Al-Fuzai writes, “Habibi is a term of endearment. It's used, however, in one of two ways; to express affection or friendliness towards another male or in an absolutely opposite fashion, to show that the speaker is attempting to show some self-restraint before losing their temper with the person they're talking to. In the latter sense, it's used when the speaker is telling himself, ‘I have to show some patience before I blow my top here!’”
Although, Al-Fuzai imagines “this word [habibi] would mainly be [used] popular[ly] among young boys and college students, and most especially with young people talking with friends”, she recalls: “[O]ne occasion when two women were having a screeching fight, with each one screaming 'habibiti' in the other's face! What a strange situation, using an endearment that's only meant to be utilized among best friends in a fight!"
“In another scenario,” Al-Fuzai continues her illustrations, “[A] salesman attempting to persuade a customer of the benefits of his product will use the same word [habibi] with them; it's a popular sales technique, but I'm not sure how effective it is. I know that most people living in Kuwait know this word, but I'll leave you to consider how and when you'll need to use it.”
This sort of self-criticism is always welcome among Kuwaitis.
In a way, it is similar to the self-criticism by American Jamie Etheridge [noted above] who criticized Westerners—who along with the Kuwaitis--are found using the concept Third Country National (TCN) as a derogatory term.
As a writer and as one fascinated by multi-cultural communication, I now turn to other readers to begin discussing how we are using and abusing language—i.e. misrepresent our culture and religion by using and abusing language in euphemistic imagery for covering up racism and lies about the Other.
We, as individuals and as groups,--wherever we are located on planet Earth—need to look to be more precise about what we think and feel.
Falling into a world of euphemism only covers over the truths of our hostilities and our realities. How can we mature if we keep covering up the reality on the ground?
In conclusion, by using euphemism, we can hardly mature in our interpersonal relations and build bridges between ourselves and the Other.
IN SUMMARY
By sharing these four reviews of this week’s Kuwaiti news, I have been attempting to aid readers in Kuwait, the other Gulf states, the USA, and Europe to rethink what they know about each other—and are saying about each other.
In the first article on how the legal-economic system of Kuwait allows investors to get more involved in enforcing regulation than is often the case in the West. In the West, we often talk about the need for investors to have a greater voice in the political economy of the state. Do European and American investors have the ability to force the shutting down of a run-away market? Shouldn’t we have more say in regulation and oversight?
Next, I have shown in the review concerning the Islamic proposal on regulating Kuwaiti youth movements in both inland and overseas. These particular Islamicists in the Gulf are willing to work together with the government here and in the West to limit the number of Kuwaiti youth falling prey to extremist struggles in the region.
Is the Western press reporting these endeavors and desires of Islamicists who are seeking to end the allure of terrorist extremism abusing their faith?
In the last two articles, I show how, in the aftermath of America’s most abusive political campaign in decades, Kuwaitis and ex-patriots are discussing our own hyperbole.
