Tag Archives: arabic

Four Dual Nouns Meaning “Day and Night”

نَهار root: ن-ه-ر / noun / plural: أَنهُر / definition: day, daytime At the beginning of the year, we looked at some dual nouns which carry the meaning of “the Sun and the Moon“, because sometimes the dual is used to refer to a pair of things often mentioned together. So, I thought, why don’tContinue reading “Four Dual Nouns Meaning “Day and Night””

Reading Arabic Literature: Endings and Never-Endings

نِهائيّ root: ن-ه-ي / nisba adjective / definition: final, definitive It’s becoming a pattern in my life, I’ve noticed, that things end in winter. I can’t wait to bid farewell to this season of goodbyes, some of which have felt final. What feels endless, on the other hand, is having my head buried in literature.Continue reading “Reading Arabic Literature: Endings and Never-Endings”

Academic Arabic: Some Form II Verbal Nouns

ضَجَر root: ض-ج-ر / noun / definition: restlessness I’ve been feeling a little unsettled for the past week. I can’t seem to sit still and write, despite “sitting still and writing” equating to approximately half of my to-do list. So, in an attempt to offset this restlessness, or—perhaps more accurately—appease it, I’ve decided to startContinue reading “Academic Arabic: Some Form II Verbal Nouns”

Ten Arabic Verbs Meaning “to Support”

قَريباً root: ق-ر-ب / adverb / definition: soon Books seemed to be the gift of choice when I was in Qatar, as I received—I think—eight. With my overly-packed suitcase exceeding 30kg and three more books stuffed into my hand luggage, I managed to take with me all but one. And I left that one, aContinue reading “Ten Arabic Verbs Meaning “to Support””

Winter, Aleppo, and Longing

الشِّتاء root: ش-ت-و / noun / definition: winter To round off my program here in Doha, I presented my research paper last week, focusing on the image of Aleppo in the Arabic novel. It was somewhat of a triumphant end, on a personal level, as I decided—instead of reading notes or preparing a speech—to improviseContinue reading “Winter, Aleppo, and Longing”

Root Exploration: ء-ب-د

دَهْر root: د-ه-ر / noun / plural: دُهور / definition: long period of time, epoch If you’ve been reading closely, you’ll have noticed that I’ve been talking about time a lot lately. My term of studying here in Doha officially ends next week, and it’s as though I’m inside an hourglass trying to grapple withContinue reading “Root Exploration: ء-ب-د”

The “Would-Be” Active Participle in Arabic

مُتَفَلْسِف root: ف-ل-س-ف / form II quadriliteral active participle / definition: philosophaster There’s something comforting about being in this library as the Sun goes down and spills through the vast windows in waves of golden orange light, deluging everything around me in a soft, forgiving glow. Or maybe I’m just a would-be academic romanticising thisContinue reading “The “Would-Be” Active Participle in Arabic”

Oman and an Ever-Nearing Return

لُبان root: ل-ب-ن / noun / definition: frankincense Land of frankincense, endless arches, and smiling eyes: Oman, where I spent the past week on a solo trip. And upon my return to Doha, I’m caught off guard by only two-and-a-half weeks left of class and forced to gulp down the reality of flying back toContinue reading “Oman and an Ever-Nearing Return”

Exploring Time in the Arabic Dictionary: “Tomorrow”

غَدًا root: غ-د-و / adverb of time / definition: tomorrow In the new Exploring Time series last week, we took a trip to yesterday. This week, we’re looking ahead: exploring how we can understand the notion of tomorrow through the Arabic dictionary. (Yes, we’re skipping today—call me future-thinking or something.)