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Usenet Posted 19 years ago
Usage
Word for this type of person ?
We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from another language, but I don't know which language or whether it's been corrupted in spelling or pronunciation. I used to think it was taken from Hindi, but a friend who's fluent in Hindi doesn't think so.
The word is "phakar". Both p and h have a hard sound, both a's are pronounced with a short "ah" sound, and the r is stressed.
A "phakar" person is basically selfish, but tries to hide it behind a facade of good will. He's usually a genial fellow and genuinely likes company. He can be generous and helpful in his own way and is pleasant company himself. However, he makes a habit of using what he thinks are clever ploys to gain profit, shirk responsibility or take advantage of even close friends, though he'd generally stop short of causing serious harm.
Words like crafty, wily, cunning, devious, unethical, weasel, etc. don't quite convey the same impression. "Scheming" is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?
The word is "phakar". Both p and h have a hard sound, both a's are pronounced with a short "ah" sound, and the r is stressed.
A "phakar" person is basically selfish, but tries to hide it behind a facade of good will. He's usually a genial fellow and genuinely likes company. He can be generous and helpful in his own way and is pleasant company himself. However, he makes a habit of using what he thinks are clever ploys to gain profit, shirk responsibility or take advantage of even close friends, though he'd generally stop short of causing serious harm.
Words like crafty, wily, cunning, devious, unethical, weasel, etc. don't quite convey the same impression. "Scheming" is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?
Top answer
(Email Removed) used his keyboard to write : [nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from ... is about as close as I can get.
- (Email Removed) used his keyboard to write : [nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person.
- It's borrowed from ...
- is about as close as I can get.
- [/nq] Unscrupulous, unconscionable, conniving Yours, Dan S.
- Hijacking major political parties since 1987 ...
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10 Answers
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(Email Removed) used his keyboard to write :
[nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from ... is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
Unscrupulous, unconscionable, conniving
Yours,
Dan S.
Hijacking major political parties since 1987 ...
[nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from ... is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
Unscrupulous, unconscionable, conniving
Yours,
Dan S.
Hijacking major political parties since 1987 ...
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[nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from ... pronunciation. I used to think it was taken from Hindi, but a friend who's fluent in Hindi doesn't think so.[/nq]
I think it might be Punjabi in origin. I don't speak Punjabi, mind you, but I recently saw the word in something I read about a Sikh guru studied by the British aft
I think it might be Punjabi in origin. I don't speak Punjabi, mind you, but I recently saw the word in something I read about a Sikh guru studied by the British aft
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[nq:1]A "phakar" person is basically selfish, but tries to hide it behind a facade of good will. He's usually a ... is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
"Calculating" is the closest I can think of.
Cheers, Harvey
CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed
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[nq:1]genuinely likes company. He can be generous and helpful in his own way and is pleasant company himself. However, he makes a habit of using what he thinks are clever ploys to gain profit, shirk responsibility or take advantage of even close friends,[/nq]
Sounds like a con artist to me.
¬R
Sounds like a con artist to me.
¬R
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[nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from ... is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
I would say the person is "manipulative" or "manipulating".
I would say the person is "manipulative" or "manipulating".
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[nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from ... is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
Typical, average,
That describes standard human behavoir.
Typical, average,
That describes standard human behavoir.
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[nq:1]I would say the person is "manipulative" or "manipulating".[/nq]
That's good, the best of the suggestions so far, but doesn't seem to say what the OP was getting at. It looks like there is no single word to convey the sense he wants. A phrase like "manipulative, hail-fellow-well-met" might come close.
John Varela
Trade NEW lamps for OLD for email.
That's good, the best of the suggestions so far, but doesn't seem to say what the OP was getting at. It looks like there is no single word to convey the sense he wants. A phrase like "manipulative, hail-fellow-well-met" might come close.
John Varela
Trade NEW lamps for OLD for email.
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[nq:1]We have a slang term, an adjective, in my language to describe a certain type of person. It's borrowed from ... is about as close as I can get. What word or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
An "operator", perhaps - see for example:
/quote/
7. Informal.a. a person who accomplishes his or her purposes by devious means; faker; fraud
b. a perso
An "operator", perhaps - see for example:
/quote/
7. Informal.a. a person who accomplishes his or her purposes by devious means; faker; fraud
b. a perso
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[nq:2]I would say the person is "manipulative" or "manipulating".[/nq]
[nq:1]That's good, the best of the suggestions so far, but doesn't seem to say what the OP was getting at. It looks like there is no single word to convey the sense he wants. A phrase like "manipulative, hail-fellow-well-met" might come close.[/nq]
Thanks for the replies and sorry about the late reply. I've been quite b
[nq:1]That's good, the best of the suggestions so far, but doesn't seem to say what the OP was getting at. It looks like there is no single word to convey the sense he wants. A phrase like "manipulative, hail-fellow-well-met" might come close.[/nq]
Thanks for the replies and sorry about the late reply. I've been quite b
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[nq:1]On 26 Jul 2007, wrote sniop[/nq]
[nq:2]A "phakar" person is basically selfish, but tries to hide ... or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
[nq:1]"Calculating" is the closest I can think of.[/nq]
A humbug.
** DAVE HATUNEN (Email Removed) ** * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright tr
[nq:2]A "phakar" person is basically selfish, but tries to hide ... or phrase would most accurately describe such a person ?[/nq]
[nq:1]"Calculating" is the closest I can think of.[/nq]
A humbug.
** DAVE HATUNEN (Email Removed) ** * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright tr
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