer to hand pump while Tuu(N)Tii could be used to refer to the outlet/spout/nozzle on the whole apparatus.

 

[littlepond]

Same meanings as Alfaaz jii has given here, for me, except that I use "ToTii", not "TuuTii". For indoor tap, I use "nal".

Edit: Meant "ToNTii", not "ToTii". The latter is a pejorative word for handicapped person.

 

[Qureshpor]

I am of the view that "nalkaa" is Punjabi for a hand water-pump. I think it may have come from the Urdu "nal kaa"(paanii) [pipe water] as opposed to ku'eN kaa paanii/nadii kaa paanii/daryaa kaa paanii.

ToNTii is a tap linked to the nal. (In Punjabi, the word is TuuTii).

 

[Alfaaz]

I am of the view that "nalkaa" is Punjabi for a hand water-pump. I think it may have come from the Urdu "nal kaa"(paanii) [pipe water] as oppose to ku'eN kaa paanii/nadii kaa paanii/daryaa kaa paanii.

Platts lists the following:

H نلکا नलका nalkā , s.m. (dialec.)=nalwā, q.v.

H نلوا नलुआ naluʼā, or नलवा nalwā [Prk. णलअं or नलअं (with व inserted); S. नलकं], s.m. A small tube or pipe;—a joint of a bamboo (in which letters are conveyed, &c.);—a straw; a stalk; stubble.

ToNTii ... (In Punjabi, the word is TuuTii).

Both Platts and Farhang-e-Aasifiyyah do list the word as ToNTii, which means Feroz-ul-lughaat must either have a typo here or might be representing a non-standard pronunciation...!?

 

[desi4life]

Platts lists the following:

That doesn't exclude nalkaa from being of Punjabi origin. Several words have been borrowed from Punjabi over the centuries, in addition to those borrowed more recently. McGregor, in fact, considers it to be a loan from Punjabi: The Oxford Hindi-English dictionary

nalkaa is probably derived from Sanskrit/OIA nalikaa "tube" and unlikely to contain the postposition kaa.

 

[Alfaaz]

Platts lists the following:

That doesn't exclude nalkaa from being of Punjabi origin. Several words have been borrowed from Punjabi over the centuries, in addition to those borrowed more recently. McGregor, in fact, considers it to be a loan from Punjabi: The Oxford Hindi-English dictionary

nalkaa is probably derived from Sanskrit/OIA nalikaa "tube" and unlikely to contain the postposition kaa.

Thanks for the additional information and reference. (There was no intention of negating the possibility of nalkaa being of Punjabi origin. The Platts references were only listed as another opinion, since Qureshpor appeared to express uncertainty.) Yes, it is correct that there are loanwords from Punjabi, a few of which have even been discussed in this forum as well.

 

[Sheikh_14]

Here are my 2 cents on the matter. Although nalkaa and TuuTii are interchangeable I wholeheartedly agree with Abu Talha's usage. ToNTii on the other hand to me means a spout rather than a faucet as opposed to TuuTii and nalkaa. At least that's how they are currently used. Whether Punjabi influence here has been formative is very much possible and it has added to the richness of how Urdu is spoken and the technical variances.

In general outdoor faucets are referred to as TuuTii. There is no hard and fast rule as to whether indoor taps can also be called one. But generally bathroom taps are referred to as nalkaa. ToNtii on the other hand is a spout (Baba Platts agrees) as found on a loTaa or an elephant.