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I had a photoshoot scheduled with a young Somali man. He was late by over an hour, and I had another shoot after so I had to cancel. I rescheduled and told him

I had a photoshoot scheduled with a young Somali man. He was late by over an hour, and I had another shoot after so I had to cancel. I rescheduled and told him if he was late for the next shoot I wouldn’t be rescheduling again. He said he wouldn’t be…inshallah. I know it’s part of their language but just as with your cab example it can be a bit annoying as an outsider, as it feels like they’re passing off responsibility. I feel the same way about some of the things Christians say too, for what it’s worth. Anyways, that’s my infuriating inshallah story. He was late again - and he needed to find another photographer after that.

lupusreal 2y ago
Inshallah is just a fun and useful word, I've been hearing it a lot lately from people who aren't even Muslims. I think it's on track to become a common loan word in English.
- glompers 2y ago
  It already is one from Arabic to Spanish (ojalá for "I hope" or "hopefully")
svachalek 2y ago
Sounds similar to "mei ban fa" (it can't be helped) in Chinese. The words suggest something is impossible but in practice it generally just means, nope, don't feel like it.
stareatgoats 2y ago
> they’re passing off responsibility On the other hand. For example in Kiswahili "Shauri ya Mungo" (God's business). Perhaps not exactly the same, but sufficiently similar to be interesting: that some things are in fact beyond human capability and comprehension has largely disappeared from the English language (or any language from predominately secular countries).
- sangnoir 2y ago
  > that some things are in fact beyond human capability and comprehension has largely disappeared from the English language (or any language from predominately secular countries It's still common in insurances agreements or other contracts that have to consider force majeure - natural disasters and other phenomena fall under the blanket term "Acts of God". Also, plenty of "secular" curses/exclamations have religious connotations (because it was taboo, and cursing and the taboo are inextricably linked). "Geez", "Gazooks" (God's hooks), etc.

lupusreal 2y ago

Inshallah is just a fun and useful word, I've been hearing it a lot lately from people who aren't even Muslims. I think it's on track to become a common loan word in English.

glompers 2y ago
It already is one from Arabic to Spanish (ojalá for "I hope" or "hopefully")

svachalek 2y ago

Sounds similar to "mei ban fa" (it can't be helped) in Chinese. The words suggest something is impossible but in practice it generally just means, nope, don't feel like it.

stareatgoats 2y ago

> they’re passing off responsibility On the other hand. For example in Kiswahili "Shauri ya Mungo" (God's business). Perhaps not exactly the same, but sufficiently similar to be interesting: that some things are in fact beyond human capability and comprehension has largely disappeared from the English language (or any language from predominately secular countries).

sangnoir 2y ago
> that some things are in fact beyond human capability and comprehension has largely disappeared from the English language (or any language from predominately secular countries It's still common in insurances agreements or other contracts that have to consider force majeure - natural disasters and other phenomena fall under the blanket term "Acts of God". Also, plenty of "secular" curses/exclamations have religious connotations (because it was taboo, and cursing and the taboo are inextricably linked). "Geez", "Gazooks" (God's hooks), etc.