Where does “acemi çaylak” come from?
acemi çaylak (Turkish) comes from Turkish acemi, from Ottoman Turkish عجمی, from Arabic عَجَمِيّ — barbarian; non-Arab, barbarian.
acemi çaylak (Turkish): greenhorn
Ancestry of “acemi çaylak”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Turkish | acemi | inexperienced; beginner |
| 2 | Ottoman Turkish | عجمی | foreigner, barbarian; a member of the corps of... |
| 3 | Arabic | عَجَمِيّ | barbarian; non-Arab, barbarian |