A note on the etymology of Khamsin. Students of colloquial Egyptian dialect have told me that the idea is not so much that the winds blow for 50 days, as that they generally blow during the Coptic lent, which is 50 days long(unlike the 40 days of Western and Orthodox lent). The Copts added 10 days to Lent in the seventh century to give thanks for the recovery of the true cross from the Persians. I can't swear by the etymology, but Coptic Lent is 50 days, and the egyptian khamsin does tend to blow during Lent.
I'm trying to find the Hebrew & Greek translation for "Harvest". Can you guide me in the right direction to find this?
Thanks in advance,
Kevin
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