When red means green

[caddyman]

I have to find out if there is an Asian language where the word for 'green' is similar in sound to the English word 'red'. I am convinced that there must be, but what it is, I don't know (I do know that it isn't Urdu, since we have an Urdu speaker in the office); perhaps Hindi or Punjabi?

The reason this tasks me so is simple. I smoke Berkeley cigarettes, which come in three varieties: menthol (green pack), light (pale blue pack), and regular (red pack). If I go into an Asian shop and ask for a packet of Berkeley Reds, there is about a 50-50 chance that I will be handed a pack of menthol, and will have to ask again for the red pack, which then leads to a momentary look of bafflement from the vendor. I usually end up pointing at the pack I want.

It's not a great problem, and not a matter of any great importance, but it's piqued my curiosity, and I'd rather like to know.

Comments

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

It's not Hindi, I am assured by my friend at work - green sounds like "hara" and red "lal".

[cowjam.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's 'menthol' or 'mint' that sounds like 'red'?

Or, the other option is that 50% of asian shopkeepers hate you, and do it for no other reason than to make your life harder.

Part of my job is shopkeeping, and if I sold cigarettes to someone I considered stupid by nationality (ie, americans. But, since we're closely linked to them, I dare say brits too if I wasn't one myself) I would give them the wrong pack.

Espcially menthols instead of propper fags.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

That might work if I asked for menthol and got given the red pack. I have to say that as attempts to annoy me go, it doesn't really work that well...

[november-girl.livejournal.com]

I take it that it's not only with the one shopkeeper? Inability to differentiate between red and green is a common form of colour blindness.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Nope, it's a number of shops - mainly around the Clapham area (unsurprisingly), and the one just around the corner from the office.

[romney.livejournal.com]

So you've not given up the tabs quite yet then?

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Nope.

But even if I had, I'd still want to know.

You are in aunique position to find the answer for me, too.

[romney.livejournal.com]

I'm currently learning "Wake up" in several local and international languages. Repetition is the key.