I recently came across an interesting slang dictionary by the American lexicographer Grant Barrett: The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English. Although it dates back to 2006, it was definitely new to me. What caught my attention most in the text were the Arabic and Middle East related words that were included. Many of them had crept into English since 2003 in Iraq, especially in the “War Against Terror”. Here is a listing:
Ali Baba: “thief. After the government of Saddam Hussein was toppled, uncontrolled looting ravaged the country—anything of value, and many things that weren’t, were stolen or destroyed. Looters, and, generally, any thieves, are called ali baba, by Iraqis, after the tale of ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,’ told by Scheherazade in the stories known in the West as Thousand and One Nights. American soldiers who have served in Iraq say they tend not to use the term as a noun, but as a verb meaning ‘to steal’: ‘We’re gonna ali baba some scrap metal from their junkyard.’”
Dhimmi: “a non-Muslim living with limited rights under Muslim rule”
Eurabia: “the (perceived) political alliance of Europe and Arab nations (against Israel and Jews); a name for Europe if its Muslim or Arab immigrants become a large or powerful minority”
Haji: “an Iraqi; any Muslim, Arab, or native of the Middle East”
Hawasim: “a looter or thief”
Muj: “among (Anglophone) foreigners in Middle Eastern or Islamic nations, a guerrilla fighter or fighters. Clipped form of Persian and Arabic mujahideen, plural for mujahid, ‘one who fights in a jihad or holy war.’”
Shako Mako: “loosely translated as ‘what’s up?’ or more specifically, ‘what do and don’t you have?’ or ‘what’s there and not there?’ It’s similar to shoo fee ma fee used in Lebanese Arabic. Commonly one of the first Iraqi Arabic expressions learned by coalition forces. A common response is kulshi mako ‘nothing’s new’.”
Ulug: “thug or lout. Repopularized by the former Iraqi Minister of Information Muhammad Saeed Al Sahhaf as a term for Americans. The word had previously been rare.”
Of course these are not the only expressions that will be of interest, so happy reading!
Posted by May Mikati on 12 October 2012, 12:47 AM
