Tag Archives: vocabulary

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”

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”

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”