AFGHAN AND AFGHANI KABOUL AND COBBLE

I got used to pronouncing Kabul "cobble", and not the French Kaboul ("kabool"). Maybe it was because of the more masculine-sounding pronunciation. It sounded a bit too high-falutin to say "kabool".

The English, not the French, seems to have been the stronger influence in Afghanistan. There is the English habit of drinking tea (but in Afghanistan it seems non-stop...not just an episodic "tea-time"). Before sitting down anywhere you are offered tea. It became a familiar and enjoyable ritual.

Afghanis are not people. Afghani is the name for the currency in Afghanistan. It is correct to say, "The Afghan people"; it is horrendously incorrect to say "The Afghani people." And I cringe when I hear the ubiquitous pedants, news anchorpersons, and other TV talkers and personalities use Afghan and Afghani interchangeably. Kill the terrorists, but not the language. I didn't mind it when my mom said, APHA-A-GANA-STAN. Have you ever seen a one-eyed Afghani dog? [I have, but it was a one-eyed Afghan dog.] And what about that quilted blanket called an Afghan? It's an Afghan, not an Afghani!