Question: The etymology of Gobolada Midoobay ee Ameerika? 🇺🇸

[backgroundISneeded]

What is the etymology of 'Maraykanka'?

It seems to me that the word 'Maraykan' comes from the demonym of the US.


American => Merican => marikan => maraykan

Sentences

waxay tagay maraykanka.
Maraykanka => USA
Waxaan jeclahay gabadh maraykan ah.
Maraykan (-/+ ah )=> US citizen

 

[Burqad]

It comes from a term for the grey cloth Americans used to export to Somalia. The reason alindi traditional Somali cloth exists is because it’s cheapness drive the traditional Somali white clothmakers out of business so they had to innovate with dyes imported from India.

 

[Hamzza]

As @Burqad said it comes from American cotton cloths which was popular among the Somalis in the 19th century.

The tobe was called Maleykaan or Mareykaan.

 

[backgroundISneeded]

As @Burqad said it comes from American cotton cloths which was popular among the Somalis in the 19th century.

The tobe was called Maleykaan or Mareykaan.

Is the term maleykaan somali term or the company that made clothes name ? What language is it ?

 

[Hamzza]

Is the term maleykaan somali term or the company that made clothes name ? What language is it ?

The term is actually Swahili and refers to the place where the clothes were made 'America'.

 

[Burqad]

I heard that the word Maraykan meant “cloth in one piece” in a dialect and also that it is called Alindi because a Somali cloth-worker who lost his job saw an Indian guy walking around in a very colorful robe, and got an idea.

both of those are just sheeko probably unlike the previous post, but I report what I hear

 

[Burqad]

The term is actually Swahili and refers to the place where the clothes were made 'America'.
View attachment 256116

barkin isn’t related right?

 

[backgroundISneeded]

The term is actually Swahili and refers to the place where the clothes were made 'America'.
View attachment 256116

This does not explained anything. You just said what they said and give credit to Swahili.

Since this clothes was also imported to Somalia from US. How did we come up with this sound? amerikani / amerikaan. to maraykan.

 

[Burqad]

This does explained anything. You just said what they said and give credit to Swahili.

Since this clothes was also imported to Somalia from US. How did we come up with this sound? amerikani / amerikaan. to maraykan.

Merikani to Maraykaan isn’t that big of a leap

 

[Hamzza]

barkin isn’t related right?

Barkin as pillow?? Yes it's not related to Maraykaan

 

[Hamzza]

This does not explained anything. You just said what they said and give credit to Swahili.

Since this clothes was also imported to Somalia from US. How did we come up with this sound? amerikani / amerikaan. to maraykan.

The cloth was imported from America to Somalia via Zanzibar.
Maraykaan is Somalized version of Amerikani.

Loanwords are altered to fit the imported language.