Madras lingo on transportation
This article explores the linguistic evolution of transportation-related terms in Chennai, formerly Madras. It traces the origins of local slang like 'Roundtana' and 'Emden' back to historical events and colonial-era administration.
Why it matters
It provides cultural context for how historical events and urban development shape the unique vocabulary of a city.
What is a traffic island known as in Madras that is Chennai ? It is a Roundtana – a term that occurs even in The Hindu . You just need to scour the archives and an immense number of links turn up, with the Anna Salai and the Anna Nagar Roundtanas being the favourites. The word originates interestingly enough, at the Anna Salai Roundtana but long before it became Anna Salai or had a Roundtana there.
Early in the 19 th Century, police stations, known as thana in Hindi and Urdu were erected at many places in Madras. This may have been a Tamil/Telugu city but the language of administration still followed Mughal era terms. A round police station existed at the intersection of Mount Road and Wallajah Roads and this came to be known as the ‘Round Thana’.
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