Keling

See also: keling

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Malay Keling, from Sanskrit कलिङ्ग (kaliṅga), a historical region of India.

Noun

Keling (plural Kelings)

  1. (now offensive, ethnic slur, derogatory, Malaysia, dated in Singapore) a person of Indian descent

Synonyms

  • apu nene (similar slur in Malaysia and Singapore)
  • k-word (euphemism)

Malay

Etymology

Derived from Sanskrit कलिङ्ग (kaliṅga), a historical region of India.

Pronunciation

  • (Johor-Selangor) IPA(key): /ˈkə.lɪŋ/
  • (Riau-Lingga) IPA(key): /ˈkə.liŋ/
  • Rhymes: -əleŋ, -leŋ, -eŋ
  • Rhymes: -iŋ

Noun

Keling (Jawi spelling کليڠ)

  1. (literary, dated) Kling, a name applied to all immigrants from the Coromandel coast (but sometimes limited to Muslim immigrants from that coast, the others being called orang Hindu).[1]
  2. (now offensive, ethnic slur, derogatory) a person of Indian descent.
  3. (dialectal, Kedah) a Muslim of Indian descent.[2]

Synonyms

  • orang India (more appropriate)

Descendants

  • Indonesian: Keling
  • → English: Keling, Kling
  • → Hokkien: 吉靈 / 吉灵 (Kiat-lêng / Kit-lêng / Kè-lêng)
  • → Semai: Keléng
  • → Teochew: 吉靈 / 吉灵 (gig4 lêng5)

References

  1. ^ "Kĕling" in A Malay-English Dictionary, Richard James Wilkinson, Kelly & Walsh Limited, 1901-1903, page 526.
  2. ^ “Keling” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.
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