# "Haggie" used as a term for Iraqis? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258 "2003-10-24T03:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![straykat23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@straykat23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straykat23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/1 "2003-10-24T03:52:49Z")
A friend sends me excerpts and photos from emails her brother sends from Iraq. He used the word “Haggie” in one of his messages and both my friend and I wondered what that meant. She inquired and this was his response: “…a “Haggie,” is a name the American forces have made up for the Iraqis here. It’s not a derogatory term, just something that kind of caught on I guess.” Anyone know the origin of the term? Any WAGs? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/2 "2003-10-24T07:46:20Z")
Since no one else has responded, I’ll offer my WAG. I would wild-ass guess that it might be a corruption of “Haji,” an Arabic word meaning a Muslim who has completed the haj (pilgramage to Mecca). It is often used as a title, and sometimes as a personal name. But of course the pronunciation doesn’t match so if this is the true origin it would have to be a hell of a corruption. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/3 "2003-10-24T14:06:39Z")
Here’s another, probably way off the mark, guess. About 30 years ago, I worked with a guy who was also a theological student. One day, he wore a t-shirt lettered “HAGIOI.” He explained he was on a softball team of clergymen-to-be. The word, he said, meant “blessed” or “holy” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/4 "2003-10-24T14:40:31Z")
That sounds Greek to me. ---
**Author:** ![Big-Ole-Steve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Big-Ole-Steve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big-Ole-Steve)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/5 "2003-10-24T15:21:29Z")
I’m gonna second what **bibliophage** suggests. This is because some of my redneck acquaintences, when refering to Arabs (or Pakistanis, or Indians, or hell, at times even hispanics if they look slightly eastern…hey they’re rednecks, not world travelers) will call them “Hajis.” The “Haggie” might be a bastardization of this, OR the guy’s phoentic spelling of “Haji” was way off the mark. Steve ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/6 "2003-10-24T16:38:11Z")
I know for certain that the two ex-Navy guys I lived with regularly used the term “Haji” to describe, well, pretty much anyone remotely associated with the Middle East. I asked one of them about the term once. “What,” he answered, “you’ve never seen Johnny Quest?” ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/7 "2003-10-24T17:59:20Z")
My only acquaintance currently serving in Iraq frequently uses the term and spells it ‘hadji’. So I think that **bibliophage** is right on. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/8 "2003-10-24T18:19:09Z")
Ah, that makes sense – “Hadji” or “Hajji.” With the spelling in the OP, I was thinking of a Scottish delicacy. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/9 "2003-10-25T05:53:49Z")
“Hajji” means a Muslim who has made the pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca at least once. I just saw a PBS show about it. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/10 "2003-10-25T06:14:35Z")
My brother (SF, just back from Afghanistan) just uses the term “green” to describe any indigenie, as in “green-on-green violence is increasing.” I think **bibliophage** has it, the kid just can’t spell for shit. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/11 "2003-10-25T09:26:29Z")
Why can’t those Soldiers use the term _Iraqi_ to refer to an Iraqi? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/12 "2003-10-25T10:39:17Z")
**Monty** : There’s a long, ugly tradition of soldiers using special nonce words to describe the locals they must fight. A lot of those words later become perjoratives with racial connotations. ---
**Author:** ![Slugworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Slugworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slugworth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/13 "2003-10-25T12:21:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*Why can’t those Soldiers use the term _Iraqi_ to refer to an Iraqi? \*\* Honestly? Makes it harder to shoot at people that you’re not insulting on a day to day basis. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/14 "2003-10-25T17:38:55Z")
Slugworth: And wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing! BTW, what do you suppose the Iraqis still loyal to Hussein call the Americans? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/15 "2003-10-25T18:42:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*Slugworth: And wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing! > > BTW, what do you suppose the Iraqis still loyal to Hussein call the Americans? \*\* Whatever the Arabic word for “target” is. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haggie-used-as-a-term-for-iraqis/209258/16 "2003-10-26T04:25:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slugworth \* > \*\* Makes it harder to shoot at people that you’re not insulting on a day to day basis. \*\* Does it?