Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:31 PM Jun 2014

Anyone else wondering why an "Islamist" group would have an acronym like "ISIS"?

Islamists never respect or acknowledge the validity of pre-Islamic religions that once existed in countries that are now Muslim(remember what the Taliban did to the old Buddhist statues in Afghanistan, for example).
So why would an "Islamist" group ever use an acronym that(in English) spelled out the name of a goddess in the old Egyptian religion?

It does sound, however, like something outsiders organizing a "false flag" operation for the purpose of hanging a "Fall of Saigon" moment on Obama could come up with, not realizing that it might look a bit "off".

Especially, perhaps, associates of a former vice president who owns a company whose name begins with "H".

Clearly, it's something to investigate.

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Anyone else wondering why an "Islamist" group would have an acronym like "ISIS"? (Original Post) Ken Burch Jun 2014 OP
Maybe they don't use a Latin alphabet. rug Jun 2014 #1
They usually are conscious about how things will translate into English, though. Ken Burch Jun 2014 #2
Oh really? Like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front? jberryhill Jun 2014 #27
ISIS is the English acronym for "Islamic States of Iraq and Syria" IDemo Jun 2014 #3
Yes, it's the literal translation of the Arabic version of the name Ken Burch Jun 2014 #6
they also use ISIL , this isn't some conspiracy JI7 Jun 2014 #7
But the article states that it isn't even the literal translation IDemo Jun 2014 #8
Native English speakers screw up acroynms all the time BainsBane Jun 2014 #30
Glad you said it. bunnies Jun 2014 #4
This group has had other names over the past ten years hack89 Jun 2014 #5
The acronym isn't not self created and stands for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Agnosticsherbet Jun 2014 #9
Don't worry, it was extensively focus tested by the pentagon whatchamacallit Jun 2014 #10
Christ. NuclearDem Jun 2014 #11
Not in the Middle East countries of Libya, Iraq, Syria, ... delrem Jun 2014 #20
Who's denying US involvement in that region? NuclearDem Jun 2014 #21
You evidently haven't been reading DU. delrem Jun 2014 #22
bob dylan fans. KG Jun 2014 #12
I'm surprised that no one else took the bait... DreamGypsy Jun 2014 #24
They love mystery cults? Rex Jun 2014 #13
Is there any evidence that they play up on that acronym or is... JVS Jun 2014 #14
It's a coincidence, another diversion. delrem Jun 2014 #16
Because they're armed, funded, supported, by delrem Jun 2014 #15
I don't know the truth of it, but it is not impossible. GoneFishin Jun 2014 #17
Absolutely. McCain is the cause of "Friends of Syria (tm)" delrem Jun 2014 #18
Holy shit! Some of you are serious about this. Throd Jun 2014 #19
It's not sitting well with me, either. hunter Jun 2014 #23
It's the same old name: "Bandar Bush". delrem Jun 2014 #25
Typical coincidental linguistic twist defacto7 Jun 2014 #26
I gotta be honest, every time I hear it, I think of "Archer" Warren DeMontague Jun 2014 #28
Because their name is in Arabic and ISIS is only a translation BainsBane Jun 2014 #29
Arabs call it "Da'ish" which sounds like the English word "Dash". CJCRANE Jun 2014 #31
Because they all used to secretly row for Oxford University muriel_volestrangler Jun 2014 #32
Archer fans... Brisk Jun 2014 #33
 

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)
2. They usually are conscious about how things will translate into English, though.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:34 PM
Jun 2014

"Islamists" have always been media-savvy that way.

It's why they always have English-language signs at their rallies, for example.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
27. Oh really? Like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front?
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 02:54 AM
Jun 2014

"Usually conscious"?

Based on what facts?

Because threats about the MILF insurgents get locked here.

IDemo

(16,926 posts)
3. ISIS is the English acronym for "Islamic States of Iraq and Syria"
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:37 PM
Jun 2014

According to this article, the group's Arabic name is "al-Dawla al-Islamiya fil-Iraq wa al-Sham".

They weren't thinking of Isis, Goddess of the Throne:

 

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)
6. Yes, it's the literal translation of the Arabic version of the name
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:45 PM
Jun 2014

But actual Islamist groups usually have some English-speakers in their ranks, and normally one of them would have pointed out the problem there, probably angrily.

IDemo

(16,926 posts)
8. But the article states that it isn't even the literal translation
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:52 PM
Jun 2014

"Al-Sham" is the traditional Arabic reference to the region which includes Syria. It could well be that even an English speaker would not have gone the extra step in excluding all other countries in that region.

Neither way is an exact rendering of the group's Arabic name "al-Dawla al-Islamiya fil-Iraq wa al-Sham". The difficulty is with last word "al-Sham", which is the Arabic term for Damascus and its hinterlands.

