Elite identity in Egypt was culturally porous but hardened within the military

Evidence

Membership in the higher echelons of the society, the elite, was not only based on linguistic differences. Belonging to what has been termed the “Ottoman-Egyptian elite,” while necessitating knowledge of Turkish, also meant “shar[ing] the values and heritage of Ottoman culture … [being] mostly, but not exclusively, Muslim … [coming] from various parts of the [Ottoman] Empire … [and sharing certain ideas about] dress, etiquette or manners and customs, and … verbal forms of entertainment.” The boundaries separating core members of this “Ottoman–Egyptian elite” from those outside this privileged group, however, were not water-tight and, given time, individuals within that group started to learn Arabic, took Cairo, rather than Istanbul, to be their main dwelling place, and came to identify more and more with Egypt as their country. At the same time, those outside the group, anxious to improve their lot, started to learn Turkish, intermarried with elite members and gradually assumed more and more of “Ottoman” manners and etiquette. … During the first half of the century, however, and especially in the military, these boundaries were much more difficult to cross. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1326

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the ‘Ottoman-Egyptian elite’ by cultural markers beyond mere language and shows boundary permeability.
• XREF: Connects to reader’s interest in Egyptian army origins: the ethnic hierarchy of officers versus rankers is a theme continued at paragraph 1327-28.