Texans upset with use of the word 'haboob'

[Independent voter]

"habood" is a meteorologic term used to describe a dust cloud that spreads across the land. The weather service is under fire for using the term







https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...m_content=link

A wall of dust raced toward Lubbock, Tex., on Sunday, and the National Weather Service threw out a word of caution on its Facebook page. “A haboob is rapidly approaching the Lubbock airport and may affect the city as well,” the meteorologists wrote.

The use of the meteorological term “haboob,” a word with Arabic roots, didn’t sit well with some residents.

Reader John Fullbright wrote:

Haboob!?! I’m a Texan. Not a foreigner from Iraq or Afghanistan. They might have haboobs but around here in the Panhandle of TEXAS, we have Dust Storms. So would you mind stating it that way. I’ll find another weather service

Brenda Daffern added:

In Texas, nimrod, this is called a sandstorm. We’ve had them for years! If you would like to move to the Middle East you can call this a haboob. While you reside here, call it a sandstorm. We Texans will appreciate you.

To be clear, the Weather Service’s use of ‘haboob’ was entirely appropriate. It describes a situation in which a collapsing thunderstorm exhales a burst of wind. This burst of wind, or outflow, collects dust in the surrounding arid environment. The dust can grow into a towering dark cloud, the so-called haboob, that sweeps across the landscape, cutting visibility to near zero.

Haboobs are common in the desert Southwest and the Middle East, where the term originated.

It’s also true that many weather and Earth science terms we use are derived from other languages — hurricane, tornado and derecho are all Spanish in origin, not to mention El Niño and La Niña. There’s also the Japanese term tsunami. In fact, there is very little in the English language that doesn’t have roots somewhere else in the world.

At Weather Underground, meteorologist Bob Henson clarified the difference between haboobs, very localized phenomena, and dust storms and sand storms, which tend to cover more territory:

Extreme blowing dust episodes, or duststorms, typically cover a large area, as opposed to the narrow zone of a haboob. Sandstorms occur when sand grains are blown across the lowest few feet of the landscape, usually in true deserts rather than semiarid regions.

The term haboob has been around for decades. As Henson notes, “‘[H]aboob’ is hardly a new term in the meteorological literature. As noted by Maryland weathercaster and AGU blogger Dan Satterfield, a 1925 paper in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society was titled ‘Haboobs’.”

Objections to the use of haboob are not unique to Texas. The New York Times wrote about an uproar over the term in Arizona in 2011, when Don Yonts of Gilbert, Ariz., told the Arizona Republic: “I am insulted that local TV news crews are now calling this kind of storm a haboob, How do they think our soldiers feel coming back to Arizona and hearing some Middle Eastern term?”

Of course, the actions of a few shouldn’t color all Texans and Arizonans as prejudiced. The Times quoted David Wilson of Goodyear, Ariz., who said: “Let’s not become so ‘xenophobic’ that we forget to remember that we are citizens of the world, nor fail to recognize the contributions of all cultures to the richness of our language.”

Meanwhile, on Facebook, a number of readers posted strongly worded retorts to those who posted complaints about the Weather Service’s use of the term in Lubbock:

Reader Trent Spencer said: “I keep forgetting how ignorant the people of the Panhandle can be.”

And Charles Russell added: “To all of you people complaining about a word. Do you all realize how stupid y’all look? I mean, the rest of the country and the world is laughing at y’all. … [S]top getting offended over nothing. It’s super annoying to the civilized world.”

[Sperrow]

Soooo, people make fun of people who don't agree with the rest, because they have different opinion how it should be called?

[josykay]

IMO Texas should go back to roman numbers and stuff, because, damn that. The numbers used today have arabic origin, so they are clearly a nogo. Plus, roman numbers are absolutely more practical. :P

[Sperrow]

IMO Texas should go back to roman numbers and stuff, because, damn that. The numbers used today have arabic origin, so they are clearly a nogo. Plus, roman numbers are absolutely more practical. :P

I would suggest reading this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_numerals

You can really say that numbers today have hindu-arabic origins, rather than only arabic origins.

