MLK

So the other day I was driving along in my pick-up truck, listening to country music, puffing my pipe, and thinking about Semitic languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, etc.).

Words in these languages tend to be built around roots that have three consonants, which then have a variety of prefixes, suffixes, and infixes shoved around and into them. (An infix is a affix that goes into a word, as you might imagine, instead of on the front or on the back, like a prefix or suffix.)

F’rinstance: the root K-T-B gets use in Semitic languages to make words like "write," "writing," "book," "bookkeeper," "library," etc.

‘Nuther instance: M-L-K gets used for a lot of royal words . . .

  • In Hebrew the word for "king" is melek, in Aramaic it’s malka, and in Arabic it’s malik.
  • In Hebrew the word for "queen" is malkah, in Aramaic it’s malktha, and in Arabic it’s malika.
  • In Hebrew the word for "angel" or "messenger" (i.e., a messenger of the king or the heavenly King) is mal’ak, in Aramaic it’s malaka, and in Arabic it’s malaak.

So lots of M-L-K words denoting kings and king-related things in Semitic languages.

Which got me thinking about this guy:

Mlkjr

America’s own M.L.K, or Martin Luther King.

Go fig.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

10 thoughts on “MLK”

  1. So the other day I was driving along in my pick-up truck, listening to country music, puffing my pipe, and thinking about Semitic languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, etc.).

    I’ve become addicted to spotting sentences that you just know have never before been uttered or written — in any language.
    This is one! 😀

  2. Cool Jimmy. Didn’t know you smoked a pipe? What sort of pipe? You should blog on pipe smoking one of these days.

  3. Typo–“Didn’t know you smoked a pipe?”
    Read–“Didn’t know you smoked a pipe.

  4. I second R.V. Miole about you blogging on pipe smoking. I don’t think I’m the only one surprised.

  8. It was Hot Country until Clear Channel (pox be upon them) took it over and ruined it by turning it into “Bob” (which ain’t even a country name).
    These days it’s 95.1 when I listen to the radio, but normally I just listen to CDs or mp3s.
    Lots of Marshall Tucker and Nitty Gritty’s Circle stuff. Some Charlie Daniels, Hank, and others.

  9. I’m not that much of a country fan but for a couple of exceptions. CDB rules! And Waylon. And I’ve liked Jimmy Buffett since I discovered him in 1979. But he’s not completely country. I’m not sure what he is… other than fun.
    I’m also fanatical about Nanci Griffith… her music and singing.. not politics. But she’s more folk than country.

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