Zareba

[hutch at bewellnet.com]

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2001 Jun 12 - 10:13
Aussie Meyer <houston.guide at about.com>
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[snip]
>Author: Hutch
>zareba - n. - [Arab.] An indefensible position (E.g., the fort in _Beau
>Geste_ was "Fort Zareba")
>Commentary: "Honorable mention for using a movie that I cannot recall
>very well.  I wonder if that was really the name of the fort?" - Linda
>"Have to look hard for subtleties to disqualify some of these -- in this
>case, I'm suspecious because I don't think you ever capitalize "e.g."."
>- J-J
[snip]

Of course you occasionally capitalize "e.g." Simply not in THIS instance. *blush*

>Author: Merriam-Webster Online
>Score: 2 (Judith) + 1 (PHMA) + 2 (Fran) + 1 (Linda) + 2 (Ranjit) + 1
>(MYS)
>zareba - n.- (Arabic zarIbah enclosure): an improvised stockade
>constructed in parts of Africa especially of thorny bushes 
>Commentary: "nice plausibility." - Fran
>"one point because I originally thought zareba was an arabic word, but I
>really have no idea." - Linda
>"Most nouns that come into English from Arabic start with "al-", and
>though this etymology isn't impossible, it doesn't seem that likely." -
>J-J
[snip]

Interestingly, my first thought was "Gee, that sounds Arabic". That's where I came up with the _Beau Geste_ thought.

Isn't there an Africaan word that means something similar? "Laager"? (Not sure if that's the right word.) Modern militaries have used it to refer to a defensive grouping of tanks.

Blessed Be,
Hutch