ਬੋਲੀ (bolee)
Meaning: noun: Speech, language; dialect.
Quote:
ਘਰਿ ਘਰਿ ਮੀਆ ਸਭਨਾਂ ਜੀਆਂ ਬੋਲੀ ਅਵਰ ਤੁਮਾਰੀ॥
ਘਰ ਘਰ ਵਿਚ, ਸਾਰੇ ਜੀਆਂ ਦੁਆਰਾ ‘ਮੀਆਂ’ (‘ਮੀਆਂ’ ਬੋਲਿਆ ਜਾ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ), ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਬੋਲੀ ਹੋਰ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਹੈ।
ghar ghar meeaa sabhanaaṅ jeeaaṅ bolee avar tumaaree.
In each and every home, ‘Mian’ (a Muslim term of address) is being used by most people; your speech has become different. -Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 1191
Message: During Guru Nanak’s time, Mughals were ruling India. Though the Hindu leaders abhorred the Mughal rulers, yet in order to please them, many of them adopted the Muslim customs. Instead of wearing their traditional dresses (dhoti and saffron mark on their foreheads) they copied Muslims in every way.
The Muslim paraphernalia and the way of saying Namaz (the mandatory prayers prescribed by Islam) had become common among Hindus. Their language had changed to Persian. Instead of using their own terms of address, they used Muslim terms. They addressed each other as – ‘Mian’.
The message to us is to be true to our beliefs and not do anything merely to please others. We only need to please our Guru, and we change and adjust ourselves only if it brings us closer to the Guru’s teachings.
Etymology: From Sanskrit boll (speak) → Prakrit bollaa (talk) → Sindhi bol/bolu/bolee, Lahndi/Punjabi and others bolee (language).
