I came across an expression, probably a slur expression, that analogizes uselessness as 'negro's speech in Arabic.
Having no knowledge about it, and very little knowledge about how Arabs viewed the Arabic spoken by Africans, I wonder if someone could assist e on that.
Thanks in advance,
J
Many thanks for your note.
I assume that the reference to 'black' is not in particular, rather as an incident of someone who is foreign to the Arabic vernacular.
Thanks, Cheers, J
Many thanks for your note.
I assume that the reference to 'black' is not in particular, rather as an incident of someone who is foreign to the Arabic vernacular.
Thanks, Cheers, J
Joseph, I know absolutely no Arabic—this response is not an academic, but an anecdotal one. When I saw your question, I thought immediately of the pejorative term "kaffir". This word is the South African equivalent of the North American "nigger", and I believe it derives from kafr, the Arabic word for "unbeliever". Not exactly what you were asking about, but perhaps a pointer in a similar direction.
Hello Joseph, I'm a bit late in responding to this question- but better late than never!
The term: " الزنجي " in Arabic literature of the past is not a slur and was not used as a slur in the equivalence of the "n-word" in English.
The term الزنج was used for an ethnic and geographical reference to a people and place in Southern Africa. The Arab did not use a blanket term "Black" to describe people from the African continent. The terms used were based on their geographical location and ethnic ascription. The term was not used as a slur perhaps until very recently among some people in places like Egypt. Az-Zinji (الزنجي) is an ascription to the place and people and was a common attribution. For example, the Islamic scholar Muslim bin Khalid was famously ascribed as Az-Zinji.
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