Some context, for those of you who didn’t grow up reading Tintin: “Bashi-bazouk” was an insult that Captain Haddock often used…
The term bashi-bazouk is from Ottoman Turkish, and is generally used to mean “damaged head”. It’s a reference to the bashi-bazouks, who were irregulars in the Ottoman army, and who had a reputation for being out of control and robbing civilians.
Recommended reading
- Norton of Morton: Captain Haddock’s curses, insults, and exclamations. He had a pretty good vocabulary!
- The Weekend Historian: On Bashi-Bazouks!
- The Guardian: What does the Tories’ landslide victory mean for Brexit?
- Reuters: Explainer: Reality check for Johnson’s Brexit – it’s just the beginning
Thanks to Nic Pouliot for the find!