In the old days, kings and wealthy people used to hire fanners to make them feel cooler. Is there an English synonym for the word fanner?
asked Jun 29, 2016 at 2:41
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Punkah wallah– Phil SweetJun 29, 2016 at 3:13
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1It looks like an Indian expression. But,does it really exist in English?– Mohamed AliJun 29, 2016 at 3:40
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sure, google punkah louver– Phil SweetJun 29, 2016 at 3:45
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@Mido Mido There are many words in English (particularly British English) that are Indian in origin. 'Char' for tea, 'Chit' for an official note, 'Bungalow' for a single storey house, 'Pukka' for something of which Jamie Oliver approves and so on.– BoldBenSep 15, 2016 at 19:00
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Punkah wallah does exist in English, but I would consider it at least potentially offensive and certainly burdened with colonial history. I would not personally, as a Brit, use it outside of very limited historical context.– SpagirlOct 13, 2016 at 11:08
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1 Answer
Fanbearer — Wiktionary
n. One who carries a fan (especially those carrying fans for the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt)
answered Sep 15, 2016 at 10:27
