Re: Arabic article (was: Corpses)

Peter Bleakley wrote:

> Staving John Cowan:
> >Costentin Cornomorus scripsit:
> >
> > > Can't think of any, though we do have the
> > > propensity for leaving Arabic articles in:
> > > algebra, alchemy, alcohol, etc. Of course, we
> > > didn't borrow those directly, so they probably
> > > don't count.
> >
> >I think it's the fact that these come through Spanish
> >that make the difference.  We certainly don't speak of
> >al-Islam or the al-Arab.
>
> More through mediaeval Latin than Spanish, surely? It would have been The
> Lord's Dogs who brought them into European use, about the 13th century.
>
Well yes.  In the old "Connections" series on TV, there was a delightful
scene involving a friar and (judging by appearance) a young Jewish scholar;
they were translating an Arabic astronomy text.  The Jew was
reading/translating it into vernacular (actually perfectly good Spanish in
the program), the friar was presumably writing it down in Latin.  They come
to the word "azimuth"-- the friar asks "Azimuth, azimuth..., what is that?"
Lengthy explanation in Spanish from the young Jew.  Continued puzzlement on
the friar's face; he finally says, "Well, we'll just call it 'azimuth'."