Tag Archives: arabic

“Gaza! Gaza! Gaza!”: Life Through Literature

غَزّة root: غ-ز-ز / proper noun / definition: Gaza A tidal wave of sleep overwhelmed me late yesterday afternoon, with its undercurrents pulling me further into the depths of somnia until I washed up on the shores of wakefulness this morning and listlessly stretched my way out of bed. I basked in the sun forContinue reading ““Gaza! Gaza! Gaza!”: Life Through Literature”

Reading Arabic Literature: Thinking Back

التَّمْر root: ت-م-ر / collective noun / definition: dates Akkadian class flew by this week as we ate dates and drank (only mê, water, not karān-am, wine) all in order to learn new vocabulary and begin talking about our daily routines. I noted how the Akkadian word for “star”, kakkab-um, mirrors the Arabic كَوكَبٌ, kawkab-un,Continue reading “Reading Arabic Literature: Thinking Back”

A Summer School, Sardinia, and Spent Ink

حِبْر root: ح-ب-ر / noun / definition: ink Never have I veered so close to spontaneity before. It was a Thursday morning and I had just applied for a linguistics summer school—without realising that it was due to start just four days later in Sardinia’s capital, and that the deadline had passed weeks before. Somehow,Continue reading “A Summer School, Sardinia, and Spent Ink”

Arabic’s Chameleon Words: اهتمّ

حِرْباء root: ح-ر-ب / noun / plural: حَرابي / definition: chameleon There are many Arabic words from which multiple meanings bloom, taking on a certain one according to the context. A bit like how a chameleon adapts to its immediate environment. Learning the meanings of these chameleon words is especially beneficial to us Arabic studentsContinue reading “Arabic’s Chameleon Words: اهتمّ”

The لِ and كَ of Distance

هَزّاز root: ه-ز-ز / adjective / definition: rocking Even after ten sweet days in Morocco, there’s nothing like coming back home and falling into the gentle swing of my rocking chair. I rock, and lull my prodding thoughts about the angle of the chair’s swing into silence to make way for some other brain activity.Continue reading “The لِ and كَ of Distance”

Uncommon Arabic Words for the Soul

روح root: ر-و-ح / noun / plural: أَرْواح / definition: soul Having entered the ballot for the 2025 London Marathon back in April, I am only reassured of my athletic endurance by the fact that I can walk up the escalators at Bond Street station without my legs giving way or needing to stop forContinue reading “Uncommon Arabic Words for the Soul”

Dictionary Finds: a Spelling Mistake

إمْلاء root: م-ل-ء / form IV verbal noun / definition: spelling, filling out After I submitted my first-year PhD work last week, I had two days of conducting students’ oral exams followed by an unplanned overnight stay, then a wedding, then a Saturday outing and a Sunday (today) of ticking things off my to-do list.Continue reading “Dictionary Finds: a Spelling Mistake”

Two Other Ways to Refer to the Arabic Language

يَقْطين root: ق-ط-ن / noun / definition: pumpkin Somehow, and I really don’t know how, I managed to submit my PhD work earlier today despite it not being due until mid next week. I really thought I’d be last-minuting it on Wednesday until the midnight clock struck and I’d turn into a pumpkin… or howeverContinue reading “Two Other Ways to Refer to the Arabic Language”

Case Endings on the Alif Maqsoora (ى)

مَقْصور root: ق-ص-ر / form I passive participle / definition: limited, shortened I’ve been thinking recently about this blog. Well, of course I have—I’ve been writing posts twice a week, every week, for four-and-a-half years now—I can’t think of a way not to think about it. But I guess my dedication to writing here doesContinue reading “Case Endings on the Alif Maqsoora (ى)”