|
Halapid’s Policy Toward Use of “Marrano” from HaLapid, Summer 2000 The word “Marrano” is not generally used in Halapid articles because of the common understanding of its pejorative nature, generally believed to have come from the Spanish word for swine. Exception to this policy are made when the term is inimical to an article. Our page one article by David Ramirez in the Summer 2000 issue is one of these exceptions. In his work A History of the Marranos, Historian Cecil Roth presents an analysis of its derivation. He lists terms used by the general population of early modern Spain. Among these are converso, or convert and New Christians, as distinguished from Old Christians. Roth next describes another, less known term, such Alboraycos, from al-Burak, Mohammed’s steed “which was neither horse nor mule, male nor female – much like the persons to whom the name was applied, who were neither Jews nor Christians.” He then addresses the term Marrano, giving some of its “fanciful” derivations. Some come from Hebrew, such as Mar’at ‘Ayin, Appearance of the Eye; Mumar, apostate; Mohram Atta, Thou Art Excommunicated; and Mar Anuss, Master Anuss. From the Arabic, there is Mura’in, or hypocrite and from the ecclesiastical, Anathema Maranatha. Then Roth calls “all this linguistic speculation...needless,” claiming the Spanish swine as the correct source, and closes with an attempt to reinvent the word as an in-your-face term. Halapid editors know that many present day descendants of those who have lived in terror and insecurity for centuries see little romantic in the experience, and so we have abjured the term unless used in a historical or academic context. We will continue to do so, and invite readers’ comments. |
Society For Crypto Judaic Studies
|
