From the Middle Ages to the present day, the Arabic word mamlūk (literally, « owned») has given rise to numerous loanwords across the Mediterranean and far beyond, from Medieval Latin mamaluchus to Contemporary American English slang mamaluke. While usually maintaning a reference to mamlūk-s as slave soldiers (and especially to the Mamluks of Egypt), many of these loanwords developed some additional meanings, which at times became even more popular than the ‘historical’ ones, and which do speak volumes about processes of representation and categorisation of the ‘others’ in the concerned societies. With this in mind, the present paper explores the trajectories of the main offsprings of the word mamlūk in Medieval Latin and in European languages, as part of a research aiming to contribute to both linguistic and cultural studies.

Giuseppe Cecere (2021). Across the Mediterranean and Beyond: Notes on Mamlūk Wanderings in European Dictionaries. OCCHIALÌ, 8, 8-30.

Across the Mediterranean and Beyond: Notes on Mamlūk Wanderings in European Dictionaries

Giuseppe Cecere
2021

Abstract

From the Middle Ages to the present day, the Arabic word mamlūk (literally, « owned») has given rise to numerous loanwords across the Mediterranean and far beyond, from Medieval Latin mamaluchus to Contemporary American English slang mamaluke. While usually maintaning a reference to mamlūk-s as slave soldiers (and especially to the Mamluks of Egypt), many of these loanwords developed some additional meanings, which at times became even more popular than the ‘historical’ ones, and which do speak volumes about processes of representation and categorisation of the ‘others’ in the concerned societies. With this in mind, the present paper explores the trajectories of the main offsprings of the word mamlūk in Medieval Latin and in European languages, as part of a research aiming to contribute to both linguistic and cultural studies.
2021
Giuseppe Cecere (2021). Across the Mediterranean and Beyond: Notes on Mamlūk Wanderings in European Dictionaries. OCCHIALÌ, 8, 8-30.
Giuseppe Cecere
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Cecere Mamluk Wanderings Occhialì.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipo: Versione (PDF) editoriale
Licenza: Licenza per Accesso Aperto. Creative Commons Attribuzione (CCBY)
Dimensione 1.24 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.24 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/837438
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact