Comments on: What do assassins and sofas have in common? English words with Arabic origins http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/ Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:34:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: arabicstudent http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/comment-page-1/#comment-870 arabicstudent Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:19:09 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/#comment-870 Slightly off topic, but just a quick note about the Assassins. Ive spent some time in Syria while studying arabic, and there are a tremendous number of former assassin castles, some still in their pre-knights hospitaler and pre-Saladin form. If anyone is interested you should check out the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Syria-Historical-Architectural-Warwick-Ball/dp/1566562252" rel="nofollow">Syria Historical Architecture</a> ...which has some good information. And of course the language school I went to in damascus teachers the colloquial arabic language needed to get around, which I highly recommend (<a href="http://www.tolearnarabic.com" rel="nofollow">tolearnarabic.com</a>)... Slightly off topic, but just a quick note about the Assassins. Ive spent some time in Syria while studying arabic, and there are a tremendous number of former assassin castles, some still in their pre-knights hospitaler and pre-Saladin form. If anyone is interested you should check out the book Syria Historical Architecture …which has some good information. And of course the language school I went to in damascus teachers the colloquial arabic language needed to get around, which I highly recommend (tolearnarabic.com)…

]]> By: joespears http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/comment-page-1/#comment-698 joespears Sat, 01 Dec 2007 22:57:38 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/#comment-698 i would to add some more arabic loan words that are english now : tare/magazine/admiral/cotton/candy/matress i would to add some more arabic loan words that are english now :
tare/magazine/admiral/cotton/candy/matress

]]> By: Brian http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/comment-page-1/#comment-467 Brian Sat, 14 Jul 2007 14:51:16 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/#comment-467 The English word "cable" also comes from Arabic حبل ḥabl, "rope, cable". I was especially interested by "magazine"'s origin in مخازن makhāzin since some Maghreb (North African) dialects reborrowed it from French as مغازة maġāzah "shop, store". The English word “cable” also comes from Arabic حبل ḥabl, “rope, cable”.

I was especially interested by “magazine”‘s origin in مخازن makhāzin since some Maghreb (North African) dialects reborrowed it from French as مغازة maġāzah “shop, store”.

]]> By: Of Official English sillyness, painful grammatical errors, and cooked circles of Freedom-Flour : Notes from a Linguistic Mystic http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/comment-page-1/#comment-454 Of Official English sillyness, painful grammatical errors, and cooked circles of Freedom-Flour : Notes from a Linguistic Mystic Fri, 13 Jul 2007 19:24:07 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/#comment-454 [...] Whoa there, Mrs. Official English. This is a bit of a tall order, as forbidding any further borrowing of words from other languages is a bit ridiculous. As I’ve discussed before, English is ripe with borrowings from Spanish, French, Latin, Greek, and even Arabic. [...] [...] Whoa there, Mrs. Official English. This is a bit of a tall order, as forbidding any further borrowing of words from other languages is a bit ridiculous. As I’ve discussed before, English is ripe with borrowings from Spanish, French, Latin, Greek, and even Arabic. [...]

]]> By: will http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/comment-page-1/#comment-437 will Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:07:22 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/#comment-437 One reader just emailed me this information about "Assassin", so I figured I'd post it here. Thanks, mystery reader: "Although many authoritative printed dictionaries of etymology say that the word assassin is derived from 'hashish-eater(s)', one of my written sources says otherwise. Colombian prescriptivist Armando Gamboa B.'s Así Debemos hablar on page 157 states that asesino is derived from Hassan Ben Al = Sabbah. "The Old man in the mountain", who was born in Persia and founded the Syrian sect of the asasim or assassin. I've actually ran into a similar, but much more complete etymology on the Alamut webpage a few years back. This is what I could find as of right now, but I don't remember where the complete version is located. http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/secDoctrines.html http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/etymolAss.html http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/hitti_Ass.html http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/bey_Ass.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashshashin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/massassin.html Also remember, that in Spanish 'asesino' means murderer in general, and not necessarily an assassin (someone who kills politically important people)" One reader just emailed me this information about “Assassin”, so I figured I’d post it here. Thanks, mystery reader:

“Although many authoritative printed dictionaries of etymology say that the word assassin is derived from ‘hashish-eater(s)’, one of my written sources says otherwise. Colombian prescriptivist Armando Gamboa B.’s Así Debemos hablar on page 157 states that asesino is derived from Hassan Ben Al = Sabbah. “The Old man in the mountain”, who was born in Persia and founded the Syrian sect of the asasim or assassin.

I’ve actually ran into a similar, but much more complete etymology on the Alamut webpage a few years back. This is what I could find as of right now, but I don’t remember where the complete version is located.

http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/secDoctrines.html
http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/etymolAss.html
http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/hitti_Ass.html
http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/alamut/bey_Ass.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashshashin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/massassin.html

Also remember, that in Spanish ‘asesino’ means murderer in general, and not necessarily an assassin (someone who kills politically important people)”

]]> By: Dave (Balashon) http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/comment-page-1/#comment-432 Dave (Balashon) Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:13:10 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/#comment-432 Thanks so much for the link. I've actually written about a number of these words: algebra, alcohol, arsenal, assassin, magazine A couple more that I wrote about that you didn't mention include alkali and albacore. Thanks so much for the link. I’ve actually written about a number of these words: algebra, alcohol, arsenal, assassin, magazine

A couple more that I wrote about that you didn’t mention include alkali and albacore.

]]> By: Jared http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/comment-page-1/#comment-429 Jared Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:15:59 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/07/09/what-do-assassins-and-sofas-have-in-common-english-words-with-arabic-origins/#comment-429 Actually, I believe apricot is even more interesting. I was taught (and the OED calls it "prob.") that the Arabic word burquq ultimately came from the Latin word praecox (via Greek). A nifty etymology which also demonstrates how much words can change over time, as "praecox" was an adjective meaning "ripe in early summer" (according to the OED). Sadly, I have never yet had the opportunity to use the word burquq. Actually, I believe apricot is even more interesting. I was taught (and the OED calls it “prob.”) that the Arabic word burquq ultimately came from the Latin word praecox (via Greek). A nifty etymology which also demonstrates how much words can change over time, as “praecox” was an adjective meaning “ripe in early summer” (according to the OED). Sadly, I have never yet had the opportunity to use the word burquq.

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