Unknown language: kadatay

D

Dawei

Senior Member
English (USA)
A man who looked Indian or possibly Arab said this word to me today. I have spelled it here phonetically. The 'd' is soft, as if it were a Spanish 'r'. The stress seemed to be on the first syllable.

Any ideas? It's possible I misunderstood him, but I'm curious to see what you guys can think up. Thanks.
 
    • Hmmm, I could mold this word so it becomes a Hindi word. Do you remember at all why the word was said? Did he just say this one word to you? What other context do you have?
     
    'Thank you' would be my best guess. It was while he was checking out at a Walgreens (I was the cashier helping him.)
     
    Perhaps Ilokano (Northern Philippines).
    kadatáy = to / from you and me / you and us
    kadaytáy = to / from that
    karatáy = a basket carried on the back, knapsack
     
    Why in the world would someone be speaking exotic languages to their Walgreens cashier in the United States, unless it was said cashier who had initiated the communication in that language?

    Probably just badly-pronounced English that you had trouble understanding.
     
    Uman, I think that is an unfair judgement. If somebody has not been in a certain country for a very long and wanted to express gratitude but do not know the country's language, I think one might just say it in their own language and the feeling of the expression will be understood, as it most likely was in this case! This may not necesarrily be the case, but I have personally heard hispanic people say GRACIAS just because they feel more comfortable saying it than than they do saying Thank you!
    Just a thought.


    Michimz
     
    I was thinking that IF the man was Gujarati, what he could possibly be saying? I came up with:

    Kekla thaay? - "How much does it come to?" (price)

    When this is said quickly, it sound a bit like "kela taay?" The "tl" (ketla) is sometimes just lazily pronounced as a strange "l". The aspiration in "thaay" is ignored maybe. Plus the stress is on the first syllable.

    I'm not saying he's Gujarati, but it's a possibility!
     
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