READER COMMENT (September 1, 2006)
Hi,
I read in your definitions on your website that mosque was derived from the term 'mosquito' which is actually a myth. I looked it up so that I'd have something scholarly to back me up..
"The modern-day English word "mosque", just like its equivalents in many other European <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe> languages, derives from the word /masjid/ via Spanish
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_language> /mezquita/.^[1] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque#_note-Masdjid1> The pre-cursors of the word "mosque" appeared during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries and "Moseak", "muskey", "moschy", and "mos'keh" were just some of the variations that came into use until it was decided that "mosquee",
imitating Middle French <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_French>, Italian <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_language>, and Old Spanish <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_language>, would become the standard. In the early 18th century, the modern spelling became the most popular and standard spelling of the word."
- from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque (they site their sources there)
Peace,
Sadiya(Use your back button to return)