Part of the best thing about living in another country, for me, is trying to learn the local language. While living here I've gone through cycles of taking Arabic language lessons and speaking, writing, and reading more (or sometimes less) Arabic. I can carry on a basic conversation and I understand a lot more than what I can say on the spot, although most of it involves me telling you about my family, where I work and what I do, and that I like being here. I also can say the three parts of the Trinity, God (Mother or Father, ha!), Jesus, and Holy Spirit. At least, I could last week. I've been able to master these things mainly because I have been riding with some very nice and chatty taxi drivers. Sometimes they will even teach me a few new words. Most of the times they will humor my completely ungrammatical sentences.
But enough about me. This is about you, my friends and family, because I'm going to be coming home soon and I'll be using words that mean absolutely nothing to you. Not in the sense that I'm using an expanded vocabulary like a hoity-toity but that I've started using Arabic words in my English sentences, Arablesi if you will (Arabia+Inglesi), and then making them mean what I want them to mean (so that would make it Courtney speak+ Arabia + Inglesi = Courtarablesi) So this is my self-serving gift to you in order that we may communicate flawlessly, at least, until I move back to Pennsylvania and start saying "y'all" again. (I know, it doesn't make sense, Pennsylvania is certainly not the South. But it's such a convenient word for you plural!)
La' = No
There are two different words in Arabic that sound like this, but one is a short la' and the other is laaa. To say "no" it is the short version, quickly cut off in a way that almost sounds as if you are saying "luh".
You: Would you like these delicious sauteed mushrooms, Courtney?
Courtney: La'
If we are discussing an issue and I disagree there is a chance that I will passionately say "la' la' la' la'" in fast succession, which translates in Courtney-speak as "No, I disagree". I mean this in a loving way.
You can also turn this into a whine which involves saying the quick, choppy la' followed by a prolonged whiny "ahhhhhh". I usually use this technique when disappointed.
Mumken= Maybe, possibly
"Moumkin"is probably a better phonetic spelling.
You: Do you think you will be able to go out for lunch on Thursday?
Courtney: Mumken.
CONFESSION!: I also have a tendency to use "mumken" as a non-committal no when something isn't personally my style of doing things, or something I don't particularly want to do. (Sorry!)
[After five hours of shopping] You: Do you think this brown floral print dress with neon red stripes would be ok for this wedding?
Me: Mumken *shrugs shoulders*
You: Well, do you think we should see if there are more dresses at the store downtown?
Me: Muuuumken.
You: *starts to pull out hair* BE DECISIVE, WOMAN!
Inshallah= God willing, hopefully
I have used this so many times in typing with an explanation that I assume a lot of you know this one already. There is a correct way to say this, but I speak sloppy at times, so it may sound a number of different ways. The best I can explain it is as in-shal-lah, with the middle syllable sounding like a light "ah"mixed with a little "uh", and where you stay on the "l" sound a little.
Inshallah, I will be able to meet you for lunch on Thursday...but I won't get sauteed mushrooms in my order...inshallah.
Kiss sounding noise made by clicking your tongue behind your top front teeth = no
It's halfway between a kiss sound and a cluck. This can mean no in the same way as "la'" but is usually done by me in response to a question, particularly if I'm not facing you when you ask it, and even more if I'm concentrating on something else at the same time. Yes, this may make it more confusing. Sometimes it will come with one shake of the head.
Chrissy: Do you think Mom will mind if I eat the last of the M&Ms?
Me (watching tv): *"no" sound*
Khallas= stop it, it's finished, done
So, here is the tricky part: "kh" is a phelghmy "h" sound. So... "plegm-al-las" with the "a" being an "ah" sound.
This is usually accompanied by the motion of rubbing your hands together as if you are brushing your palms off. I usually follow it by raising my hands to show my palms then for a brief second as if to indicate "nothing there"! The handmotion can also stand alone as a silent statement or answer to a question.
1. [One kid pinches another] Me: Khallas! Stop it!
2. You: Are you finished with that paper?
Me: Khallas (w/ khallas hand motion)
3. [I finish writing my paper.] *khallas hand motion*
Barafish = I don't know
Technically it is baraf-ish, but I usually think of it as bara-fish, which makes me think of fish (the sea creature, not the Arabic word). Pretty self explanatory.
Mom: Hey! What happened to the M&Ms!
Me: Barafish.
Haram= for shame! for shame! or, mega bummer
So, I probably don't always use "haram" properly, but this is how I mean it. If you are a kid and you push another kid, I will probably tell you to stop first. If you do it again or the other kid pushes back I will say "haram"with surprised exasperation (I just don't understand when kids don't listen!). It can also be used in response to a story where there is something that is really unfortunate. When my dad was in the hospital the common response to me telling someone was "haram", which basically meant "mega bummer"/"I'm sorry this is happening, this isn't good/fair". I also use it as an adjective, meaning "that is inappropriate (given this immediate context)."
