I am Sudanese – Omer Elamin

I am Sudanese, Omer Alamin

Above, stills from the video featured in this week’s listening text.

Background to This Week’s Text

This week’s upper-intermediate / pre-advanced, poetic, classical Arabic text is an exquisite hymn to the Sudanese character and its virtues in adversity. The song, Ana Sudani, arranged here by Omer Alamin, was originally sung by the late, great Sudanese artist, Hasan Khalifa al-Atbarawi as an anti-colonialist anthem of the mid 1940s. Learn more about the singer here: حسن خليفة العطبراوي

The lyrics are taken from a poem by Mohammad Othman Abdel Raheem; for the full poem, see الشاعر السوداني الكبير محمد عثمان عبد الرحيم صاحب قصيدة (انا سوداني). Omer Alamin’s moving updated version is dedicated to all those Sudanese who found themselves outside Sudan when war broke out and who are torn between following the ever worsening news on social media and the heartfelt need to act in support of their countrymen and women.

Possible Approaches

First, just enjoy the melody and cadences of this beautiful song by covering the inbuilt subtitles and translation that appear at the bottom of the screen. Then listen again and make a note of the words and phrases you were able to catch. What is the overall tone and message of the song? What criticism is made and about whom?

The inbuilt translation is accurate and beautifully poetic. Our annotations below merely provide insights into the literal meanings and roots of the expressions used and highlight useful words to remember.

If you would like a gap fill listening exercise, then look at the gap fill quiz that appears below under the video imbed. Can you guess the type of words that are missing and their possible meanings?

The song talks about the Sudanese character. What aspects of the Sudanese Arab identity might you expect to be emphasized?

Alternatively, look at the lyrics provided below and mark the vowelling and any case indicators that you will hear, before listening. Compare your version with the original. After studying the text, try reading it aloud or singing it as fluently and naturally as you can.

Lexical Focus

There is a glossary of key terms provided at the end of this post.

How many different words from these two phonemically distinct root forms can you remember? And what’s the pronunciation of these forms فطن / فتن ? You will hear both in the song. How many different ways do you know of using الدهر?

If you would like pre-listening orientation, then consider the following:

What expressions do you predict will be used for these ideas; “parts / bits”, “boast / be proud of”, “be fascinated by”, “longing / yearning”, “sorrow”, “beauty / goodness”, “someone who sacrifices themselves for their country / a cause”, “generosity” (two words), “boldness”, “adversities”, “resoluteness / fortitude”, “oppress”, “persecution”, “settle” (in a land), “build / civilize”, “earth / humanity / mankind”, “epoch / era / eternity” , “grudges”, “hatred / malice”, “discord / sedition”, “to ruin / exterminate”, “blemish”?

Watch the Video Here:

Gap Fill Listening Quiz

Song Lyrics with Explanatory Notes

1 all its parts / bits, ajzaa’, plural of juz’, are our homeland so we

2 nubaahii bi-hi; we boast / take pride in it and

3 naftatanu, from iftatana; literally we are fascinated / mesmerized / infatuated by it, from fatana; appeal to, bring over, captivate, charm; maftuun bii; be captivated by , maftuun fascianted / captivated by

4 we sing in praise; nataghana bii, of its beauty / goodness; Husn, also resplendence, splendor, beauty, especially of women, for ever; abadaan (for) without it

5 nothing of beauty pleases us; laa yaruug(q)anaa (it doesn’t please us)

6 when memory / remembrance; dhikr, carried us away; Haddat bii

7 filled with / full of; miluu’, ash-showk, yearning / longing

8 shajan; sorrow, trouble / grief

9 natamala; literally to contemplate, taa’mala but here, we enjoy / are entertained by its beauty and, as in the subtitled translation, as we live, we see its price

10 the best of this blood; plural form, dimaa’; we offer up in sacrifice (see glossary) like a martyr / someone who gives up his own life for the sake of his country / beliefs; al-fidaa’ii; also has ideas of redemption

11 Hiin yumtaHanu; when tested / examined; from imtiHaan; examination

12 bi-sakhaa'(in); with generosity

13 bi-juraa’a(in); with boldness

14 literally, that doesn’t moan, (laa) yaa’in, to moan, lament, and that doesn’t (laa) tahanu; weakening / easing, to be updated

15 tastahiin; literally, to disparage / underestimate, from istihaana, also to flout in other contexts, but here perhaps the idea is we Sudanese hold as nothing / little

16 the adversities, al-khuTuub, plural of khaTb

17 (because of) `an jalad(in); endurance / fortitude / stamina

18 tanhaal wahiya tatazan; heaped (upon us, referring to the adversities) and (still) remain, literally, balanced / in equilibrium

19 / 20 we are from those (nafr; group of people) who built (civilization) where it was not inhabited / settled; qaTanuu

21 ruling, (those who ruled) with justice in the world; fii-l-wara; the world / mankind / humanity, shall we see this time return?

