29 October 2010

spindit

The word for 'underwear' in Brunei Malay seems to be spindit, and this is presumably from English.

But where does it come from? My colleague, Adrian Clynes, thinks it is from 'spandex'.

If it became truly indigenised, the initial /sp/ would presumably be broken into different syllables. Thus 'hospital' becomes sapitar in Brunei Malay, and 'spanner' becomes sapanar. Perhaps spindit is really sapindit, or maybe it will become that in time.