Six languages, three countries and all what's in between
If the land of Lebanon could speak, it would tell a lot about its rich civilizational past. And one of the best ways a land can speak to us of its bygone influences is through its toponyms... provided one is curious enough to scrutinize them. When I started to become inquisitive vis-a-vis the real meanings... Continue Reading →
In light the perennial upheavals characterizing the Lebanese political landscape, lest you want to get in a brawl with half of your acquaintances over different political views (been there, done that!), it would be much safer to tackle things from a more innocuous bias, say, Etymology. The word du jour is Tosh, طش: a familiar word... Continue Reading →
After getting into endless brawls, online and offline, with acquaintances and strangers alike over antagonistic political stances, on the backdrop of a perennially tumultuous Lebanese political landscape, I deemed it much safer to start tackling sociopolitical events from a different, more innocuous bias. Such as etymology. An "etymologizing" take on the "Topic du jour", if... Continue Reading →
After years of being away due to motherhood-induced upheavals and globetrotting, I am finally back, more intent on sharing my translation-relevant insights, experiences and eventual tips. Indeed, the other day as I was using an older version of MS Word, I realized that it only included in its bullet points numbering lists the conventional alphabetical order... Continue Reading →
Tartine is not what you think it is
Whatever staunch puritans of the Arabic language might say, the undeniable fact is that our spoken Lebanese language is rife with non-Arabic words and expressions. After all, this is what being at a crossroad of three continents entails. The ever-evolving fashion and garments lexicon best mirrors this fact, I believe. Fashion is always mutating with... Continue Reading →
I have read somewhere that when we are happy we enjoy the music, but when we are sad we understand the lyrics. This more or less sums up my experience with Lebanese love song “Rah Halfak Bel Ghosn”. Truth be told, I admit I never even liked its melody as a child, deeming it just a”typical […]
"Most countries in the world use the naming convention Do–Re–Mi–Fa–Sol–La–Si"
A linguist by profession, a Lebanese by birth and an expat by choice/destiny. These are the factors that explain, I suppose, why I am an assiduous seeker of Lebanon's subtle cultural fingerprints around the world… inside words. Yes, words! Words say it all you know! Etymology is the key to hidden valuable secrets enclosed within words. Historical... Continue Reading →
