JARGON OF THE MADRASAH STUDENTS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Abstract

The paper describes the jargon of students from six different madrasahs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conclusions are based on data from four types of sources: a list of 35 jargonisms published in Zemzem, the student magazine of the Gazi Husrev-bey Madrasah in Sarajevo, texts of four novels describing life in the madrasah, 40 interviews with madrasah graduates and 10 open-ended questionnaires which were filled out by graduates of different madrasahs. Based on the obtained data, a terminological difference has been established between the madrasah discourse, which is based on factors concerning the professional side of studying in the madrasah, and the madrasah jargon, in which creativity is expressed and which arises as a reaction to the daily (boarding school) life of the madrasah. Recorded examples of the madrasah jargon are thematically divided into groups related to (1) persons, (2) religion, rituals, and Islamic terminology, (3) school and boarding school life, (4) sin and infringements, (5) food and beverages, (6) clothing, hygiene, and health and (7) money. Among the linguistic units that belong to the mentioned groups, there are several units which are the result of learning the Arabic language. Many jargonisms used by madrasah students are also known to speakers from other social groups, but many of them are a reflection of the madrasah lifestyle and are unlikely to be used by other social groups. Their presence confirms the existence of a special and distinctive madrasah jargon.