Hindi, Urdu: ser ko savaa ser

[MonsieurGonzalito]

Friends,

In the saying "ser ko savaa ser" (which I believe it means that there is always someone smarter than you)
What is the exact meaning / headword for "ser" ? (there are plenty!)

Is it ser سیر सेर or sair سَیر सैर ?

 

[Qureshpor]

It's a unit of weight (ser) equivalent to a couple of English pounds, which approximates to a 1kg. If you are interested in the old weight system, here it goes.

8 chaaval (grains of rice) = 1 rattii

8 rattii = 1 maashaa

12 maashe = 1 tolaa

5 tole = 1 chhaTaaNk

16 chhaTaaNk = 1 ser

40 ser = 1 man

"ser" is also used for volume of milk

1/4 ser = paa'o

 

[Pokeflute]

Interesting! I'd always heard it as "sher" (lion) - e.g., "tu sher to maiN sawaa sher"

Perhaps a hypercorrection. Or perhaps these are unrelated?

 

[littlepond]

Interesting! I'd always heard it as "sher" (lion) - e.g., "tu sher to maiN sawaa sher"

Perhaps a hypercorrection. Or perhaps these are unrelated?

I don't think a lion has to do anything, unless one is making a word-play, but the usual expression has no lion. Non-native speakers, though, may be thinking it's a lion and committing this mistake. It is ser in the expression, a well-known measure of weight.

 

[MonsieurGonzalito]

There is a children's fable (Youtube = B8Vb3nPxBSI) that apparently uses the saying as a pun.
I made the same assumption as @Pokeflute at first.

 

[littlepond]

I made the same assumption as @Pokeflute at first.

That's strange. What could 1.25 lions mean? If it were a lion, Hindi would use round numbers (2, 3, etc.): for example, Dabal (dugunaa/dugnaa/dogunaa) sher.

By the way, this weight system is still used in certain sectors, so it is old but by no means obsolete. If you are buying precious stones or gold, for example, rattii, tolaa, etc., are the norm. ser is heavily used even today when purchasing milk, in particular. man may have fallen out of favour but is still used by some. Of course, when it comes to ghee, one's mind immediately goes to man.

 

[MonsieurGonzalito]

That's strange. What could 1.25 lions mean?

That he is 1.25 times (i.e. slightly more, by whatever margin) (whatever the leonine virtue) than the antagonist. All of this while a similar-sounding saying happens to exist.

 

[Pokeflute]

Haha the Bollywood song "Nonsense ki night" also uses "sher" (Youtube = vj3_kQkjLQQ, 0:29). Though the song is supposed to be gibberish, if you read the Youtube comments, you can see people unironically saying "sher".

Littlepond and Qureshpor are probably right. I imagine the "sher" examples are mostly wordplay or hypercorrection (since "sh" and "s" are conflated by some people)

 

[littlepond]

Littlepond and Qureshpor are probably right.

probably?

I imagine the "sher" examples are mostly wordplay or hypercorrection (since "sh" and "s" are conflated by some people)

It's either wordplay or lack of knowledge of Hindi vocabulary (especially among the young Hindi speakers). I don't think my nephews, for example, who have grown up in urban environments, several countries and international schools, know the word "ser," unfortunately--even if Hindi is what they speak at home, watch shows in and is their native language. I don't think anyone does hypercorrection when it comes to "ser" and "sher."

 

[Pokeflute]

Just processing this thread, but I’m sure your explanation is correct.

Apologies if it sounded like I was disagreeing.

 

[Qureshpor]

I would suggest someone is trying to be witty by saying sher/savaa sher but take it from me and @littlepond SaaHib, it’s always been ser/savaa ser. Also, there is a possibility that s to sh pronunciation is taking place but I can’t comment for sure as I don’t know the geographical origin of the speakers.