[BITList] Fwd: [INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ] The ''malum sahib''

[John Feltham]

Strike a bell anyone?



Begin forwarded message:

From: "Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar" <bosham at gmail.com>
Date: 30 January 2009 3:39:02 PM
To: <india-british-raj at rootsweb.com>
Subject: [INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ] The ''malum sahib''
Reply-To: india-british-raj at rootsweb.com

Today's Word of the Day from the OED is ''malem'', (noun), which
may be of interest to Chris and other nautical members of our List:

Brit. Forms: - malem, - malim, - malum. [< Arabic mu-allim  teacher,
learned person, master (see MALLAM n.), via a language or languages
in which the Arabic ''ain'' is lost; compare Malay malim (c1500; also
in forms maalim, mualim) ship's mate, navigating officer, pilot.
Compare also Portuguese malemo (1515).]

1. In parts of the Arabic-speaking world: a person responsible for the
conduct or transportation of merchandise. Obs.

1609 W. BIDDULPH in T. Lavender Trav. 39 The Malims & Muckremen
(as they call the Carriers) were not yet come down with their Cammels
to carrie them. 1617 F. MORYSON Itinerary I. 242 They call him Malem,
who conducts the Merchants goods.

2. Naut. A ship's pilot, master, or mate, esp. one of foreign  
nationality,
as referred to by an Arabic-speaking crew. Freq. used as a title, as in
malem sahib.

1615 T. ROE Jrnl. 21 July in Embassy to Court of Great Mogul (1899)
I. 22 The pilott of the Iunke, Malim-Abrimme, spake Portiguse. 1886
H. YULE & A. C. BURNELL Hobson-Jobson 418/2 Malum... In a ship
with English officers and native crew, the mate is called malum sahib.
The word..is properly applied to the pilot or sailing-master. 1894  
Nautical
Mag. Mar. 275 Loss owing to master continuing to stand on after
sounding showed that he was in shoaling water. Certificate as malim
recommended to be cancelled. 1907 M. ROBERTS Flying Cloud xxix.
275 You t'ink I tell the Malem Sahib, tell the mate? 1921 C. T. WILLSON
(title) The malem sahib's Hindustani.
==================

--- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar



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ooroo

If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door.

Anon.



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