(no subject)

[violachic]

optimussven wrote in his LJ a few days ago that he was working on translating some hadith passage about camels. I got all excited. Today I got even more excited, when he wrote:

So the old Arabist joke is that every word in Arabic means one thing, the opposite, and something about the camel. Well, it may just be true, Arabic camel terminology is just ridiculous and I got a first-hand taste. Here is a list of all the wacky camel-related terms I came upon.

al-'ibl: the generic zoological term for "camels"
aj-jamal: generic term for a male camel
an-nāqa: generic term for a she-camel
al-ba`īr: any male or female camel that has reached 5 years old
al-bukht: a Persian borrowing (from baakhtar, "Bactria") for two humped Bactrian camels.
al-badna: a camel slaughtered on pilgrimage to Mecca
ħumr un-na`am: camels of superior quality
ar-rāħila: pure-bred camels considered the best for riding
'a`yas: a camel of yellowish-white color and good stock
ash-shārif: an aged female camel
al-`wāmil: two-humped camel
ash-shamlāl: a lightweight camel
at-ta`mula: a work-camel
an-nājiya: a fast camel
al-`awjā': a skinny camel
ash-shamradla: a tall camel
al-hajrān: a particularly amiable camel
al-kūmā': A she-camel with a large hump
al-`usharā': she-camels that have been pregnant for 10 months
al-`ā'iđa: a she-camel with offspring in tow
al-`utulla: a she-camel that does not conceive because she is never strong enough
al-qa`ūd: a male camel in its early years, often ridden by the hearder
aħlās: the cloth that goes under a camel saddle
al-faṣīl: a camel that has been weaned
ash-shaqshiqa: a special leather made from camel stomach
al-faħl: a virile male camel prime for mating
nazā: camel sex
'awraq: camels of a greyish-black color
al-`uqul: camel bridle
đawd: a group of three to five camels
ar-rakbān: people who own camels
taṣrīya: the selling of spoiled camel milk (this is forbidden)
an-naṭa`: a special rug made of leather upon which convicted murderers were often executed.
'ađūdanna: used in reference to someone who doesn't let camels other than his drink from his watering-hole (considered a reprehensible thing)
al-faddādūn: people who own ridiculous numbers of camels (considered a bad thing, extras should be given as charity)




w00t!

Comments

[anansi133.livejournal.com]

Well, if Inuit folks can have (mumbldy) words for snow, I suppose arabs can have at least that many for their livestock. Look at all the fancy words invented for sailboats! 'ships of the desert' and all that...

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

I like the thought of "ridiculous numbers" of camels. As if a person living in a one-room apartment in New York City might consider owning even one! (Once again, context is king queen!)

So true.

[simienwolf.livejournal.com]

Three others I recall finding in poetry: a term for the lead camel in a caravan, another for the hindmost, and a third referring to a camel that stumbles often. I'm going to see if I can dig them up.

[orpheus42.livejournal.com]

And people thought it was a big deal that a certain Alaskan tribe had like 20 words for snow. ;-)

[fille-de-livre.livejournal.com]

But is there a word for Alice the Camel?

Re: So true.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

That's fantastic :-)

[igina.livejournal.com]

You didn't see anansi133's reply did you...lol

[igina.livejournal.com]

I read this then realized there are 2 camels (1 male, 1 female) for sale on facebook. There are a bunch of dromedaries down here. Now I'm wondering if the Christmas walk that happens every year with have camels again (they usually do in like a petting zoo).

[orpheus42.livejournal.com]

No, why?

*looks up*

Oh. *LOL*

[orpheus42.livejournal.com]

There's a farm in northern Knox County that you can see from 41 between Evansville and Terre Haute that has both bactrian and dromedary camels. I believe they also have ostriches and maybe even a buffalo.

[optimussven.livejournal.com]

You might want to rethink that one, it a popular urban myth perpetrated by a bunch of weeny anthropologists that drives us linguists mad!

[optimussven.livejournal.com]

You might one to check it one more time... ;-)

[orpheus42.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've heard that, it's a classic discussion. I was just making a joke. I've actually read the relevant materials.

[optimussven.livejournal.com]

Good to hear!

[violachic.livejournal.com]

that sounds like a dawd or two of camels....

[niemandsrose.livejournal.com]

Here from febrile. This is awesome.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

Welcome!

yes, I about died laughing when I saw his original post :-)

[catdraco.livejournal.com]

Hi Amy, I think this needs dealing with... *sigh*
http://community.livejournal.com/3faithdialogue/266598.html