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In writing to a chum about the recent decision of the British student-testing authorities to banish UK spelling in favour of American, I used the clause: "The Saracens are at the gate." My chum wrote back and inquired what I meant and to what I was referring. Oops. There is no language gaffe as good as one which is utterly unintended. I said that I meant that this was a dire situation, a critical event, and a last-ditch defense. I frankly have no idea where this usage arose. Undoubtedly it has something to do with the European occupation of parts of Northern Africa in the Middle Ages. But is it a quote? If so, who said it, when and where? Please respond quickly in order that I may appear to my chum much brighter than I really am.
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Carpal Tunnel
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I'm more familiar with "the barbarians are at the gate", which was used as the title of a book (and movie); but I'm drawing a blank on where *that came from....
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Carpal Tunnel
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Good clue. I ran down a movie on the Internet Movie Database called "Barbarians at the Gate" (a 1993 film which was made for television), based on a 1991 novel of the same name by Bryan Burroughs. This is nonetheless a reference to a much earlier usage, I am certain.
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
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It is quite familiar to me , we have "Mamma, li turchi" = (help), mother, Turchish (I have no idea of the correct spelling) people are arriving...
I think that I heard something like this with reference to some small town in South Italy, while Saracens where arriving from the sea...
Ciao
Emanuela
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My maternal grandmother used to use an expression that was similar. When she wanted to say that something was not as serious as we thought, she would say, “Les Sarrasins sont pas à la porte.” (the Sarasens are not at the door).
The Sarasens were the name given to Muslims in the middle ages. Perhaps the expression came about in the age of sea conquests, pirates and privateers when the sea going ships of one religion would, with the blessing and encouragement of their respective countries, invade the ships and port villages of other religious affiliations. I wonder if the Muslims had an expression that went “the Christians are at the door”?
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I believe the Saracens knew the Crusaders indiscriminately as "Franks" no matter where they actually came from.
Bingley
Bingley
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About the Saracen knocking at the door
didn't this arise from the last effort of the ottoman empire to invade Europe in 15XX? They planned an surprise attach on the city of Vienna, and were thwarted by the cities bakers, who being up early raised the alarm. "The Saracens are at the gate."
Cresent rolls (croissants) are commemorative, I am told. Honoring the bakers, the hour and the victory.
Where are the history majors when we need them?
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Our deliberations are much enriched by the Italic perspectve which emanuela brings to them (and to us).
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old hand
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old hand
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>>>Italic<<<
Italian?
Yes indeed, but posher (or at least more archaic). It's where the word for slanty letters came from - they were copying the style from Italy.
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