2070: Language of the Inquisition: converso and marrano Aug 15, 2020

During the Spanish Inquisition, two words very came to the forefront: 'converso' and 'marrano'. These were both terms for Muslims and Jews who professed faith in Christianity, but while 'converso' describes a converted person, marranos practiced their faith in secret. This ultimately derives from the Arabic حَرَّمَ‎ (muḥarram) meaning 'forbidden', but the word had already been adopted into Spanish. This term is also related to 'haram' in Sharia, and also 'harem' originally meaning 'forbidden place', as in a room only designated for women, forbidden to men.

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