by patio34 7 Replies latest jw friends
Hi all you wordsmiths,
Waiting (my younger sis with whom I'm visiting) and I were discussing the world crisis. A trivial question came up as to what the "stan" in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the ilk means. I did a search and couldn't come up with anything. Any help?
Also, the question came up from watching the History Channel why the US didn't obliterate the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A general asserted that had the US done that, it would have effectively shut down the war.
Have a great day!
Pat
A further explanation of our questions (because my sister uses words I don't understand - and she's in the shower so I can type this without her seeing this.....{;)])
Ho Chi Min Trail - A VietNam retired general was interviewed and he said that if the US had closed, barracaded, destroyed, this main road, it would have stopped the food supply to the VC army - thus stopping the non-named war. He said he never understood why the Americans didn't do that.
Does anyone know? I could only think that it was because it was an un-disclosed war - and for some reason, this road wasn't closed?
waiting
ps: I still don't know what "ilk" means - nor would I actually use *that* word. But I trust that she knows what's she's talking about........
Pat:
Pakistan is derived from two Urdu words:
Pak: meaning "pure".
Stan: meaning "country".
Expatbrit
Thanks a million, Expatbrit! I couldn't find it in many of the reference works on the Net.
Pat
great, expat. do you know the translations for all the other 'stans' too?
More on Pakistan's etymology: http://www.khyber.demon.co.uk/history/pakistan/history.htm
--
Those who can induce you to believe absurdities can induce you to commit attrocities - Voltaire
Those damn British!
Now I can sleep at night. Thanks for the website FunnyDerek.
Pat
