Above, still from Aljazeera’s one minute, (inbuilt Arabic captions) review of Shadin’s life and the circumstances surrounding her death. The clip opens with a poignant excerpt from a recording of one of Shaden’s last telephone conversations. It closes with a song she sang shortly before her death. Can you remember when Sudanese use the expression above? There’s an explanation in https://sudanesearabicdocumentariestranscriptionsandtranslations.wordpress.com/2023/05/12/sudanese-civilians-stories-and-a-ramadan-prayer-for-peace-bbc-arabic-and-al-arabiya/
Background to Today’s Text
Today’s 5-minute, intermediate level report encapsulates the feelings of so many Sudanese on hearing of the death of the charismatic singer, musical researcher and peace activist, Shadin Gardood. It outlines the singer’s professional trajectory, discusses some of her social media posts and reports reactions from the public. It also explores conflicting accounts of her death.
Possible Approaches
What’s the context and significance of this quote? Watch the Aljazeera clip to find out.
If you are not familiar with Shadin, the report provides an excellent introduction to her life and work. Why not watch and take notes on aspects of her life you find most interesting? At the end of this section you will find links to articles giving more background to her life.
If you are familiar with her work, what would you expect the report to include?
If you would like specific comprehension questions, then consider the following:
Which account of her death is considered the most accurate? Why was her last FaceBook post so moving? What was the reaction to her death in social media? What aspect of her life are emphasized by the Sudanese correspondent?
When you have studied the Al-Arabiya report, watch the brief Aljazeera clip also embedded below. The clip closes with Shadin at home singing some highly emotive verses. The lyrics are below. Before you listen, can you put the lines in the right order? I provide a rough translation of the lyrics at the end of this post.
BBC Sudanese Singer Shadin Gardood killed
Aljazeera Prominent Sudanese Singer killed in Crossfire
Lexical Focus
Expect to hear many expressions connected with war and warfare, for example;
shrapnel, projectiles, gunfire, stray bullet, ravages (of war) clashes, corps, besieged, imprisoned, call for peace, stand up against war, renounce war, looting, and terror.
You will also hear expressions related to Shadin’s death. Can you predict what might be used for the following?
to die / pass away, the late singer, the phrase used on hearing of someone’s death by Muslims, an expression to give the idea that her death was fated.
You will also hear words for;
honour, morals, chivalry, values, courage, altercation, heartbreak, contradictory accounts, to grow up / flourish, become involved in (a movement, for example), afflict / haunt, public / audience, and popularity.
The presenter has a gulf accent and uses two expressions characteristic of this dialect. Can you identify them?
Watch the Al Arabiya Report here:
Transcript
Transcript and Explanatory Notes
1 perhaps here, the artist’s memory /presence pervades / indwells, or the spirt of the late artist has descended upon / is still very much present in; from Khayyama, to encamp, abode, etc: see below;
2 manaSaat; platforms (media / social media)
3 after the announcement of her death / passing; wafaatihaa
4 riwaayaat; accounts/ stories surrounding her death
5 mataDaariba; contradictory / conflicting
6 ash-shaZaayaa; shrapnel
7 note this way of saying “hit by gunfire”; raSaaS; bullets
8 mushaada kalaamiyya; an altercation
9 armed men; musalaHiin
10 raSaasa Taa’isha; a stray bullet
11 note the way of saying “the late artist”; ar-raaHila
12 tara`ara; to flourish, also a synonym of nashaa’at; grow up / raised
13 moved / transferred to Omdurman; intaqalat
14 economics and business administration
15 died / passed away; verb; tuwuffii
16 at dawn; fajr
17 notice how we say “perhaps the saddest thing about this story is…”
18 she was famous for literally; chanting (tardiid)
19 songs of cultural heritage; turaathiya and revolutionary songs; thawriya
20 note this way of saying “calling for peace”
21 and rejecting (raafiDa lii) war
22 rawaaj; popularity, also marketability in other contexts
23 interaction; tafaa`il
24 that came over twitter
25 and the condolences…, literally, asking for God’s mercy on her
26 the last post (manshuur) circulated; yatadaawaluu)
27 bitashku min; complained
28 nahab; looting
29 jaw`; hunger
30 ar-ru`b; terror / horror
31 if we are to die, then we will die with our honour (karaamatnaa)
32 and morals / values (ikhlaaqnaa)
33 and we will meet our Lord taking nothing that doesn’t belong to us. Did you notice the Gulf Arabic mu for maa in muHagganaa?
