MBS002 We explain the way Moroccans use the word “Nasara” and how this is related to the Quranic term and the use of ن on Facebook profile pictures.
Important Points:
-“Mazyan bizaf” is a common Darija expression, learn about its roots from Episode 1.
-Use of ن as Facebook profile picture
-ISIS capture of Mosul, expulsion of Christians (“Nasara” or نصارى) and painting the ن on their homes
-Moroccans use “Nasara” to describe Western foreigners regardless of religion
-The Quran uses the term نصارى to describe Christians
-“Christians” in modern Arabic is مسيحيين, (ma-si-he-yeen). Arabic is a Semitic language like Hebrew and the term for Christian comes from مسيح (ma-sih) which relates to “messiah.” The Hebrew equivalent is מָשִׁיחַ (ma-shi-akh).
-Sematic change: Spanish and French colonizers were Christian, so the Quranic Arabic term for “Christians” came to mean Western, primarily white, foreigners in Moroccan Darija. Or, as Abdessamad said, “the blond people.”
-Similarly, the Modern Standard Arabic word for “winter,” شتاء (pronounced شتا in Darija) came to mean both “winter” and “rain,” because winter is the rainy season in North Africa.
Bibliography:
Online Etymology Dictionary | Messiah
Lane’s Lexicon | جزى for “Jizya”
Lane’s Lexicon | نصر for “Nasara”
Wikipedia.org | “Social Media Campaign (2014)”
National Review | “A Christian Genocide Symbolized by One Letter,” by CHRISTINE SISTO July 23, 2014.
Euronews | “#ن: How an Arabic letter was reclaimed to support Iraq’s persecuted Christians” by THOMAS SEYMAT July 22, 2014.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS