11-17-2015, 01:59 PM
(11-17-2015, 01:33 PM)Duchess Wrote: Daesh it is. Thanks!
I thought it was appropriate when French PM Hollande referred to them as such in his statement following the Paris attacks.
Here's some background on the various names for the Islamic State terrorists.
Da'ish or Daesh
• What is it? A disputed acronym based on the group's full Arabic name.
• Stands for: “Dawlat al-Islamiyah f'al-Iraq wa al-Sham,” which translates to “Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.” The Levant refers to an area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River.
• Used by: The French government, starting in September. Some Arab politicians and Arab media use the term, but the group itself doesn't recognize it. The acronym has a negative meaning because it sounds similar to the Arabic word for "sowers of discord," which are enemies of Islam.
ISIS
• Stands for: Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham
• From: The extremists' invasion of Syria. "Al-Sham" can refer to Syria or the Levant.
• Used by: United Kingdom government
ISIL
• Stands for: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
• Used by: U.S. government and U.N.
The names have changed with the group's rise in notoriety and Western preferences in Arabic translation.