34 notice this religious allusion to the ka`ba
35 imprisoned
36 looting, see 28)
37 with all the heartbreak; Hasra
38 we watch; bintafaraj
39 yes, we are hungry
40 but we are replete with / full (contrast with hunger) of values; perhaps here, we lack food but we don’t lack moral values
41 we are besieged (muHaaSir) by death from all sides
42 welcome to death with (our) honour and moral values (intact)
43 note this religious invocation for God’s aid in restoring Sudan
44 (which of the accounts is) the most accurate. Did you notice the Gulf Arabic “iish” for which?
45 they are present / to be found on top / on the roof of their home, watching
46 clashes, ishtibaakaat
47 close to them / in their proximity; maqruba
48 and specifically; taHdiidaan
49 headquarters (maqar)
50 broadcasting (idhaa`a)
51 aSilaaH aT-Tibiyy; medical corps
52 engineers corps
53 and other corps
54 qaDaa’ wa qadar; fate; literally judgement and fate
55 maqdhuuf; projectile
56 fell and reached (hit) her
57 the rest of them were uninjured; lam yuSibhum adhaa …. as has been circulating / was circulated, see 26)
58 the idea here is that there’s no indication that she was targeted – a fear voiced by some, due to her pro-revolutionary sympathies
59 just an act of fate; literally pure (maHD; maHuDa, to be pure) judgement (qaDaa’) and qadar; fate
60 reaction; radd-el-fi`l
61 delay; taakhiir
62 referring to her loyal fans; to be updated
63 stand out / be prominent
64 she began as a singer and poet
65 reject war; yanbidh; renounce / reject
66 inkharaTat; to get involved in
67 and gained widespread fame; shuhra
68 iiqaa`aat; rhythms
69 marduum; to be updated
70 Tambuur; a Sudanese rhythm, also tambour drum
71 calling for; yunaadii bi
72 Hakaama; see
https://womensliteracysudan.blog/2021/05/18/her-words-slayed-dragons/
73 the nickname (laqab) / name / title given to her by her
74 public /audiences; jumhuuruhaa
75 al-`urf; custom / tradition / convention
76 glorifying virtuous / worthy (faaDila) values (qiyam)
77 courage; ash-shajaa`
78 chivalry; muru’a
79 did you catch this? A wave of grief
80 intaabat; haunt / afflict
81 her passing / death; raHiilihaa
82 she stood up against the war
83 waylaat; ravages of war
84 during her childhood; ibaan Tufuulatihaa
85 at the start of your introduction (ta`riif)
86 she tasted ( tadhawwaqat) its ravages
87 she didn’t support any side
88 mudaakhala; literally, intervention / presentation
89 tawDiiHaat; clarifications
Aljazeera Mini Summary and Shadin’s Song
1 The war in Sudan has ended the course / trajectory (masiira) of the Sudanese artist, as a result of (`ala ithr; immediately after / following on, also impact, in the wake of), a shell falling (suquuT qadhiifa) on her home in Omdurman. The departed / late singer (ar-raaHila); who was known as Hakaama (see above) Shadin
2 from a cultured / educated (muthaqafa) musical and artistic family (belonging to) the Baggara tribe going back to artistic pioneers (raa’idaat) and Kordofani culture. She presented / brought out / produced many songs of (cultural) heritage (turaathiyya)
3 her artistic experience (tajriba) is characterized by peace and values (qiyam) of justice (`adaala). In 2019 she joined (inDamat) the protests (al-taZaaharaat) that broke out
(indala`at) against the regime (niZaam) of President Bashir
4 In 2021 she announced her opposition (munaahiDa) to the military coup (inqilaab) and she was opposed to the latest conflict( Siraa`) between the army and the RSF
Explanation of the Song Lyrics
1 don’t kill your brother, oh brother
2 literally, don’t make (tasawwii) useless / empty (naay; also raw / uncooked) words
3 libs la-khalag wa- zayy; literally, with (your) clothes (khalaga; word used by the Baggara for clothes) and costume / regional attire; this could also refer to military uniform
4 Harag al-guluub bikaay; (burning) hearts with literally; cauterizing (makwa; iron); perhaps here, searing / branding
5 head empty of religion; raas faaDii min ad-diin
6 bringing / carrying (shaayliin) guns / weapons (silaaH), roaming around (Haayimiin)
7 you kill left and right
8 literally; not conserving / maintaining / safeguarding; Saaiiniin, from Saana,uu, opposite of khaana, to betray, companionship (`ushra)
Sudanese Arabic Documentary Transcripts with English Notes 