Al-Sham is the classical Arabic term for Damascus and its hinterlands, and over time, it came to denote the area between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates, south of the Taurus Mountains and north of the Arabian desert. Similarly, in Egypt, "Masr" may refer either to Cairo or to the whole country. Used in that sense, al-Sham takes in not just Syria but also Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, and even a part of southeastern Turkey.

BainsBane

(53,003 posts)
30. Native English speakers screw up acroynms all the time
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:25 AM
Jun 2014

A nurse at the hospital my dad was in was telling me that they named the acronym of an earlier version of the hospital's name was FUC, and the K was actually used sometimes. They have to redo new signs and change the name to UFC. Imagine what that cost.

 

bunnies

(15,859 posts)
4. Glad you said it.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:37 PM
Jun 2014

Its been striking a nerve with me since I first heard about them. It just seems not quite right. Im not sure what to think about the whole thing.

hack89

(39,171 posts)
5. This group has had other names over the past ten years
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:42 PM
Jun 2014

The name ISIS is the latest and is only a year hold. We know enough about this group to know they are not a false flag. Unless you are arguing it is a ten year false flag.

whatchamacallit

(15,558 posts)
10. Don't worry, it was extensively focus tested by the pentagon
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:17 PM
Jun 2014

before being rolled out to the american public.

 

NuclearDem

(16,184 posts)
11. Christ.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:22 PM
Jun 2014

Does nothing happen in other parts of the world outside the control or engineering of the US?

delrem

(9,688 posts)
20. Not in the Middle East countries of Libya, Iraq, Syria, ...
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:03 PM
Jun 2014

WTF is with the new US obsession with denying the reality of US involvement in MIC activities in the ME?

DreamGypsy

(2,252 posts)
24. I'm surprised that no one else took the bait...
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 12:59 AM
Jun 2014

...

Describes the U.S. "involvement" in Iraq quite well.

I married Isis on the fifth day of May
But I could not hold on to her very long
So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away
For the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong

I came to a high place of darkness and light
The dividing line ran through the center of town
I hitched up my pony to a post on the right
Went in to a laundry to wash my clothes down

A man in the corner approached me for a match
I knew right away he was not ordinary
He said, “Are you lookin’ for somethin’ easy to catch?”
I said, “I got no money.” He said, “That ain’t necessary”

<snip>

The wind it was howlin’ and the snow was outrageous
We chopped through the night and we chopped through the dawn
When he died I was hopin’ that it wasn’t contagious
But I made up my mind that I had to go on

I broke into the tomb, but the casket was empty
There was no jewels, no nothin’, I felt I’d been had
When I saw that my partner was just bein’ friendly
When I took up his offer I must-a been mad

I picked up his body and I dragged him inside
Threw him down in the hole and I put back the cover
I said a quick prayer and I felt satisfied
Then I rode back to find Isis just to tell her I love her

She was there in the meadow where the creek used to rise
Blinded by sleep and in need of a bed
I came in from the East with the sun in my eyes
I cursed her one time then I rode on ahead

She said, “Where ya been?” I said, “No place special”
She said, “You look different.” I said, “Well, not quite”
She said, “You been gone.” I said, “That’s only natural”
She said, “You gonna stay?” I said, “Yeah, I jes might”

Isis, oh, Isis, you mystical child
What drives me to you is what drives me insane
I still can remember the way that you smiled
On the fifth day of May in the drizzlin’ rain


http://vimeo.com/61341838

JVS

(61,935 posts)
14. Is there any evidence that they play up on that acronym or is...
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:32 PM
Jun 2014

it just a coincidence like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front being called MILF.

GoneFishin

(5,217 posts)
17. I don't know the truth of it, but it is not impossible.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:55 PM
Jun 2014
ISIS Can Thank McCain And Graham

http://commonsensedecisions.blogspot.com/2014/06/isis-can-thank-mccain-and-graham.html

People were getting "Al-qaeda" fatigue. Now we can have a new, improved, boogey man.

delrem

(9,688 posts)
18. Absolutely. McCain is the cause of "Friends of Syria (tm)"
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:59 PM
Jun 2014

and "R2P Libya (tm)", and the current mess.

It couldn't possibly have occurred exactly as it happened.

Throd

(7,208 posts)
19. Holy shit! Some of you are serious about this.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:03 PM
Jun 2014

Maybe they really liked that Saturday morning TV show from the 70's.

hunter

(38,264 posts)
23. It's not sitting well with me, either.
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 12:49 AM
Jun 2014

Too much cloak and dagger stuff going on here, too many easy media contacts.



Same old shit, served up with a new name.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
26. Typical coincidental linguistic twist
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 02:38 AM
Jun 2014

Even more common than planned political renaming E.G. ACA vs. Obamacare or Anti-choice vs. Pro-life. Or in science, Last Universal Ancestor - LUA vs. Last Common Universal Ancestor - LUCA = same thing

(/ )

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Anyone else wondering why...