Wallah

Template:Short description , , , or (Hindi: )( fem. ), is a suffix used in a number of Indo-Aryan languages, like Hindi/Urdu, Gujarati, Bengali or Marathi. Originating from Sanskrit पाल (pāla) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), it forms an adjectival compound from a noun or an agent noun from a verb. For example; it may indicate a person involved in some kind of activity, where they come from, or what they wear (), i.e., habitué.

Example uses

Examples of such uses include:

• Dabbawala, lunch box deliverer
• Dhobiwallah, laundry worker
• Chaiwala, a boy or young man who serves tea
• Dishwalla, satellite TV installer, from "dish" for parabolic antenna
• , a rickshaw driver
• Punkawallah, the servant who keeps the punkah or fan going on hot nights
• , a cotton carder
• , a waste picker or scrap dealer
• Puncture or puncher , a tyre repairer

In British military jargon of the first half of the 20th century, a "base wallah" is someone employed at a military base, or with a job far behind the front lines. There were a number of other words of this type, such as "camel wallah" and "machine-gun wallah", and more. "Base wallah" had a derogatory reference for a person who is seldom seen at the front lines during major attacks, pretending to be sick.

There is a short story "Sanjeev and Robotwallah", by Ian McDonald. There is a character named General Robotwallah in the 2010 novel For the Win by Cory Doctorow. "Robotwallah" refers to the pilot of a mecha.

Other uses

or was also used in Parsi and Dawodi Bohra surnames, suggesting the derivation from a profession or a place name. For example:

• Amroliwala
  • Matthew Amroliwala
• Daruwalla, 'alcohol seller'
• Mithaiwala, sweetseller
  • Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala
• Furniturewala:
  • Aalia Furniturewala

is also used to indicate a specific object or thing among several:

• , 'the small one'
• , 'the second one'
• , 'the next one'

These uses of should not be confused with the Template:Langx.