22 eternity, ad-dahr, repeats, (bears witness to again and again)

23 the goodness of their reputation, also life / biography / way of life, perhaps here too conduct, which is without

24 HiTa; lowness / degradation / abasement / inferiority, or daran; literally, uncleanness, impurity, dirt / filth, also TB in other contexts

25 not to oppress; yaZlimuu others, nor the

26 al-iDThaad; persecution of those in safety / secure

27 many in their breasts, Suduurihim, have haboured; tatanaza, see glossary below; agitate; al-aHqaad; grudges, plural of Haqd and al-iHn, plural of iHna; deep hatred, bitter feeling, being hostile and ill will

28 / 29 duuHA al-`urab; duuHA; family tree, also lofty tree in other contexts, of the Arabs / Arabness, is generosity (karam) and to the Arabs is attributed; tunsab, perspicacity, astuteness, cleverness; al-faTan, see below:

30 ad-dahr; (this) era; dahr can mean eon, long period of time, era, epoch, abada ad-ddahr; forever, literally wakes to among them discord, fitn and

31 / 32 how much discord al-fitn, also sedition, prevalence of tribulations, charm, temptations (see below); ruins / wipes out (afnata; from afnaa, perish, exterminate, consume, polish off) the world;

Glossary

My thanks to Muna Zaki for this excellent resource.

Al-Arabiya and Aljazeera Updates on the Crisis in Sudan

Al-Arabiya and Aljazeera Updates on the Crisis in Sudan

Background to This Week’s Texts

The two very brief texts (two minutes and one minute each) we focus on this week provide a useful summary of the impact the on-going conflict is having on everyday life in Sudan and make an emotive appeal to viewers across the world.

The first text is standard journalistic Arabic and includes expressions you would expect to hear in the context of military activity and impact on services. The second text is a highly personal monologue by a young woman witnessing events in western Sudan.

Possible Approaches

As the two texts are clearly enunciated, intermediate standard and easy Sudanese colloquial Arabic, you might like to use the listenings as dictations at normal speed to test your written Arabic accuracy. After you listen, compare your version with the transcripts below. You could also try reading the texts aloud before listening, trying to adopt a fluid, journalistic delivery in the first case and the appropriate tone of personal testimony in the second. Then compare your delivery and pronunciation with the originals.

If you would like specific comprehension areas to focus on, then consider the following:

What is considered news by normal criteria, according to the correspondent? How does that impact the reporting on Sudan? What is the issue surrounding statistical data related to the conflict? What information is given on the territories affected by the conflict and who controls them? What is the situation in terms of basic services in Sudan? What events indicate a possible change in military approaches to the conflict? The correspondent corrects herself during her report. Can you catch her correction?

What is the tone of the young western Sudanese woman’s message to the world? What does she want the world to know?

Lexical Focus

You will hear several expressions for “extend / widen” the scope of the war, “take control of / be in control of” (region), as well as words for “numbers”, “statistics”, “approximate” and “periodic / regular” relating to the issuing of statistics, and “death toll”. How would you say “the dead”, “wounded” (two words) and “victims / casualties”? And for “clashes”, “bombing / shelling”, “positions” “displaced” and “catastrophic / disastrous”?

Can you predict what expressions will be used for “voluntary organizations”, “deterioration”, “lack / shortage”, “influx”, “gruesome / ugly ” for scenes, and “standard / normal / typical”, referring to what is considered to be news criteria? How would you say that something has become “a familiar sight”? And which expression for “humiliation” might you hear and in what context?

You will hear expressions for “both” and “whether it be”. What terms might be used?

