What’s in a name?
Well, a lot.
This week, Ken Livingstone told the JC he might have Jewish roots – on his mother’s side too.
Why so, you might ask?
Well, he claims that his maternal grandmother had a Jewish name – Zona.
So what’s Jewish about such a name?
Well, "Zona" literally translates as "prostitute" in Hebrew – hence the commonly used Israeli curse: "ben zona" – or, "son of a whore".
There are of course, other translations.
For example, "zona" also has a Greek origin, translating as "girdle" or "belt". Other sources say it’s origin is Latin, translating as "sash".
Either way, there’s a lot in a name that Mr Livingstone might want to keep a closer eye on.
Sandy Rashty is senior report for the JC
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