Etymology
The city's name is believed to derive from the Burmese word for "Parsi", Pathi (ပသီ), due to the large population of Arab and Indian traders. This is further supported by the fact that the Mon name for Pathein is ဖာသီ .Dictionary of Modern Spoken Mon by H.L. Shorto (1962, Oxford University Press).The name was corrupted to Bassein during the British colonial period.
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Famous quotes containing the word etymology:
“The universal principle of etymology in all languages: words are carried over from bodies and from the properties of bodies to express the things of the mind and spirit. The order of ideas must follow the order of things.”
—Giambattista Vico (1688–1744)
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