Watch The Reports Here:

Text 1 Al-Arabiya

مديرة مكتب #العربية بـ #السودان: “الدعم السريع” قام بتوسيع الحرب والسيطرة ع

Text 2: Aljazeera

فتاة سودانية تناشد المسؤولين بالبلاد لإيقاف الحرب

Transcripts

Text 1

Text 2

Transcripts with explanatory Notes

1 qaam bii-tawsii`; the RSF have brought about the widening / amplification of the war and

2 as-sayTara `ala; control over

3 al-iHSaa’iyaat; and there are no statistics

4 `adaad al-qatla: death toll

5 tabaadal lil- qaSf; exchange of shelling / bombing

6 ma`yaari; standard / normal / typical; the speaker is emphasizing that by normal news standards / criteria, there is no “new” news but that everyday there are continued / recurring clashes and bombing – and this is news in itself

7 yatakarrar; repeat / recurring

8 ishibaakaat wa-l-qaSf; clashes and shelling

9 bii-ma`aayiir; by the standards / criteria of news

10 / 11 tasquT DaHaayaa; note this way of saying the causing of victims / casualties in war; note too the way of saying whether it be; siwaa’ ann kaan

12 muSaabiin; wounded / injured

13 i`tiyaad; familiarity; this has become a familiar sight to …

14 saHb; literally, to drag / pull / tug, here the idea is the RSF has succeeded in bringing the war to other regions

15 tawassu`; extension / widening / spreading

16 al-muwaaqi`; sites / positions

17 al-mafaahiim al- `askariyya; a change in the military perceptions / understandings / concepts

18 taDarrar; damage of the two main bridges

19 lil-ta`aaTii; practice / pursuit

20 killaa; both

21 satu’ athir; influence / affect

22 khalafat; the conflict has left behind it … note too, in same line jarHa; the wounded

23 yashbi al-waDa` aS-SaHHii al-kaarithii; the health situation resembles a disaster

24 maa yu’ sif aiDaan; what is also sad is

25 fii waqt min al-aawqaat; from time to time / sometimes

26 tuSdir; issue almost weekly /

27 dawriyya; periodic / recurring

28 Taw`iyya; voluntary

29 taqriibiyya; approximate, referring to the statistics

30 tarudii; deterioration

31 yatawaajiduun; those who are present

32 naqs; lack / shortage

33 quSuur; insufficiency / failure

34 mu`aalaja; treatment

35 ishkaaliyyaat; problems

36 tu`aanii; suffer

37 tadaffuq; influx

38 al-naaziHiin; the displaced

1 tanaashid; calls upon / appeals to

2 mawt al-ihaana; a humiliating death; ihaana; humiliation

3 tataqaTa`; to be cut into pieces

4 aw raas-ik da yatafajjar; or your head explodes / is blown off in an explosion

5 manaaZir bashi`a; gruesome / ugly / horrid

6 / 7 `alaykum allah shiiruu; please please share this

Supplementary Texts; 2-minute, captioned footage from Al-Arabiya

زعيم أهلي وابنه و8 من أحفاده يتعرضون للاغتيال بغرب دارفور .. برأيك هل تزيد هذه

في ظل اتساع رقعة المعارك بين #الجيش_السودانhttps://www.facebook.com/alarabiyasu/videos/318949254218842/?extid=NS-UNK-UNK-UNK-IOS_GK0T-GK1C&ref=sharingي و#الدعم_السريع.. إلى أين يمضي

Exodus; A Nuuar Media Series

Exodus; A Nuuar Media Series

Testimonies of Sudanese Forced to Flee

Background to This Week’s Text

This 2.5-minute, fast, colloquial Sudanese text is a trailer for a NUUAR series of interviews with Sudanese who were forced to flee their homes when war broke out in Khartoum in April this year. We hear snippets of news reports from the opening days of the conflict and excerpts from the coming full-length series interviews with Sudanese men and women who took the brave decision to uproot themselves for the sake of their families and their futures.

Among the interviewees is Natalina Yacoub, pictured below and now based in Juba, whose full interview, subtitled accurately in English, is linked at the end of this post. Her testimony is both poignant and powerful.

Below, still from the NUAAR Media series, raHiil, or Exodus.

Possible Approaches

Although the lexis and syntax of the text are uncomplicated, intermediate level, the speed of delivery, colloquial intonation and quick change of focus make this a satisfyingly challenging listening test. Try watching the trailer three or four times at normal speed and make notes on as many news items mentioned and comments of those interviewed that you can. Then slow down the playback speed to catch the details you missed. If you want to use the text as a speed listening test, don’t access the lexical focus section below before viewing.

Alternatively, if you would like specific comprehension questions to focus on, then consider the following:

What were the main concerns and reactions surrounding the first days of the conflict of any four of those pictured below? What do they say about the Sudanese character? How optimistic are they about the future? What coping strategies do they reveal? Which comments reveal how uneasy or worried they felt when war broke out?

Or, match the speaker to the questions below;

Who had never left Sudan before? Who ran from room to room? Who was worried about fetching his child from school? Who talks about the Sudanese character? Who still has faith in the revolution? Who received a phone call from her brother? Who felt overwhelmed? Who speaks about forgiveness?

After watching the trailer, can you remember five colloquial phrases used by any of the speakers below?

Lexical Focus

If you would like pre-viewing orientation, then can you predict which words might be used for the following ideas:

“tears”, “loss”, “source of a river”, “upstream” , “exodus” and “displaced”? How would you say “plaintive / sighing”, “yearning / nostalgic” and “wishes”? You will hear two verbs for “wake up” and “destroy / wreak havoc”. What might they be? What’s the expression used for “bang / boom!” of a bomb or gunfire? What are the expressions used for “ammunition”, “harm”, “faith” and “survival”? And “overwhelming”, “flood”, “sweep away, of water”, “soar” for planes, “the fates”, and “momentary / passing / temporary”?

You will hear colloquial verbs for “fetch”, “get hold of”, and also standard verbs for “seize”, “loot”, “say goodbye to”, and “be accustomed to”. You will also hear words for “cohesion / solidarity / connectedness”, “resoluteness”, “forgiving” and “reconciled”.

How would you say “we feel for each other”? And a colloquial version of the negative imperative, “Don’t / don’t even think about…!”?

Watch the Video Here:

في حياتنا في اوقات محتاجين نكون برانا بارادتنا وبكامل وعينا وادراكنا، و أحياناً الظروف بتجبرنا انو نرحل…وين، وكيف ما معروف بس في رحيل. “رحيل” تفاصيل رحلة

Transcript

Transcript with Explanatory Notes

1 dumuu`al-fugdaan; the tears of loss

2 al-manaabi`; sources / head of a river,

plural of manba`

3 aniin; plaintive / sighing / moaning, Haniin; of yearning / nostalgia, longing, umniyaat; wishes

4 bi-wuquu` ishtibaak musalaH; with the occurrence of armed clash(es)

5 anbaa’; news (broadcasts)

6 taHliiq Taa’iraat; soaring / climbing, for planes, also hovering

7 istayqaZa `ala; woke up to

8 dawii -al-infajaraat; the bangs / booms of explosions

9 biyaSHA `ala; wake up to

10 Natalina says she was on the point of moving; mutaHarika when her brother phoned and told her not to….Darab dh(z)akhiira; firing of ammunition

11 aw`ii takuunii …; see below, from Sudanese Arabic, A Concise Dictionary, Tamis and Persson :

12 Siraa`muu’aqqat; a momentary / passing / temporary conflict. The speaker then talks about moving from room to room in her anxiety

13 yalHag; to fetch (children from school)

14 lammuu fii; got hold of (someone)

15 gabaDoohum; they seized them

16 nahaboohum; and they looted / plundered

17 aaman; more secure / safer

18 HayTaananaa; our walls, plural of Haa’iTa

19 al-kul yarkab muraakib al-mustaHiil; an expression meaning those who are desperate will try every means possible; see too

20 gadhafat bii; toss / throw / pelt

21 aqdaar al-Harb; the fates (of war)

22 `aks masaar an-niil; upstream, literally, opposite to the direction of the Nile

23 faragtanaa; separated us

24 bita`aayin lilkhayaaraat al-gadaamak; you look at the choices before you

25 / 26 mujarad maHaTaat; (are these places) mere / just (temporary) stops on the journey of migration / exodus / displacement; nuzuuH, that is prolonged

27 hadamat; destroyed / demolished their homes and their

28 amaalhum; hopes

29 / 30 awTaan al-akhiriin; (will they find) in the lands of others, a land that might accommodate (wide enough for, from wasa`) their dreams, arDaan tasa`u aHlaamhum

