HINDOSTAN is a Persian word, and in modern Persian is pronounced "Hindustan." It means the country of the Hindus. In mediaeval Persian the word was "Hindustan," with an o, but in the modern language the distinctions between e and i and between ö and u have been lost. Indian languages borrowed Per sian words in their mediaeval form. The word "Hindu" is in medi aeval Persian "Hindu," representing the ancient Avesta liendava (Sanskrit, saindhava), a dweller on the Sindliu or Indus. Owing to the influence of scholars in modern Persian the word "Hindu" is now established in English and, through English, in the Indian literary languages ; but "Hindo" is also often heard in India. "Hindostan" with o is much more common both in English and in Indian languages, although "Hindustan" is also employed. Up to the days of Persian supremacy• inaugurated in Calcutta by Gilchrist and his friends, every traveller in India spoke of "Indo stan" or some such word, thus bearing testimony to the current pronunciation. Gilchrist introduced "Hindoostan," which became "Hindustan" in modern spelling. The word is not an Indian one, and both pronunciations, with o and with u, are current in India at the present day, but that with o is unquestionably the one demanded by the history of the word and of the form which other Persian words take on Indian soil. On the other hand, "Hindu" is firmly established in English. The word "Hindi" has another derivation, being formed from the Persian Hind, India (Avesta hindu, Sanskrit sindhu, the Indus). "Hindi" means "of or belonging to India," while "Hindu" now means "a person of the Hindu religion." (Cf. Sir C. J. Lyall, A Sketch of the Hindu stani Language, p. i.)