No, neither of those words are commonly used here, though they may have been more common in the 40s and 50s. I vaguely recall hearing 'shufti' when i was younger but never these days. I know them mainly through Monty Python. It was when I lived and worked in Egypt that I discovered their origins.
From the older contexts I understood 'bint' as dismissive (like calling a woman a 'bird') but without regular cultural context didn't realise it was more pejorative than that. I didnt know it was still used by anybody at all actually. i havent heard it used in actual speech in years. Good thing I never use it myself.
I want to go and wallow in that attic. I'm totally with you on bookshops, libraries, curio shops and the like. :)
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branchandroot
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Date: 2012-06-26 03:27 am (UTC)From the older contexts I understood 'bint' as dismissive (like calling a woman a 'bird') but without regular cultural context didn't realise it was more pejorative than that. I didnt know it was still used by anybody at all actually. i havent heard it used in actual speech in years. Good thing I never use it myself.
I want to go and wallow in that attic. I'm totally with you on bookshops, libraries, curio shops and the like. :)