[SethRoguen]

They must also get mad when the word "algebra" is used. Though I don't think they are intelligent enough to know what that is.

[willtron]

I'd just be mad because dust storm sounds way cooler than haboob. 'Oh god look at that massive dust storm coming in!' vs. 'Wow that's a big haboob...'

Peoples favourite fact about the middle east seems to be thats where numbers come from. It's just a different way of representing what came before, they didn't invent maths.

[Machismo]

I'd just be mad because dust storm sounds way cooler than haboob. 'Oh god look at that massive dust storm coming in!' vs. 'Wow that's a big haboob...'

Peoples favourite fact about the middle east seems to be thats where numbers come from. It's just a different way of representing what came before, they didn't invent maths.

They didn't invent math, but they made it a lot easier to deal with.

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There was the same outrage over French fries when France decided to not be supportive of America's desire to "nation build" in the Middle East. It's nothing more than their way of showing anger and hatred... and Texans have plenty of anger and hatred to spare.

[Machismo]

MMmm, nothing like a big plate of freedom fries for a snack. Or a heaping pile of freedom toast for breakfast.

Freedom toast sounds delicious right now. I'm going to have to make myself some bananas Foster freedom toast for breakfast. Thanks for the idea.

[Deleted]

They must also get mad when the word "algebra" is used. Though I don't think they are intelligent enough to know what that is.

Dont think they will be generally fund of numbers to begin with.

[FrothyMug]

ZOMG! Some people expressed their disapproval of using an Arabic term because they don't like its roots. Quick! Let's paint the rest of the population with the same broad brush so that we can keep on making fun of Texas and Texans, even though we've never been there!

It always amazes me when I run into people in other parts of the country who have a vast misconception of a lot of what goes on in Texas.

[GennGreymane]

Sound like we need a more PC term.

[A dot Ham]

Haboob!?! I’m a Texan. Not a foreigner from Iraq or Afghanistan. They might have haboobs but around here in the Panhandle of TEXAS, we have Dust Storms. So would you mind stating it that way. I’ll find another weather service

"You might call that a Hijab, but in 'Murica we call that a towel!"

Gotta love rednecks.

"What'd you say boy!"

I dated a girl from Texas briefly. BRIEFLY! It ended when we had a very heated discussion about what languages people speak in other countries. The Chinese people speak "China" and Hispanic people speak "Mexican".

[Dug]

Northern Texans saying stupid shit? This is my shocked face

[meian]

ZOMG! Some people expressed their disapproval of using an Arabic term because they don't like its roots. Quick! Let's paint the rest of the population with the same broad brush so that we can keep on making fun of Texas and Texans, even though we've never been there!

It always amazes me when I run into people in other parts of the country who have a vast misconception of a lot of what goes on in Texas.

I've been to Texas. I'll make fun of them as much as I want.

[Crissi]

Northern Texans saying stupid shit? This is my shocked face

Hey! North Central is fine! The panhandle is where the rural wackos are!

[Deleted]

I thought we established the primacy of people's feelings regarding speech they do not like?
Clearly hate speech.

[Dug]

Hey! North Central is fine! The panhandle is where the rural wackos are!

Honestly yeah panhandle probably the weirdest but I've met some weirdos from Dallas and Fort Worth too

[Ahovv]

If Tennisace was here I imagine he would call for the arrest of these Texans, or for the government to "do something!"

[-Gr-]

Who cares? This isn't worth talking about..like at all. Just thought I'd let everyone know before it turns into a 10 page thread of nonsense. Also, I live in Texas and I can definitely tell you it's some shit a Texan would gripe about. If it's not star spangled, or Grade A sirloin, then it don't belong her!

[Belize]

Hey! North Central is fine! The panhandle is where the rural wackos are!

And Austin. But those are city folk wackos.