Hassouni Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Why why why does everyone call the tobacco "shisha?" Shisha comes from the Persian [i]shisheh[/i] which means glass. By extension, in Turkish, as well as Iraqi Arabic, shisha/şişe refers to a bottle, or just the glass part of the whole pipe. In Egypt, North Africa, and the Gulf, shisha refers to the whole pipe, as an extension of the glass. It makes no sense to call the tobacco shisha, it's as if you were a pipe smoker, and you went to a smoke shop asking for 50g of Virginia "pipe," or if you referred to the product in your bottle of beer as "bottle." My only guess is that some Egyptians in the States said "smoke shisha" referring to the pipe itself, as others may say, "smoke hookah," but someone thought shisha was the substance itself, perhaps because of the similarity in sound to a certain form of NHT that rhymes with shmashish. I'm sure no one cares, but it just sounds very very silly to me to hear tobacco called shisha. End rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 This is why I just call it tobacco, since shisha can mean more than the tobacco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendetta_revived Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 No one calls it shisha here, because as you said, shisha means glass here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcpii Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 It's just what's done in the US. As "incorrect" as it may be, every part of the hookah experience has completely different names in different places. Despite being birthed by a "mistake" I don't really see this terminology being any less legitimate than any other. The US is developing its own hookah culture and what the majority says, not what is "correct," is what will stick. I also call it "tobacco" or "molasses tobacco" but I see no reason to get riled up over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shishologist Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Wait. We don't smoke glass?! I been putting glass in my bowl for like 3 years. Why didn't you tell me?!?!?!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianj317 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 i walked into a shop two days ago to buy some tobacco and the lady said oh did you want some shisha? i almost corrected her but she dosnt know shit about hookahs so i didnt see the point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 wow, haven't seen this topic in a year or so. Things change, words change, meanings change. Since there is no way you can change it, might as well accept the inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hassouni Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Neverrrrr!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 dream on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorlyfish Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Because then other people know what I'm talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no longer welcome Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 how bout we come up with trendy words for hookah tobacco that could be hip for a short time period? like "you guys have any sheesh here?" i can't really think up any but say like beer, it's referred to "a cold one" "subs" "brew" "ale", why not with shisha, opps, i mean hookah tobacco? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1v3th3ad Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 what would you prefer it be called hass? I like your idea john "lets go smoke some moe" sounds good to me, in reference to the title moassal(spelling?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Smoke some Mo? You wanna rethink that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1v3th3ad Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 [quote name='mushrat' timestamp='1307195116' post='511682'] Smoke some Mo? You wanna rethink that? [/quote] whats wrong with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hassouni Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 For what it's worth in Arabic, Turkish, Persian, etc, you just say "smoke nargile/ghalyoon/shisha[pipe!!]", always referring to the pipe. Although in those language you drink it, not smoke it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustafabey Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Mu'assel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 It is simple linguistics, ever ask wonder why Arabs have no idea who Aristotle is? Or what a Saudi calls a steering wheel or a Qatari calls a U-turn? If we bitched and moaned about every linguistic difference then we'd be here a while. Just chill, load a bowl, and some some SHISHA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hassouni Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 [quote name='mustafabey' timestamp='1307216891' post='511696'] Mu'assel [/quote] tütün works too [img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img] [quote name='Tyler' timestamp='1307216928' post='511697'] It is simple linguistics, ever ask wonder why Arabs have no idea who Aristotle is? Or what a Saudi calls a steering wheel or a Qatari calls a U-turn? If we bitched and moaned about every linguistic difference then we'd be here a while. Just chill, load a bowl, and some some SHISHA. [/quote] Arabs traditionally DID know who Aristotle was, who introduced him back to Europe to spark the Renaissance? And a U-turn is still called a turn in Arabic. It'd be as if Arabs called gasoline "car," which they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1v3th3ad Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I still like the idea of starting "let smoke some mo" or "I'm going to smoke some mo" etc...we should start it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSwingle Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I learned about shisha in the past being the hookah and just call it moassel now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hassouni Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 [quote name='DSwingle' timestamp='1307224221' post='511708'] I learned about shisha in the past being the hookah and just call it moassel now [/quote] yaaaaay good man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustafabey Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 [quote name='Hassouni' timestamp='1307218151' post='511698'] [quote name='mustafabey' timestamp='1307216891' post='511696'] Mu'assel [/quote] tütün works too [img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img] [quote name='Tyler' timestamp='1307216928' post='511697'] It is simple linguistics, ever ask wonder why Arabs have no idea who Aristotle is? Or what a Saudi calls a steering wheel or a Qatari calls a U-turn? If we bitched and moaned about every linguistic difference then we'd be here a while. Just chill, load a bowl, and some some SHISHA. [/quote] Arabs traditionally DID know who Aristotle was, who introduced him back to Europe to spark the Renaissance? And a U-turn is still called a turn in Arabic. It'd be as if Arabs called gasoline "car," which they don't. [/quote] Thank you Hassouni, Arabs certainly knew Aristotle well, and Plato and the whole gang. When they took Greater Syria they got all that knowledge, not to mention the library at Alexandria which they did not burn. It was Arab Spain,one of the highest civilizations ever to flourish that reintroduced Europe to classical Greek and Roman knowledge. Guys like ibn Arabi,ibn Rushd,ibn Sina and al Ghazali actually expanded Christian concepts of God,but you won't hear that from the evangelical crowd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antouwan Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 [quote name='Hassouni' timestamp='1307218151' post='511698'] [quote name='mustafabey' timestamp='1307216891' post='511696'] Mu'assel [/quote] tütün works too [img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img] [quote name='Tyler' timestamp='1307216928' post='511697'] It is simple linguistics, ever ask wonder why Arabs have no idea who Aristotle is? Or what a Saudi calls a steering wheel or a Qatari calls a U-turn? If we bitched and moaned about every linguistic difference then we'd be here a while. Just chill, load a bowl, and some some SHISHA. [/quote] Arabs traditionally DID know who Aristotle was, who introduced him back to Europe to spark the Renaissance? And a U-turn is still called a turn in Arabic. It'd be as if Arabs called gasoline "car," which they don't. [/quote] haha ftw. i know what you mean though, hass. it's a bit interesting how things work here. [b][size="4"]that's why i just call it hubbly bubbly/ hübblé bübblé/ hubblı bubblı (now ıt's turkı[/size][font="Verdana"][size="3"]şh) lulz[/size][/font][/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezxen Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 [quote name='mushrat' timestamp='1307144048' post='511612'] wow, haven't seen this topic in a year or so. Things change, words change, meanings change. Since there is no way you can change it, might as well accept the inevitable. [/quote] [quote name='jorlyfish' timestamp='1307153364' post='511631'] Because then other people know what I'm talking about. [/quote] Ditto I will admit at first i thought Shisha meant the tobacco as its labeld Shisha tobaco so i thought thats what it was called. Now i know its tobacco for the shihsa but as the above state Us hookah Culture is evolving . Every one know knows the the tobacco is not shisha but we use shisha any ways. Its just what were used too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorlyfish Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 [quote name='r1v3th3ad' timestamp='1307212484' post='511690'] [quote name='mushrat' timestamp='1307195116' post='511682'] Smoke some Mo? You wanna rethink that? [/quote] whats wrong with that? [/quote] I think he's referring to this slang... http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=%27mo (1st and 2nd definition, I've never heard someone refer to an emo kid as being " 'mo") 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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