Anyone know the origin of the word 'bint' ...
Discussion
You're right: bint is British slang for a woman or girl, but it is always disparaging and offensive and signals the user as lower class and unrefined. It's also now rather dated.
The word is Arabic for a daughter, specifically one who has yet to bear a child. It was in common use as a slang term during the first and second World Wars among British and Allied servicemen stationed in Egypt and neighbouring countries.
Sir Richard Burton was the first person to use the word in English, in his Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Meccah in 1855: "'Allah! upon Allah! O daughter!' cry the by-standers, when the obstinate bint of sixty years seizes their hands".
Taken from some website somewhere.
The word is Arabic for a daughter, specifically one who has yet to bear a child. It was in common use as a slang term during the first and second World Wars among British and Allied servicemen stationed in Egypt and neighbouring countries.
Sir Richard Burton was the first person to use the word in English, in his Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Meccah in 1855: "'Allah! upon Allah! O daughter!' cry the by-standers, when the obstinate bint of sixty years seizes their hands".
Taken from some website somewhere.
Bint: Bint is a term which dates back to the late 12th Century when a travelling group of folk passed upon a small village cut off from all civilisation. The travellers sought food and rest but were horrified by what they saw. Clearly the small village was in-breeding and the resultant population were disformed in some way or another. The travellers fled, scared of what they saw and being simple folk, they believed the inhabitants of the village to be monsters or the result of voodoo witchcraft. Only when they were a safe distance did they stop and look at their crude map to try and judge where this place of horrors was.
In time to come, the medieval spelling of the village changed but the legend remains.
the follwing link gives a good location of the village
map
Hence why a woman of poor appearence is commonly refered to as a bint.
apologies to anyone living there. this is all made up. i wish my job was this interesting.
>> Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 17th June 11:44
In time to come, the medieval spelling of the village changed but the legend remains.
the follwing link gives a good location of the village
map
Hence why a woman of poor appearence is commonly refered to as a bint.
apologies to anyone living there. this is all made up. i wish my job was this interesting.
>> Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 17th June 11:44
From "www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?bint"
Main Entry: bint
Pronunciation: 'bint
Function: noun
Etymology: Arabic, girl, daughter
Date: 1855
British : GIRL, WOMAN
They then follow this up with
Get the Top 10 Most Popular Sites for "bint"
Main Entry: bint
Pronunciation: 'bint
Function: noun
Etymology: Arabic, girl, daughter
Date: 1855
British : GIRL, WOMAN
They then follow this up with
Get the Top 10 Most Popular Sites for "bint"
quote:
Arabian word for daughter.
Quite correct although, to be precise, it refers to "daughter of" and is followed by the given name of the father. It's still used in the Arab world just as "bin" refers to a son. For example...
Ahmed bin Faisal Al Shafar
or
Leila bint Faisal Al Shafar
quote:
quote:
Arabian word for daughter.
Quite correct although, to be precise, it refers to "daughter of" and is followed by the given name of the father. It's still used in the Arab world just as "bin" refers to a son. For example...
Ahmed bin Faisal Al Shafar
or
Leila bint Faisal Al Shafar
Just like Bin Laden?
To state the already stated...
Bint is indeed Arabic for daughter or girl. However, when used for anything other than daughter or a small child (in refering to another somewhat older girl for example) it is a little bit derogatory.
Therefore, the way I've seen you zany Brits use it in these forums is correct useage.
Mad Mike
>> Edited by madmike on Monday 17th June 14:12
Bint is indeed Arabic for daughter or girl. However, when used for anything other than daughter or a small child (in refering to another somewhat older girl for example) it is a little bit derogatory.
Therefore, the way I've seen you zany Brits use it in these forums is correct useage.
Mad Mike
>> Edited by madmike on Monday 17th June 14:12
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