Re: White Wolf Language-Butchery (was: Chinese/japanese Pronounciation)

Steg Belsky wrote:
 I've always been interested in the Middle
>Eastern features of their games, like the Assamites from Vampire, and the
>Ahl-i-Batin from Mage.  Many of the terms connected to those groups are
>Arabic, and since i'm taking Arabic now (i think my final is on friday) i
>like trying to check up on them.
>
>Like, in the Assamite clanbook, it says that their Western name is
>derived from Assam, a 'European mis-hearing or mispronounciation' of
>their founder's name, Haqim.  Now, whether "Haqim" is supposed to
>represent /Ha:kim/ or /Haki:m/ or something with a /q/ or who knows what
>is one question, but i find it hard that anyone could mistake "Haqim" for
>"Assam"
 Truly.  Perhaps a mis-hearing of Hassan?  Assam itself is a region in the
NE of India (a Tai language, Ahom, is/was spoken there IIRC..)


>And when it comes to the Ahl-i-Batin from Mage, i have no idea what that
>medial |-i-| could be...
Looks like it might be the Persian genitive (construct?) marker, -i- or -e-
in the various dialects.  It is becoming familiar due to Afghan place names.