November 09, 2004

"Fallujans"?

Lots of reputable news outlets, including NPR earlier tonight, are referring to the, erm, beneficiaries of our current offensive as "Fallujans." It sounds strange -- shouldn't the word be "Fallujis" or something? "Fallujans" has this sci-fi sound, like "Romulans." Like they should have green skin, three eyes, and a psychokinetic bump on the left toe knuckle. "Fallujans"? It makes the world news sound like a Star Trek episode.... So I meant to ask, does anyone know if this word is the right one?

Posted by Martha Bridegam at November 9, 2004 11:42 PM
Comments

I believe it is. I don't know where the Arabic placename ending "-iya" came from, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that it was a hellenistic borrowing. At any rate, English treats it as if it were one, so that "Arabia" forms "Arabian", and "Syria" forms "Syrian". Hence "Falluja"/"Fallujia"/"Fallujiya" forms "Fallujian".

None of which explains Austin->Austinite but Houston->Houstonian.

At any rate, nothing seemed stranger to me a few months back than to hear Muqtadr al-Sadr's name tripping off the tongues of broadcasters.

Posted by: Ben Brumfield at November 9, 2004 11:56 PM

cf. Orwell's amazement that, by 1942, millions of English people could almost pronounce Dnepropetrovsk.

Posted by: Alan Allport at November 10, 2004 02:41 AM

Thanks, Ben, I thought you might know.

BTW since I'm not really a Trekkie, & since the world news doesn't bear looking at head-on, could someone explain woss a Romulan please?

Posted by: Martha Bridegam at November 10, 2004 10:33 AM

They are ancient Romans with spaceships and spock ears. Basically.

Posted by: Alan Hogue at November 10, 2004 12:02 PM

Thx much. Any particular ancient Romans we've heard of or just generically ancient Roman?

BTW some ancient Roman nickel knowledge: at stadiums in Spain, certain levels of seating are still called "tribuna" and "amfiteatro," and an entrance from a hallway into seating sections is still "vomitorio".

Things change more slowly in this world than you'd think.

Posted by: Martha Bridegam at November 10, 2004 05:46 PM

I don't think so. Just generic. Though a real Star Trek fan might have a different opinion.

Posted by: Alan Hogue at November 10, 2004 06:36 PM