Hindi-Urdu: psychiatrist

Discussion in 'Indo-Iranian Languages' started by langnerd, Dec 5, 2012.

  1. langnerd Member

    English (NE US), Hindi/Urdu, Punjabi
    How would you say "psychiatrist" in Hindi-Urdu?

    I recently came across manashchikitsak मनश्चिकित्सक as a Hindi word for psychiatrist (I also found manorog chikitsak मनोरोग चिकित्सक) but I have never actually used these words before. I'm particularly interested in this since I am a psychiatrist (but only ever studied/practiced psychiatry in English and Spanish, never in Hindi-Urdu).

    I assume the above words are derived from:

    S مانسك मानसिक mānasik, adj. Of or pertaining to the mind (manas); mental; spiritual; rational; ideal, imaginary.
    S چکتسك चिकित्सक ćikitsak, s.m. Medical practitioner, physician, doctor.
    S روگ रोग roga, vulg. rog, s.m. Sickness, disease, malady; infirmity, weakness; evil, worry, plague; fault, defect; difficulty, embarrassment

    Whenever I explain what I do in Hindi and wish to avoid English, e.g. when speaking to my grandmother, I say dimagh ka daaktar / دماغ کا ڈاکٹر / दिमाग़ का डाक्टर. More often I just use the English word.

    Are there other ways?
  2. Alfaaz Senior Member

    Psychiatrist: طبیب نفسی tabeeb-e-nafsi ; معالج / طبیب نفسیات muaعlij/tabeeb-e-nafsiyaat
    (Psychologist: ماہر نفسیات maahir-e-nafsiyaat)
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2012
  3. langnerd Member

    English (NE US), Hindi/Urdu, Punjabi
    I'd love to learn more about these terms.
  4. hindiurdu Senior Member

    Hindi-Urdu, Punjabi, Kashmiri
    As far as I know we only have translated terms:

    Mind = man or nafs
    Psychologist = mind scientist/expert = manovaigyaanik or maahir-e-nafsiyaat
    E.g. educational psychology = shaikshik manovigyaan or taaliimii nasfsiyaat
    Psychiatry = manochikitsaa or nafsiyaatii tibb
    Psychiatrist = mind doctor = manochikitsak or tabeeb-e-nafsiyaat

    But in popular language, there is only one usage afaik:

    Brain = dimaaGh
    Brain doctor = dimaaGhi doctor or dimaaGh ka doctor

    In rude but all-too-common language:

    Paagal = mad
    Doctor for mad people = PaagloN ka doctor (note schwa deletion paagaloN > paagloN)

    I suppose had these professions really emerged from the region there would be nicer and more organic sounding terms for it. Nafsii chaaraasaaz or dimaaGhii hakiim or something. Zehni shifaa/shafaa. After all, we do have all these xaandaani shafaaxaanaas all over the place and they're basically urologists with a locally derived euphemistic name.
  5. Alfaaz Senior Member

    Maahir-e-nafsiyaat etc. seem to be very popular/used often in Urdu. Wouldn't or couldn't dimaaGhi doctor be (mistaken for) a brain specialist and/or neurologist? Perhaps zihn ka doctor would be better (in casual language)...?
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2012
  6. langnerd Member

    English (NE US), Hindi/Urdu, Punjabi
    Thanks, hindiurdu! I've definitely heard "paglo(n) kaa daaktar" but prefer not to use it myself!
  7. Qureshpor Senior Member

    Punjabi, Urdu پنجابی، اردو
    Based on the "pech-kas" pattern (screw-tightner = screw driver), one could have had "bhejaa-kas"!!
  8. hindiurdu Senior Member

    Hindi-Urdu, Punjabi, Kashmiri
    Excellent! :) Similarly, gichchii kas - ENT

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