Chapter MARWÁREE to MATROSS of M by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

MARWÁREE to MATROSS

MARWÁREE, n.p. and s. This word Marwari, properly a man of the Marwar [Skt. maru, ‘desert’], or Jodhpur country in Rajputana, is used in many parts of India as synonymous with Banya (see BANYAN) or Sowcar, fr om the fact that many of the traders and money-lenders have come originally from Marwar, most frequently Jains in religion. Compare the Lombard of medieval England, and the caorsino of Dante’s time.

[1819.—“Miseries seem to follow the footsteps of the Marwarees.”—Tr. Lit. Soc. Bo. i. 297.

[1826—“One of my master’s under-shopmen, Sewchund, a Marwarry.”—Pandurang Hari, ed. 1873, i. 233.]

MARYACAR, n.p. According to R. Drummond and a MS. note on the India Library copy of his book R. Catholics in Malabar were so called. Marya Karar, or ‘Mary’s People.’ [The word appears to be really marakkar, of which two explanations are given. Logan (Malabar, i. 332 note) says that Marakkar means ‘doer or follower of the Law’ (marggam), and is applied to a foreign religion, like that of Christians and Mohammedans. The Madras Gloss. (iii. 474) derives it from Mal. marakkalam, ‘boat,’ and kar, a termination showing possession, and defines it as a “titular appellation of the Moplah Mahommedans on the S.W. coast.”]

MASCABAR, s. This is given by C. P. Brown (MS. notes) as an Indo-Portuguese word for ‘the last day of the month,’ quoting Calcutta Review, viii. 345. He suggests as its etymon Hind. mas-ke-ba’ad, ‘after a month.’ [In N. Indian public offices the maskabar is well known as the monthly statement of cases decided during the month. It has been suggested that it represents the Port. mes-acabar, ‘end of the month’; but according to Platts. it is more probably a corruption of Hind. masik-war or mas-ka-war.]

MASH, s. Hind. mash, [Skt. masha, ‘a bean’]; Phaseolus radiatus, Roxb. One of the common Hindu pulses. [See MOONG.]

MASKEE. This is a term in Chinese “pigeon,” meaning ‘never mind,’ ‘n’importe,’ which is constantly in the mouths of Europeans in China. It is supposed that it may be the corruption or ellipsis of a Portuguese expression, but nothing satisfactory has been suggested. [Mr. Skeat writes: “Surely this is simply Port. mas que, probably imported direct through Macao, in the sense of ‘although, even, in spite of,’ like French malgre. And this seems to be its meaning in ‘pigeon’:

“That nightey tim begin chop-chop,
One young man walkee—no can stop.
Maskee snow, maskee ice!
He cally flag with chop so nice—
Topside Galow!

‘Excelsior,’ in ‘pigeon.’ ”]

MASULIPATAM, n.p. This coast town of the Madras Presidency is sometimes vulgarly called Machhlipatan or Machhli-bandar, or simply Bandar (see BUNDER, 2); and its name explained (Hind. machhli, ‘fish’) as Fish-town, [the Madras Gloss. says from an old tradition of a whale being stranded on the shore.] The etymology may originally have had such a connection, but there can be no doubt that the name is a trace of the [Greek Text] Maiswlia and [Greek Text] Maiswlou potamou ekbolai which we find in Ptolemy’s Tables; and of the [Greek Text] Masalia producing muslins, in the Periplus. [In one of the old Logs the name is transformed into Mesopotamia (J.R. As. Soc., Jan. 1900, p. 158). In a letter of 1605–6 it appears as Mesepatamya (Birdwood, First Letter Book, 73).

[1613.—“Concerning the Darling was departed for Mossapotam.”—Foster, Letters, ii. 14.

[1615.—“Only here are no returns of any large sum to be employed, unless a factory at Messepotan.”—Ibid. iv. 5.]

1619.—“Master Methwold came from Missulapatam in one of the country Boats.” —Pring, in Purchas, i. 638.

[1623.—“Mislipatan.” P. della Valle, Hak. Soc. i. 148.

[c. 1661.—“It was reported, at one time, that he was arrived at Massipatam.…” —Bernier, ed. Constable. 112.]

c. 1681.—“The road between had been covered with brocade velvet, and Machlibender chintz.”—Seir Mutaqherín, iii. 370.

1684.—“These sort of Women are so nimble and active that when the present king went to see Maslipatan, nine of them undertook to represent the figure of an Elephant; four making the four feet, four the body, and one the trunk; upon which the King, sitting in a king of Throne, made his entry into the City.”—Tavernier, E.T. ii. 65; [ed. Ball,