Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9052

c10.9052

MALUM, s. In a ship with English officers and native crew, the mate is called *mālum sāhib*. The word is Ar. *mu‘allim*, literally ‘the Instructor,’ and is properly applied to the pilot or sailing-master. The word may be compared, thus used, with our ‘master’ in the Navy. In regard to the first quotation we may observe that *Nākhuda* (see NACODA) is, rather than *Mu‘allim*, ‘the captain’; though its proper meaning is the owner of the ship; the two capacities of owner and skipper being doubtless often combined. The distinction of *Mu‘allim* from *Nākhuda* accounts for the former title being assigned to the mate.