What language is this written in ?

[Barnzzz]

Hello, this is part of a document that was with letters my gg grandfather wrote to his mother from South Africa. He went there in 1849 to make his fortune farming, although he didn't succeed and went home to Hartlepool a few years later.

No one has ever known what this document says. I would love to get it translated for my mum who has been intrigued for years, but I don't even know what language its in !

Can anyone help ?

I fondly believe that before leaving for Hartlepool, gg grandfather sold his land and used Ghandi as his lawyer.........

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...therelldoc.jpg
Sue

[Kate Allan]

I'm no expert but it look like some form of Indian? maybe Hindi? There were a lot of Indians in South Africa and I believe Ghandi did spend some time there.

Good Luck!

Kate

[Jan1954]

I will ask the Indian language experts at work tomorrow to take a look.

[SBSFamilyhistory]

I think it is Urdu

Sue

[MythicalMarian]

I think it is Urdu

Sue

No - it's not Urdu. Urdu has Arabic characters (curved) rather than these squared characters. I would agree that this is Hindustani.

ETA: Actually - just had a bit of a scout around - this could even be Sanskrit - from which Hindu derived. It may fit your time period better.

[Mona]

The script looks like the Devanagari alphabet, which is used to write both Hindi and Sanskrit plus other languages in South-east Asia.

[Jan1954]

Was unable to access the link today at work (Security - tuh!)

Have saved it and will try to email it to myself for Friday - if you see what I mean...

[Barnzzz]

Thanks for looking everyone.

Jan, I hope the Indian experts at work can help on Friday !

Sue

[Jan1954]

A member of staff is taking a print-out of it home for the weekend as she's offered to have a stab at translating it.

Isn't she lovely?

She says it's a bit "fuzzy" but will give it her best shot.

Fingers crossed!

[keith9351]

Sorry no help with the translation but on Gandni .

After university, he went to London to train as a barrister. He returned to India in 1891 and in 1893 accepted a job at an Indian law firm in Durban, South Africa.

Keith