We haven't been able to take payment
You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.
Update payment details
Act now to keep your subscription
We've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.
Update payment details
Your subscription is due to terminate
We've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account, otherwise your subscription will terminate.
Update payment details

Accessibility Links

Skip to content
The Times & The Sunday Times
The Times & The Sunday Times
  • Subscribe
Subscribe

Indian English

From Mr C. Mattison
The Times
From Mr C. Mattison
The Times

Sir, I, too, was in Deolali (letters, July 26 and 31) 60 years ago, while serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps.

I cannot do better than to provide an extract from Brewer’s Concise Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (Cassell, 2000):

Doolalli (Doolally) or Doolalli tap. An army expression for an unbalanced state of mind or mental derangement . . . Tap when used in conjunction is the E. Indian word for fever.

Yours faithfully,

C. MATTISON,

8 Cricketers Court,

Fox Road, West Bridgford,

Nottingham NG2 6AR.

August 6.

Advertisement