żmien żemżem
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Maltese[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From żmien + żemżem, literally “the time of Zamzam”. The phrase probably means so much as “the days of Abraham”, in which the Zamzam well sprang forth according to Islamic belief.[1] The Maltese people descend mainly from Arabic-speaking Muslims who were converted after the Norman conquest in 1127.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
żmien żemżem m
- the far past
- 2011 August 24, “Proġett ikkofinanzjat mill-UE dwar ġrajjiet ir-Roma jirbaħ il-premju tal-midja diġitali [EU co-funded Roma stories project wins digital media award (English)]”, in Commission Spokesperson's Service[2], European Commission:
- "Jiena kburija li qed nara proġett iffinanzjat mill-UE li qed jopponi preġudizzji minn żmien żemżem kontra r-Roma li qiegħed jirċievi rikonoxximent fin-naħa l-oħra tal-Atlantiku."
- "I am proud to see an EU-funded project countering age-old prejudices against Roma receiving acknowledgement across the Atlantic."
References[edit]
- ^ Ritienne Gauci, John Schembri (2012 April 28) “University seminar discusses water”, in Times of Malta[1]: “The Maltese expression minn żmien żemżem (since time immemorial) owes its origin to a well which is reputed to have therapeutic powers in the holy city of Mecca, which according to tradition, goes back to the time of Abraham.”