# Bengali language question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044 "2019-12-18T20:37:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/1 "2019-12-18T20:37:31Z")
Does repetition of a phrase indicate emphasis? A native Bengali speaker will, in English, say “Good morning, good morning, good morning!” and “Thank you, thank you, thank you”. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/2 "2019-12-19T20:57:12Z")
I read this right after you posted, but didn’t feel like I had enough information to give an answer. I can tell you that \*\*reduplication \*\*(linguistic term for repetition or near-repetition of a spoken element) [is common in the Indo-Aryan languages spoken in India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduplication#South_Asian_languages) (Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, etc.). Sometimes, native Bengali speakers will repeat an element in Bengali to communicate emphasis. What I am not sure about is whether or not this aspect of Bengali _typically_ carries over into a native Bengali speaker’s English speech – or else is the reduplication you hear idiosyncratic to that one speaker? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/3 "2019-12-19T21:16:57Z")
Note that in English, while “Good morning, good morning, good morning!” seems slightly strange, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” is a perfectly cromulent way to emphasize the message. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/4 "2019-12-20T02:08:52Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > I read this right after you posted, but didn’t feel like I had enough information to give an answer. > > I can tell you that \*\*reduplication \*\*(linguistic term for repetition or near-repetition of a spoken element) [is common in the Indo-Aryan languages spoken in India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduplication#South_Asian_languages) (Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, etc.). Sometimes, native Bengali speakers will repeat an element in Bengali to communicate emphasis. What I am not sure about is whether or not this aspect of Bengali _typically_ carries over into a native Bengali speaker’s English speech – or else is the reduplication you hear idiosyncratic to that one speaker? I’ve only known three other speakers of Indian languages, two Hindi, the other I do not know, and did not notice reduplication in their English speech. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/5 "2019-12-20T02:10:46Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Note that in English, while “Good morning, good morning, good morning!” seems slightly strange, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” is a perfectly cromulent way to emphasize the message. But gosh darn it, he knocks on my door every morning with “Good morning, good morning, good morning!” and I just want to finish drinking my darn coffee! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/6 "2019-12-20T02:25:49Z")
“\ Penny! \ Penny! \ Penny!” No, I’d say it’s international. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/7 "2019-12-20T02:37:37Z")
My mother tongue is Bengali and it is not all common to say good morning three times. It maybe more of an idiosyncrasy of the individual. However Bengali does have words that are repetitive. Like tik-tike (means very lean and thin) or dhop-dhop (means someone walking with thuds). Aside from that, it’s the only Indian language to have a Nobel Laureate in literature and it is also a language that is gender neutral. I am however a probashi bengali (sort of like alien American ) so do not know much. In American terms, it’s like a New Englander born and raised in California. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/8 "2019-12-20T02:38:00Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > “\ Penny! > \ Penny! > \ Penny!” > > No, I’d say it’s international. Where the heck did that come from? My dog is named Penny. Are you getting personal? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/9 "2019-12-20T02:38:10Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Does repetition of a phrase indicate emphasis? A native Bengali speaker will, in English, say “Good morning, good morning, good morning!” and “Thank you, thank you, thank you”. Repetition is a common feature of informal Bengali speech but it doesn’t necessarily indicate emphasis as such. It’s more common in situations in which politeness or sociability is important. The speaker is often indicating a kind of deference to the other person. In a lot of situations both speakers will be deferring to each other, in kind of a contest of humility. Reduplication is different. Whereas in English you might say something like “I have my taxes and stuff to do,” in Bengali you might say something like “I have to do my taxes-faxes.” You repeat the word with a change in the initial sound to indicate “and stuff like that.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/10 "2019-12-20T02:41:14Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > But gosh darn it, he knocks on my door every morning with “Good morning, good morning, good morning!” and I just want to finish drinking my darn coffee! :dubious: Does his triple greeting prevent your drinking of coffee in a way that one “good morning” wouldn’t? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/11 "2019-12-20T02:48:36Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Does his triple greeting prevent your drinking of coffee in a way that one “good morning” wouldn’t? No, but it adds a few seconds until I can finish talking to him, start working on what he needs, and drink coffee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/12 "2019-12-20T02:50:57Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Repetition is a common feature of informal Bengali speech but it doesn’t necessarily indicate emphasis as such. It’s more common in situations in which politeness or sociability is important. The speaker is often indicating a kind of deference to the other person. In a lot of situations both speakers will be deferring to each other, in kind of a contest of humility. > > Reduplication is different. Whereas in English you might say something like “I have my taxes and stuff to do,” in Bengali you might say something like “I have to do my taxes-faxes.” You repeat the word with a change in the initial sound to indicate “and stuff like that.” He told my fellow employee that politeness is important in his culture. He and she were yelling at each other the other day as I left for lunch. I waited outside her office until she saw me; she was holding her own and not in distress, and I left. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/13 "2019-12-20T03:12:19Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Note that in English, while “Good morning, good morning, good morning!” seems slightly strange, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” is a perfectly cromulent way to emphasize the message. As for the first, only when it’s three times. “Good morning, good morning!” is perfectly common. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/14 "2019-12-20T03:55:24Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Where the heck did that come from? > My dog is named Penny. Are you getting personal? :dubious: Assuming I’m not being whooshed…it’s [a running gag from _The Big Bang Theory_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTbLP9VeC8A), in which Sheldon knocks on Penny’s door and says her name repeatedly. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/15 "2019-12-20T11:48:23Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > “\ Penny! > \ Penny! > \ Penny!” Um, that’s: “\\\ Penny! \\\ Penny! \\\ Penny!” (Although the first few episodes did not feature this.) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/16 "2019-12-20T15:30:00Z")
Thank you, thank you, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/17 "2019-12-20T16:13:51Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > He told my fellow employee that politeness is important in his culture. He and she were yelling at each other the other day as I left for lunch. I waited outside her office until she saw me; she was holding her own and not in distress, and I left. Is this thread about language or just about complaining about a co-worker? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/18 "2019-12-20T18:01:47Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Is this thread about language or just about complaining about a co-worker? It’s about language. They are both easy to work with. I don’t know what the yellinig was about. It seems to have blown over. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bengali-language-question/845044/19 "2019-12-20T18:08:21Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Assuming I’m not being whooshed…it’s [a running gag from _The Big Bang Theory_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTbLP9VeC8A), in which Sheldon knocks on Penny’s door and says her name repeatedly. He actually does that with everybody, Penny just happens to be the most frequent target of this (as she’s right across the hall). Later in the series this is explained as a reaction to his having once walked in, after a single knock, on his father with a woman who wasn’t his mother.