1. [Two children start to push each other and don't listen when I tell them to stop.] Haram! Khallas!
2. Mom's friend: So did you enjoy those M&Ms I gave you?
Mom: No, Courtney and Chrissy ate them all. (Just seeing if you read my blog, Chrissy ;)
Mom's friend: Haram (bummer)
3. [Getting ready to go sight seeing, to a place that involves a church] Me: Is this haram?
Alma: No, you're fine, just bring a shawl incase you need to cover your head in the church.
Istanna schway/stanni schway/stannu schway = wait a moment (to a guy/ woman/ multiple people)
I say this a lot, and I also say, more often than not, "stanna your schway" which makes no sense because it would mean "wait your moment", but in my brain it means "hold your horses". I say this often to impatient drivers who beep their horns too much.
If you want to say wait for me, it would be stannini (sta-NEE-nee)
There is also a hand gesture than can go with this (the "wait a moment", not the talking to impatient drivers bit) which involves placing your thumb against your first and middle finger, like you are pinching something, and moving your hand and arm down slightly. You can also use this gesture if you are talking and someone interrupts you or continues to think aloud without having let you finish your full thought (me? no, I've never done that...).
Mom: Are you ready to go to the store? We need to buy more M&Ms.
Me: Stanni schway... [runs to pick up purse and car keys]
[Car behind us beeps as we aren't through the intersection the SECOND the light turns green]
Me: *throws "stanna" fingers up* STANNA YOUR SCHWAY!
Baheb= I like...
Ba-heb, it has a breathy "h" sound, and the "Ba" is, again, a mix between "ah" and "uh". I usually use it when I really like something.
You: Look at this handmade pottery.
Me: Baheb....baheb this bowl! It would be great to hold M&Ms.
You: Maybe you can put some sauteed mushrooms in there.
Me: *silent look of judgement*
Ahlan wa sahlan= welcome
If you haven't already, you should check out my post on the spirit of Ahlan wa Sahlan to get a better idea of what it means to me. Suffice to say for now, it is something you say when you welcome someone into your home.
[You ring my doorbell. I answer the door.]
You: I came to visit for some tea and M&Ms.
Me: Ahlan wa sahlan!
I think this will do for now as a starter on words and phrases I use in my daily vocabulary. I'm sure I will think of more in the meantime, and if I come home and start saying things that sound unfamiliar, there's a 50/50 chance I'm speaking Arabic. Or I'm being hoity-toity.
But enough about me. This is about you, my friends and family, because I'm going to be coming home soon and I'll be using words that mean absolutely nothing to you. Not in the sense that I'm using an expanded vocabulary like a hoity-toity but that I've started using Arabic words in my English sentences, Arablesi if you will (Arabia+Inglesi), and then making them mean what I want them to mean (so that would make it Courtney speak+ Arabia + Inglesi = Courtarablesi) So this is my self-serving gift to you in order that we may communicate flawlessly, at least, until I move back to Pennsylvania and start saying "y'all" again. (I know, it doesn't make sense, Pennsylvania is certainly not the South. But it's such a convenient word for you plural!)
La' = No
There are two different words in Arabic that sound like this, but one is a short la' and the other is laaa. To say "no" it is the short version, quickly cut off in a way that almost sounds as if you are saying "luh".
You: Would you like these delicious sauteed mushrooms, Courtney?
Courtney: La'
If we are discussing an issue and I disagree there is a chance that I will passionately say "la' la' la' la'" in fast succession, which translates in Courtney-speak as "No, I disagree". I mean this in a loving way.
You can also turn this into a whine which involves saying the quick, choppy la' followed by a prolonged whiny "ahhhhhh". I usually use this technique when disappointed.
Mumken= Maybe, possibly
"Moumkin"is probably a better phonetic spelling.
You: Do you think you will be able to go out for lunch on Thursday?
Courtney: Mumken.
CONFESSION!: I also have a tendency to use "mumken" as a non-committal no when something isn't personally my style of doing things, or something I don't particularly want to do. (Sorry!)
[After five hours of shopping] You: Do you think this brown floral print dress with neon red stripes would be ok for this wedding?
Me: Mumken *shrugs shoulders*
You: Well, do you think we should see if there are more dresses at the store downtown?
Me: Muuuumken.
You: *starts to pull out hair* BE DECISIVE, WOMAN!
Inshallah= God willing, hopefully
I have used this so many times in typing with an explanation that I assume a lot of you know this one already. There is a correct way to say this, but I speak sloppy at times, so it may sound a number of different ways. The best I can explain it is as in-shal-lah, with the middle syllable sounding like a light "ah"mixed with a little "uh", and where you stay on the "l" sound a little.
