Andalusian Anglicisms

From Víctor Daniel Parra Mateo (La Línea de la Concepción, Cádiz) via Amando de Miguel:

A Javanese hero–or perhaps not…

If Javanese portray their common folk as cowards and fools, here’s a different view, taken from Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo, Historia general y natural de las Indias (1535 – 1557): This Indian [in the Columbian sense] was from Java but had married on Machian/Makian/Maquiem/Maquieu/Matjan [in the Moluccas; one of the four islands to which cloves…

Moorish Scheherazades

I had an interesting chat (ie I listened) with someone the other night about the social position of musicians in the Middle Ages. I didn’t really buy his idea of the musician as The Other–at least not in Spain–but what he told me about Moorish and Jewish musicians in Christian society (as opposed to, for…

Butts & mutts

Best shop-door notice seen as anti-smoking legislation kind of came into force: PROHIBIDO FUMAR PERROS NO

Ach ja

De Son, nae d’oude sleur, De doode cruiden, deur Sijn hitte, doet verrijsen, Die doen haer open blij; Maer wie can doch in mij Levendich leven wijsen? (Hooft)