tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245623878572946841.post3396091853316620496..comments2024-02-10T20:58:45.222-05:00Comments on the armchair arabist: Does Racism Translate?Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16893235200782447999noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245623878572946841.post-16394374709228834282015-07-13T19:26:06.518-04:002015-07-13T19:26:06.518-04:00I enjoy your blog, it's thoughtful and full of...I enjoy your blog, it's thoughtful and full of fascinating information.<br /><br />If I could weigh in for a moment, on a few thoughts. Someone mentioned Hans-Wehr. It would also be interesting to see if there's an entry for zinj in Lane's partially completed lexicon. I'll check my copy when I get home from work. I suspect it may be interesting.<br /><br />One question I would ask; is it not possible that the term al-sud, the blacks, can be seen as equally, if not more, racist in some contexts than al-zinj?<br /><br />Are not derogatory meanings are contextual. Linked to history as well as intent? Is it perhaps problematic for us to project current sensibilities concerning a word, from one cultural zone with its unique history - as you acknowledge - onto another one?<br /><br />Zinj may have at times had negative connotations in Arabic literature and usage through the centuries, but was it not also, depending on context, a perfectly acceptable ethnic and racial designation.<br /><br />Is it possible that a problem with using the word sud lies in it's an explicit reference to color? All of the peoples of the bilad al-soudan are not black. Some are brown, some are red, some are yellow. So too are the "Black" descendants of African slaves in their American diaspora. <br /><br />Could not Soudani not only have negative connotations, depending on context, but inaccurate ones as well?<br /><br />I mean at least they did not use the term 'abid. Now *that* would have been truly derogatory.<br /><br />There was no intent to insult, zinj, zunouj are acceptable classical Arabic terms, and the attitudes concerning their classical and contemporary use perhaps were far more nuanced.<br /><br />Khld makes another point, calling the Amazigh "Berbers" is also seen as insulting. I have a Rifi friend who is like a brother to me. He personally can't stand the word "Berber". It is whence we get the word Barbarian. Now that is very derogatory. However Amazigh means the Free people. ..<br />Kamalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245623878572946841.post-32527887708824668952012-10-13T06:23:46.542-04:002012-10-13T06:23:46.542-04:00Thanks for the comment! And that's a very good...Thanks for the comment! And that's a very good point to make, and as far as I know, Hans Wehr was employed by the SS while in the Middle East researching his dictionary. But I'm not sure to what degree his definition of zinj would have been influenced by that fact.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16893235200782447999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245623878572946841.post-39815364507875714522012-10-13T05:35:20.896-04:002012-10-13T05:35:20.896-04:00Your blog is amazing. A quick note, the first Engl...Your blog is amazing. A quick note, the first English version of Hans Wehr's dictionary was published in 1961 based on the German version of 1952. Incidentally, Wehr's training occurred during the Third Reich, an interesting point to consider when thinking about the meanings attached to certain terms.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245623878572946841.post-40210203415300198912012-07-30T13:22:41.832-04:002012-07-30T13:22:41.832-04:00Dear Matt,
Your blog sucks! What about calling in...Dear Matt, <br />Your blog sucks! What about calling inhabitants of North Africa berbers(English), beberes (French) and Barbar (Arabic)? Especially when we know what this connotation means.khldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14205650186799297137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245623878572946841.post-9234167777781035982012-06-23T20:01:38.189-04:002012-06-23T20:01:38.189-04:00Matt - I have to say, I love reading your blog. No...Matt - I have to say, I love reading your blog. No matter how long I study Arabic, and how many words I learn, it's always nice to have things thoroughly explained like this. <br /><br />So thanks for the lesson! <br /><br />Here's some music you might like: http://soundcloud.com/fouso/belmazbootShadeaDawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01323742184154425958noreply@blogger.com