Word Corner - Alcohol
Alcohol Originally alcohol was a powder, not a drink. The word alcohol is from the Arabic al-kuhl, meaning ‘the kohl‘. Kohl was made from powdered antimony, a metallic chemical element. Subsequently the word alcohol was used for any spirit produced by distillation, and later still for any intoxicating drink, regardless of whether produced by distillation or fermentation. The Arabic ‘al‘ (‘the‘) is found in other English words such as: alchemy (al kimiya, the art of transmuting base metals into gold); alcove (al qubba, the vaulted chamber); algebra (al-jebr, bone-setting, or the reduction of parts to make a whole); and alkali (al-qali, the ashes of plants such as saltwort, growing on alkaline soil).
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Voices from the margins:
Multimedia: video, podcasts, and more.
- Poetry Slam in Zimbabwe
- The House of Hunger poetry slam held in Zimbabwe in 2006, and organised by the Pamberi Trust, showcased young artists performing inspirational work on issues from corporate power to child soldiers. The video features four of the poets.
Published by Pambazuka News.
- Iranian women speak out
- 3 March 2007, London. Women's rights activists marched through the English capital last week to celebrate International Women's Day with a protest against the misogyny of the Islamic regime in Iran and the threat of invasion by the US. Hear the voices of Iranian feminists Azar and Leila Parnian and the sounds of the demonstration as it passed through the heart of the city. Click here to learn more about the campaign.
Produced by Heidi Bachram.
- Raised Voices audio:
- Benny from West Papua on Corporate Power
- Vinayan from India on agriculture
