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  • News and insights

  • Guadalajara (Mexico): The river of stones
    • Posted on |
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      Guadalajara is one of the Mexican cities hosting the current FIFA World Cup, but that’s not the interesting part.

      The city’s name has a remarkable history. It comes from the Arabic phrase Wādī al-Ḥijārah (وادي الحجارة), meaning “Valley of Stones” or “River of Stones.” During the centuries of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula, this name was given to the Spanish city of Guadalajara. Centuries later, Spanish settlers brought the name to Mexico.

      Here’s what it means:
      – Wādī = valley, river valley, or seasonal watercourse
      – al- = the
      – Ḥijārah = stones

      So every time you hear the name Guadalajara, you’re hearing a place name whose history stretches from the Arabic-speaking world to medieval Spain and, eventually, to Mexico, a fascinating linguistic journey across three continents.

      (c) The Languages Nerds