Tag Archives: learning

Small Arabic Words with Conditional Powers

قُوّة root: ق-و-ي / noun / plural: قُوًى / definition: power, force Big things come in small packages—oh wait, that’s not how it goes. Nor is it what I meant actually. Maybe I meant “small but mighty” but didn’t want to sound like I’m advertising laundry detergent pods. Ahem… today we’re looking at a groupContinue reading “Small Arabic Words with Conditional Powers”

Arabic Observations: زوج and جوز

القَلْب root: ق-ل-ب / form I verbal noun / definition: transposition, alteration Something in this library is producing a noise that sits halfway between the whine of a hungry mosquito and the never-ending, impalpable ring of tinnitus, in both sound and annoyingness. I feel like it’s the fluorescent light directly above my head but letContinue reading “Arabic Observations: زوج and جوز”

Arabic’s Chameleon Words: أدّى

المَغرِب root: غ-ر-ب / proper noun / definition: Morocco This week, I’ve been missing Morocco and discovering Taiwanese fried chicken. I’m not sure there’s a direct link there, but who knows? It’s been six weeks in which the Sun has greened my eyes and I can’t fathom returning to London in ten. I’ve been embracingContinue reading “Arabic’s Chameleon Words: أدّى”

Nostalgia, the Library, and Extrapolation

اِسْتِقْراء root: ق-ر-ء / form X verbal noun / definition: extrapolation The three-day conference I attended over the weekend and the start of the week meant that my readings and homework took a backseat—or, more accurately, fell out the boot of the metaphorical car I was taking for a joyride. (Can something be more accurateContinue reading “Nostalgia, the Library, and Extrapolation”

Uncommon Arabic Words for Dates

تَطْريز root: ط-ر-ز / form II verbal noun / definition: embroidery September feels notably less hot and humid than August here, but maybe—just maybe—I’ve successfully acclimatised to Doha’s weather in these four short weeks. Or maybe it’s that I’ve been keeping myself busy with things like the Palestinian embroidery (التطريز الفلسطيني) workshop I attended onContinue reading “Uncommon Arabic Words for Dates”

The Feminine Superlative in Arabic: When to Use It

سوق root: س-و-ق / noun / plural: أَسْواق / definition: market, bazaar It’s nearing midnight and I’ve just returned from Souq Waqif having mistakenly ordered a very sugary tea of which I could only drink half before succumbing to the headache and nausea that now strike whenever I consume sugar. A cup of (very muchContinue reading “The Feminine Superlative in Arabic: When to Use It”

Arabic Headline Analysis #10 and an Invitation to Akkadian Class

دَعْوة root: د-ع-و / noun / plural: دَعْوات / definition: invitation, call There’s not much that lifts my spirits like an email from my enthusiastic Akkadian teacher, who reached out a few days back about resuming our language classes in October. As I’m spending a semester here in Qatar (and drowning in the workload ofContinue reading “Arabic Headline Analysis #10 and an Invitation to Akkadian Class”

Six Arabic Verbs Meaning “to Prefer”

حُبّ root: ح-ب-ب / noun / definition: love Deciding to spend the rest of my year studying in Qatar has come with many immediate benefits. For one, it motivated me to finally address a major point of procrastination: sorting through the big bag of miscellanea at the foot of my bed which has been satContinue reading “Six Arabic Verbs Meaning “to Prefer””

Form I Active Participles of Hollow Roots

فَراغ root: ف-ر-غ / noun / definition: void, emptiness I’m wrapping up my last week in London for the next few months on the emptiness of fallen-through plans and the urge to claw out a silent space to curl up in and calm my mind. In the corner of my field of vision, I seeContinue reading “Form I Active Participles of Hollow Roots”

Dictionary Finds: فَوَّزَ

إنْجاز root: ن-ج-ز / form IV verbal noun / definition: milestone Have I really written five hundred posts on this blog? It seems so. I would reflect more deeply on this milestone, but there’s an open suitcase on the living room floor with a four-month supply of my various vitamins, four pairs of shoes, enoughContinue reading “Dictionary Finds: فَوَّزَ”