Inshallah, I will be able to meet you for lunch on Thursday...but I won't get sauteed mushrooms in my order...inshallah.
Kiss sounding noise made by clicking your tongue behind your top front teeth = no
It's halfway between a kiss sound and a cluck. This can mean no in the same way as "la'" but is usually done by me in response to a question, particularly if I'm not facing you when you ask it, and even more if I'm concentrating on something else at the same time. Yes, this may make it more confusing. Sometimes it will come with one shake of the head.
Chrissy: Do you think Mom will mind if I eat the last of the M&Ms?
Me (watching tv): *"no" sound*
Khallas= stop it, it's finished, done
So, here is the tricky part: "kh" is a phelghmy "h" sound. So... "plegm-al-las" with the "a" being an "ah" sound.
This is usually accompanied by the motion of rubbing your hands together as if you are brushing your palms off. I usually follow it by raising my hands to show my palms then for a brief second as if to indicate "nothing there"! The handmotion can also stand alone as a silent statement or answer to a question.
1. [One kid pinches another] Me: Khallas! Stop it!
2. You: Are you finished with that paper?
Me: Khallas (w/ khallas hand motion)
3. [I finish writing my paper.] *khallas hand motion*
Barafish = I don't know
Technically it is baraf-ish, but I usually think of it as bara-fish, which makes me think of fish (the sea creature, not the Arabic word). Pretty self explanatory.
Mom: Hey! What happened to the M&Ms!
Me: Barafish.
Haram= for shame! for shame! or, mega bummer
So, I probably don't always use "haram" properly, but this is how I mean it. If you are a kid and you push another kid, I will probably tell you to stop first. If you do it again or the other kid pushes back I will say "haram"with surprised exasperation (I just don't understand when kids don't listen!). It can also be used in response to a story where there is something that is really unfortunate. When my dad was in the hospital the common response to me telling someone was "haram", which basically meant "mega bummer"/"I'm sorry this is happening, this isn't good/fair". I also use it as an adjective, meaning "that is inappropriate (given this immediate context)."
1. [Two children start to push each other and don't listen when I tell them to stop.] Haram! Khallas!
2. Mom's friend: So did you enjoy those M&Ms I gave you?
Mom: No, Courtney and Chrissy ate them all. (Just seeing if you read my blog, Chrissy ;)
Mom's friend: Haram (bummer)
3. [Getting ready to go sight seeing, to a place that involves a church] Me: Is this haram?
Alma: No, you're fine, just bring a shawl incase you need to cover your head in the church.
Istanna schway/stanni schway/stannu schway = wait a moment (to a guy/ woman/ multiple people)
I say this a lot, and I also say, more often than not, "stanna your schway" which makes no sense because it would mean "wait your moment", but in my brain it means "hold your horses". I say this often to impatient drivers who beep their horns too much.
If you want to say wait for me, it would be stannini (sta-NEE-nee)
There is also a hand gesture than can go with this (the "wait a moment", not the talking to impatient drivers bit) which involves placing your thumb against your first and middle finger, like you are pinching something, and moving your hand and arm down slightly. You can also use this gesture if you are talking and someone interrupts you or continues to think aloud without having let you finish your full thought (me? no, I've never done that...).
Mom: Are you ready to go to the store? We need to buy more M&Ms.
Me: Stanni schway... [runs to pick up purse and car keys]
[Car behind us beeps as we aren't through the intersection the SECOND the light turns green]
Me: *throws "stanna" fingers up* STANNA YOUR SCHWAY!
Baheb= I like...
Ba-heb, it has a breathy "h" sound, and the "Ba" is, again, a mix between "ah" and "uh". I usually use it when I really like something.
You: Look at this handmade pottery.
Me: Baheb....baheb this bowl! It would be great to hold M&Ms.
You: Maybe you can put some sauteed mushrooms in there.
Me: *silent look of judgement*
Ahlan wa sahlan= welcome
If you haven't already, you should check out my post on the spirit of Ahlan wa Sahlan to get a better idea of what it means to me. Suffice to say for now, it is something you say when you welcome someone into your home.
[You ring my doorbell. I answer the door.]
You: I came to visit for some tea and M&Ms.
Me: Ahlan wa sahlan!
I think this will do for now as a starter on words and phrases I use in my daily vocabulary. I'm sure I will think of more in the meantime, and if I come home and start saying things that sound unfamiliar, there's a 50/50 chance I'm speaking Arabic. Or I'm being hoity-toity.
I so appreciate this because I do EXACTLY THE SAME THING! This is brilliant, because now your friends and family can understand you, PLUS learn a new language (or at least a dozen words of a new language). They should be thanking you for expanding their knowledge of the world. Nice job, Court!
ReplyDeleteNice!
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