ABSTRACT
Welcome to Colloquial Hindi. Very often in social get-togethers in the West, I am asked with utmost sincerity whether or not I speak Hindu. Although I have no difficulty in understanding the real intent of the question, I find myself unwittingly in an embarrassing situation. This is particularly true if this inquiry happens to come directly from my host. You see, Hindu is the name of the predominant religion in India and Nepal; Hindi is the name of the language that is the lingua franca of South Asia.
