Quinquiliteral Arabic Roots

خُماسيّ

root: خ-م-س / adjective / definition: consisting of five consonants

I have just a matter of hours before I’m due to catch a flight, and an unexpected nap earlier means that I’m now two to-dos behind on my to-do list, with writing this post being in prime position.

Anyhow, you’ve read about my obsession with Arabic quadriliterals (words derived from four-letter roots) before, but do you know something rarer than a quadriliteral? A quinquiliteral.

Continue reading “Quinquiliteral Arabic Roots”

Dictionary Finds: جِفتلِك

نَفَس

root: ن-ف-س / noun / plural: أَنْفاس / definition: breath

For the first time in a while, I feel like I can take a breath. And I can feel my creativity, whose absence I’ve been mourning for the past few weeks, rushing back as though floodgates have suddenly been lifted.

What a relief!

Continue reading “Dictionary Finds: جِفتلِك”

Form I Defective Verbs: ا or و or ي or ى?

ناقِص

root: ن-ق-ص / active participle of form I / definition: defective, incomplete

Defective verbs are those with either ي or و as their final root letter. For defective verbs, this final root letter appears as one of four letters when conjugated: ا or و or ي or ى. So, how can we tell what form the final root letter takes in these verbs?

Continue reading “Form I Defective Verbs: ا or و or ي or ى?”

Solidarity and Coming Together: Seven Verbal Nouns in Arabic

كارِثة

root: ك-ر-ث / noun / plural: كَوارِث / definition: catastrophe

We’ve all no doubt heard about the earthquakes that struck this week, affecting parts of Türkiye and Syria. And perhaps most of us have seen photos and videos of the catastrophic consequences.

Alongside the horrors, we’ve also seen people coming together and joining forces to help and, even from afar, people standing in solidarity.

Continue reading “Solidarity and Coming Together: Seven Verbal Nouns in Arabic”

Uncommon Arabic Words for Colours

لَوْن

root: ل-و-ن / noun / plural: أَلْوان / definition: colour

I opened my laptop intending to write a different type of post today, but when I saw a certain note in my phone, I decided that this Tuesday would be the start of a whole new series of posts: Uncommon Arabic Words for…

Continue reading “Uncommon Arabic Words for Colours”

Seven Arabic Phrases Meaning “and so on”

مَهارة

root: م-ه-ر / noun / plural: مَهارات / definition: skill

A great way to hint at your remarkable ability to provide countless examples in a list (thereby convincing whoever’s reading your essay of your expert knowledge of the topic), is to end your lists with a phrase like “and so on”.

So, what are some of the ways we can say “and so on” in Arabic? Let’s take a look:

Continue reading “Seven Arabic Phrases Meaning “and so on””

Arabic Headline Analysis #8

مِقْرَعَة

root: ق-ر-ع / noun / plural: مَقارِع / definition: door knocker

In the photo above is the newspaper page, dated 1991, that was used to wrap up the ornate brass door knocker I bought from an artisan workshop on my last day in Agadir. The newspaper page is now folded up and nestled between some empty notebooks I bought in Istanbul (I’m waiting for something revolutionary to fill them with…) and a stack of Arabic dictionaries and reference books.

The door knocker itself currently has no use, by the way. But it’ll look absolutely beautiful on the door of my Mediterranean dream house I’ve designed and constructed in my mind. The cherry on the cake… without the cake, for now.

Continue reading “Arabic Headline Analysis #8”

Dictionary Finds: ماخِرة

عام

root: ع-و-م / noun / plural: أَعْوام / definition: year

We’re some days into 2023 now, around the time where resolutions begin to break down and the glossy new year starts to feel like any other. Except, of course, for those who didn’t bother with resolutions, determined to avoid failure at all costs.

But if your resolution by any chance was to explore some more of the Arabic dictionary (a popular choice, of course), then I’m here to help you fulfil that one…

Continue reading “Dictionary Finds: ماخِرة”

Morocco, Darija, and Tifinagh

الدّارِجة

root: د-ر-ج / noun / definition: colloquial language spoken in North Africa

I’ve just returned from my one-week holiday in Agadir, and I’m slowly and reluctantly adjusting to the notable lack of heat and sunshine in London, with my already-fading tan and henna sweet reminders of my Moroccan stay.

While I managed to tick off at least one touristy bucket list item (thanks to a sunset camel ride), I also felt strangely like a linguist on a research trip with all of the language-related elements I observed and couldn’t help but mull over and make notes on.

Continue reading “Morocco, Darija, and Tifinagh”

Case Endings of the Sound Feminine Plural

مُؤَنَّث

root: ء-ن-ث / passive participle of form II / definition: feminine

Most of us will have learnt that sound masculine plurals in Arabic have one of two endings: ـونَ when مرفوع, and ـينَ when منصوب or مجرور.

But the sound feminine plural ending (ـات) doesn’t change in spelling. Instead, we use either damma/dammatayn (ـاتُ/ـاتٌ) or kasra/kasratayn (ـاتِ/ـاتٍ) to indicate case.

Continue reading “Case Endings of the Sound Feminine Plural”