First Rate and Second Rate in the Raj

November 12, 2006 12:02 PM

I'm looking for two Indian (Hindi?) words that mean "high quality" and "low quality" and were used, for example, during the Brittish Raj to describe building construction as first rate or second rate.

I believe one of the words may have been "kappa" or "chappa."

posted by alms to writing & language (7 comments total)

pukka?
posted by the cuban at 12:04 PM on November 12, 2006

Yes, that's the first one! Now, what's the contrasting term, meaning "second rate"?
posted by alms at 12:07 PM on November 12, 2006

kutcha?
posted by the cuban at 12:13 PM on November 12, 2006

got that 2nd one from here
posted by the cuban at 12:14 PM on November 12, 2006

Kaccha and pukka. One meaning is "unripe" and "ripe".
posted by stirfry at 12:38 PM on November 12, 2006

Thanks all, this is great. I've been trying to remember these words literally for years.
posted by alms at 12:55 PM on November 12, 2006

You're obviously not familiar with British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who never stops using the word "pukka".
posted by AmbroseChapel at 2:39 PM on November 12, 2006