Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id DAA21319 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 24 Jan 2002 03:56:26 GMT X-Originating-IP: [209.240.222.132] From: "Scott Chase" <ecphoric@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Fundamentalism and beliefs Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 22:52:06 -0500 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <F205y4I5JvgjvSRjCft00004307@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 24 Jan 2002 03:52:06.0973 (UTC) FILETIME=[7E042ED0:01C1A48A] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>From: Douglas Brooker <dbrooker@clara.co.uk>
>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>Subject: Re: Fundamentalism and beliefs
>Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 10:58:28 +0000
>
> >
> > Is it true that the word mosque is actually a derisive term
>etymologically
> > related to the Spanish for mosquito? That's what I read in _The
>Complete
> > Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam_ (by Yahiya Emerick; ISBN
>0028642333)
> > anyway.
>
>
>Here's one view
>
>English corruption of the Arabic masjid "place of prostration." The
>Muslim house of worship corresponding to a synagogue or church.
>
>(http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/islam.html)
>
>Another:
>
>Arabic, from Aramaic *masgid, place of worship, from sged, to bow down,
>worship.
>
>(http://www.bartleby.com/61/42/M0134200.html)
>
>maybe someone was confusing the Old Spanish word "mezquita" with the
>Spanish word "mosquito".
>
>
I dunno. It's possible. I read about it in _The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Understanding Islam_ (by Yahiya Emerick. 2002. Alpha. Indianopolis, Indiana)
and wondered whether the mosque/mosquito relation was historically correct.
I did a quick google search and found this website:
http://students.washington.edu/rameez/islam/articles/lrnpray.htm
See the section under "Part A. Where Do I Pray", which corroborates what I
read in the book, but I couldn't find anything besides this website, though
I might do better with different keyword combos. In a little sidebar on page
14 of the book cited above (_The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding
Islam_) the word mosque is discussed and it is said: (bq) "The forces of
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella boasted they would swat out Muslim prayer
houses like *mosquitoes*."(eq)
BTW, I have _The Complete Idiot's Guide to Evolution_ but haven't started it
yet. There's a whole bunch of these sorts of beginner's books with insulting
titles out there on all sorts of topics. I even have _The Complete Idiot's
Guide to the Middle East Conflict_. Is there some sort of cultural
phenomenon going on here?
I'm not taking this mosque/mosquito bit as gospel truth, but it has my
curiosity piqued.
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