Comments on: A heathen named Guiri http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/ anythingarian bubbles and troubles from the land of the fretting nun Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:09:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: boynamedsue http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138579 boynamedsue Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:26:45 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138579 Could it be from Lingua Franca/Sabir? It is often postulated as a template from which all modern era pidgins are descended, including those of Goa and the rest of India. Guiri could have been carried either way by the Portuguese, or taken into Arabic from the subcontinent then borrowed into Lingua France and thence into Spanish. As a digression: Libyan Arabic is full of expressions that they swear blind are Italian but are actually from Lingua Franca; Kasr = break (french caisser) Munjaria = food Klefti = thief (via greek klepto) Cushik = spoon Could it be from Lingua Franca/Sabir? It is often postulated as a template from which all modern era pidgins are descended, including those of Goa and the rest of India.

Guiri could have been carried either way by the Portuguese, or taken into Arabic from the subcontinent then borrowed into Lingua France and thence into Spanish.

As a digression: Libyan Arabic is full of expressions that they swear blind are Italian but are actually from Lingua Franca;

Kasr = break (french caisser)
Munjaria = food
Klefti = thief (via greek klepto)
Cushik = spoon

]]> By: Trevor ap Simon http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138570 Trevor ap Simon Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:41:46 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138570 A couple of years ago I collected several hundred instances of use ranging in chronologically/geographically coherent fashion in the region ranging from S Asia to the western Med, which I will publish as soon as I can decipher the format I saved it in. Goytisolo was on to something similar in his Sarajevo novel, but I don't know if he took it any further. A couple of years ago I collected several hundred instances of use ranging in chronologically/geographically coherent fashion in the region ranging from S Asia to the western Med, which I will publish as soon as I can decipher the format I saved it in. Goytisolo was on to something similar in his Sarajevo novel, but I don’t know if he took it any further.

]]> By: Charles Butler http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138567 Charles Butler Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:47:00 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138567 Legend has it is that it comes from some similar word that appears prominently in the customs hall when entering Turkey. Legend has it is that it comes from some similar word that appears prominently in the customs hall when entering Turkey.

]]> By: boynamedsue http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138564 boynamedsue Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:56:11 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2008/02/27/a-heathen-named-guiri/#comment-138564 I have always been struck by the similarity between Punjabi/Kashmiri "Guri", used in the north of England to denote non-muslim, and Guiri. The Carlist war etymology is obviously false,I wonder if the word might have passed into Spanish through Arabic or Romany? I have always been struck by the similarity between Punjabi/Kashmiri “Guri”, used in the north of England to denote non-muslim, and Guiri.

The Carlist war etymology is obviously false,I wonder if the word might have passed into Spanish through Arabic or Romany?

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