May 1st, 2010 17 comments
The environmental concerns of using plastic carrier bags has become quite a big issue in the UK (and many parts of the world for that matter) with many supermarkets now rewarding customers for reusing plastic bags and some even charging for them in the fight to cut down on their usage. This hasn't really hit on as much in the Arab world; in this lesson we'll be teaching you how to ask for a bag and discussing the topic further.

  5.0/5 (8 votes)


17 Comments
na7la says
Sat 1st May 10@03:31 pm

If I want to say "my bag is torn", is this correct: ßíÓí ÞØÚ ?
Desmond says
Sun 2nd May 10@07:18 am

The adjective ﻤﻓﺘﻮﻖ (torn) collocates with ﻤﻌﻄﻓ (coat). Perhaps it also collocates with ﻜﻴﺲ (bag).
Ehab says
Sun 2nd May 10@08:48 am

The best way to say "my bag is torn" in classical Arabic is just what Na7la wrote. However, since the 7arakaat are not there, then I have to emphasise the passive voice in (is torn - qu6e3 - ÞõØöÚ), so it is not (qa6a3).

In the street, people use a colloquial way to describe action being applied on something, which is joining (Åä) with the verb, like:
- (torn - qa6a3 - ÞØÚ) >> (is torn - inqa6a3 - ÅäÞØÚ)
- (killed - qatal - ÞÊá) >> (is killed - inqatal - ÅäÞÊá).

Inshallah we will make a lesson to talk about passive voice in classical Arabic, it is an exciting/challenging topic and I am sure many of you would enjoy such challenge.
plop says
Sun 2nd May 10@09:41 am

indeed Ehab the passive voice would be a very interesting subject as we do use this a lot - thanks in advance to cover that subject - again a very practical lesson - cheers
na7la says
Sun 2nd May 10@12:10 pm

Thanks Ehab, as usual for the nice explanation!
BTW, I can not finish the exercises: once I get to the last section "write the words", the programme gets stuck (íÚáÞ ¿ ?) in the 3rd word, i.e. it does not play the sound.
Ehab says
Sun 2nd May 10@04:35 pm

Na7la, it is fixed now, it was my fault, sorry. Please check the exercise now it should be working fine.
na7la says
Sun 2nd May 10@05:18 pm

Shukran Ehab, it works fine now!
na7la says
Sun 2nd May 10@07:00 pm

Desmond, I just watched a very interesting documentary about the preservation of our beautiful Bavarian dialect, please have look:
http://www.br-online.de/bayern/kult-und-brauch/bairisch-forderverein-tassilo-medaille-ID1237376771238.xml

In this documentary Gerald Huber described the linguistical vertigo between German and Bavarian as "Sprachverwirrung" wink
Desmond says
Sun 2nd May 10@07:33 pm

Thanks for the additional information, na7la. "Sprachverwirrung" is a German compound of considerable antiquity. It's one of the words I learnt at school. (I had to learn German in three years while studying other subjects like history and geography.) "Sprachverwirrung" is often used in the phrase "babylonische Sprachverwirrung", which is rendered in English as "the confusion of tongues" or "the confusion of languages". (Incidentally, there's a nice article about the Tower of Babel in the Arabic version of Wikipedia.)

The meaning of the term "Sprachverwirrung" might conceivably be stretched to encompass the phenomenon which is metaphorically described as "linguistic vertigo", though I still think that "Desorientierung" comes closer to the meaning of "vertigo".

At any rate, both "Sprachverwirrung" and "sprachliche Verwirrung" are correct German. If I ever have to translate "linguistic vertigo" into German I won't be at a loss for words. I've always found it quite easy to translate Latin, French and English texts into standard German, though I've never tried to speak or write the Bavarian dialect.
berry says
Mon 3rd May 10@10:12 am

The children in north africa, buy plastic bags in bulk, and sell them in the souk, this provides much needed cash for the their families, though as a tourist one must not fumble for change , as pick-pockets show amazing skills, even though i was aware of this , my wallet wandered out of my pocket the last time i was in a market in tunisia, but i only carry small change in such places .I admire the ways poeple find to support their families when in great poverty.
damillar says
Tue 4th May 10@07:03 am

Guys - a36eeny - means 'give me' - it's an order - different from 'you give me' which I guess would be t36eeny or 'you give' t36ee (another guess). Would you be able to put together a lesson on this type of construct please? (I feel a bit thick in comparison with Desmond!)
na7la says
Fri 7th May 10@08:58 pm

I would like to come back to the word (ÞØÚ - to tear or torn), tonight I was working on "I want a piece" and found a great similarity to (ÞØÚÉ = piece). What kind of connection is there, as the roots of these two words are the same?
TGIF to everyone!!! wink
Kawzy says
Thu 20th May 10@02:11 pm

Assalamu Alaykuma Muhammad wa Ehab!

I must say you two are absolute geniuses!!! I would have never thought of a dialogue like this but it is soooo useful. Thank you so much.
foosety says
Mon 7th Jun 10@05:00 am

Marhaba,
Fy waa7hed mushkelah ma aljoomla akhir.
There is a problem with a word in the last sentence. It says ta6a9’al, but you guys said tafadal. Am I correct?
foosety says
Mon 7th Jun 10@05:15 am

Actually 9' is correct (daad) but 6(taah) makes no sense.
Ehab says
Tue 8th Jun 10@12:02 am

Foosety, you are right, we shall fix this soon inshallah. Thanks for letting use know about it.
psibear says
Mon 8th Aug 11@03:08 am

I remember approaching Ouarzazate, in Morocco, by coach and thinking there was a huge flock of black birds near the outskirts. Unfortunately, as we drew closer I realised that what I was seeing were flurries of black plastic bags blown from a local rubbish dump - such a shame!
Join the Discussion


Like this on facebook!
Random Word
ÍáíÈ
Show Translation
Milk
Advertisement