# Persian: majnoon مجنون



## Benyameen

If I were to say the word "majnoon" to an average Afghan Persian/Dari speaker, would he be aware that the original meaning of the word is "crazy," or would he most likely just associate the word with the story of Laila and Majnoon, and not be aware of the original meaning?


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## Aryamp

Hi Benyameen 

I think all Persian speakers, and even speakers of other languages in the region are aware that majnoon means 'crazy' and Majnoon came to be called Majnoon because he was crazily in love. So if you call someone 'majnoon' they will understand it as an insult.


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## IRAJ2000

Aryamp said:


> Hi Benyameen
> 
> I think all Persian speakers, and even speakers of other languages in the region are aware that majnoon means 'crazy' and Majnoon came to be called Majnoon because he was crazily in love. So if you call someone 'majnoon' they will understand it as an insult.


 Totally agreed. 
In addition, I want to say that "majnoon" is somehow  known to many people. But it can be an insult if you say it to someone.


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## Qureshpor

^ Interesting. In the Urdu/Punjabi world, the word "majnuuN" ( the n is nasalised) is not an insult in any way. On the contrary, as "Majnuun" (Qais) is considered the "King of Lovers", so to speak, it would be more a compliment. It is used in a teasing way to say something like, "Who do you think you are? MajnuuN?!"


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## Benyameen

Tashakor Aryamp, IRAJ2000 and Qureshpor! Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it. Kheylee mamnoonam!


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## nizamuddin

persian, urdu, hindi meaning of Majnon is "very loan person، desperately in love"
more detail


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## Qureshpor

nizamuddin said:


> persian, urdu, hindi meaning of Majnon is "very loan person، desperately in love"
> more detail


I would suggest, nizamuddin SaaHib, that this is not correct. The source can't even get its spellings right!

As far as I know, it is connected with the word "jinn", hence "possessed" and by extension "mad".


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## tarkshya

Qureshpor said:


> As far as I know, it is connected with the word "jinn", hence "possessed" and by extension "mad".



Nice piece of information. I always thought majnoon was a proper name. But your explanation does sound correct.

Btw, is the word جنون junuun related to the same root word jinn too?


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## Benyameen

Interesting!


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## eskandar

tarkshya said:


> Nice piece of information. I always thought majnoon was a proper name. But your explanation does sound correct.
> 
> Btw, is the word جنون junuun related to the same root word jinn too?


Originally the famous lover Majnuun had his own proper name, Qays. In the story, he is eventually driven mad by his love for Layla and thereafter referred to as _majnuun laylaa_ which means "mad for Layla" in Arabic.

Yes, all three words (jinn, junuun, majnuun) are from the same root.


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## colognial

So maybe we could consider 'possessed' to be a nuance already present in the word (or title) 'majnoon', as in 'one possessed by the strong or violent emotions brought on by love'. I wonder if there may also be some connection between jonoon and delusion in Arabic.


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## Stranger_

Is "جنایت" related to "جنون"? i.e. does it have the same root?


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## fdb

majnūn and junūn are from the root j-n-n; jināya “serious crime” is from j-n-y. So they are not related.


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## colognial

fdb said:


> majnūn and junūn are from the root j-n-n; jināya “serious crime” is from j-n-y. So they are not related.


 fdb, may I trouble you to specify, though perhaps you've already done so once, if the root j-n-n has to do with craziness, meaning any kind of impairment of judgment or behaviour disorder, or, more specifically, with what is known in Persian as 'jen-zadegi' (= possession by jinns and demons).


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## fdb

Yes, jinn must be connected to the same root (j-n-n). majnūn is etymologically "possessed by a jinn".


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## colognial

Thanks, fdb.


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## Ali Smith

fdb said:


> Yes, jinn must be connected to the same root (j-n-n). majnūn is etymologically "possessed by a jinn".


But in Arabic, from which this word spread to other languages, it does not mean "possessed by a jinn" but "crazy".


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## Alfaaz

Ali Smith said:
			
		

> fdb said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, jinn must be connected to the same root (j-n-n). majnūn is etymologically "possessed by a jinn".
> 
> 
> 
> But in Arabic, from which this word spread to other languages, it does not mean "possessed by a jinn" but "crazy".
Click to expand...

Relevant reference from _An Arabic-English Lexicon_ by Edward William Lane:


> *جن*
> ... He (a man, S) was, or became, مَجْنُون [originally signifying possessed by a جِنِّىّ, or by جِنّ; possessed by a devil or demon; (see Bd li. 39) and hence meaning bereft of reason; or mad, insane, unsound in mind or intellect, or wanting therein: the verbs may generally be rendered he was, or became, possessed; or mad, or insane] ...


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## PersoLatin

Ali Smith said:


> But in Arabic, from which this word spread to other languages, it does not mean "possessed by a jinn" but "crazy".


In Persian دیوانه/divâné means ‘crazy’ & similarly, the word is derived from دیو/div, devil, monster: div + ân + é or like the devil, devil like.


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