31 fayaaaDa; flood, talking of their feelings (mashaa`ir)

32 `aarima jaarifa gawiya; an overwhelming, flood sweeping everything away; from jarafa, yajrif

33 bitawaDi` you are saying farewell to everything you have been accustomed to all your life

34 it`awaDta; you become accustomed to / were used to

35 taraabuT; inter-dependence / inter-connectedness, solidarity / cohesion

36 as-sudaanawiyya; Sudanese-ness

37 speaking of the qualities of the Sudanese, they will manifest themselves from here and onwards

38 and people will return with a new spirit, bi-ruuH jadiida

39 wa bi-iSraar; firmness / resoluteness / persistence, also stubbornness

40 the war has already wreaked havoc / devastation; kharaba, kharaab; Nataline refuse to focus her energies on thinking about the war

41 What shall I develop, from verb nama, tamniyya (n)

42 Who shall I orientate myself towards

43 Who shall I have an effect on

44 mutasaamiHiin; forgiving, we quickly forgive about those who have

45 harmed us, lil-zool al-adhaanaa

46 / 47 despite its harshness / cruelty, gasaawatihaa, we still feel for each other

48 we just hope the war ends and doesn’t spread / extends, tamtada (in time and space) further than this

49 if you are not mutaSaaliH; reconciled with yourself, you won’t be able to

50 tashur as-salaam; spread peace

51 our faith; imaananaa

52 the only path to survival / way to survive; najaa; survival

53 literally the continuing revolution; for me the revolution lives on / endures / is constant / everlasting

Natalina Yacoub’s Interview

رحيل – الحلقة الأولى

Nubian Architecture Part 3

Nubian Architecture Part 3

Above, stills from this week’s closing excerpt from arD as-sumur’s documentary on Nubian architecture. Can you describe the motifs pictured above? How would you say “geometric, “triangular” and “oblong” shapes? How would you say “organic motifs”? What is the woman above doing? Do you know the name of traditional bread oven shown above? Can you remember the word for “whitewash / lime” in Sudanese Arabic?

Background to This Week’s Text

We close this study of Nubian architecture by focusing on the role of women in Nubian house decoration and explore the sources of their artistic inspiration.

This final, intermediate-level installment in the series offers stunning views of Nubian design and insights into their historical background.

Below, still from this week’s excerpt, showing the strikingly unique nature of Nubian vernacular design.

Possible Approaches

If you would like pre-viewing orientation to the text, then consider what the narrator and those interviewed might say in connection with the three scenes below.

What do the speakers say about the sources of the motifs that decorate Nubian homes? How old is the practice of adorning their homes in this way? What role does colour play in Nubian culture? What symbolic or propitious role do the house motifs play? What does the documentary say about the importance of earthenware in Nubian culture?

Alternatively make notes in Arabic on the key points made by the speakers below.

Lexical Focus

If you would like pre-viewing orientation, then can you predict which expressions might be used to say the following:

“paint motifs” and “apply whitewash / lime”? How would you say “decorating / adorning” and “isolating”? And what words would you expect to hear for “sources”, “temples”, “churches”, “kitchen utensils”, “visual symbols, “spiritual heft” and “ancient lineage or deep-rooted tradition” ? You will hear terms for “derived from”, “inference”, “strengthen”, “permeate”, “spaciousness”, “vision” and “creative difference”. Can you remember how to say “tone or shade” of a colour?

Expect too to hear expressions related to earthenware and the use of motifs for their propitious or protective powers.

Watch the Episode Here (Minutes 14 to End)

Transcript

Transcript with Explanatory Notes

1 from inHaSara; to be restricted / limited, inHaSara fii; be concentrated in; inHaSara `ala; limited to, note construction laa yanHaSir ….bal

2 aT-Tabaga al-`aazila; isolating layer (see Parts 1 and 2), referring to the wall structure of Nubian houses

3 aT-Talaa’; paint / painting, from Talaa bii; yaTlii

4 mustaqaa min; derived from

5 maSaadir; note the plural of maSdar; source, origin

6 yustaa’jiruuna; hire / recruit

7 zakhaarif; motifs

8 jiir; lime / whitewash

9 paint lime / whitewash

10 ar-raHaaba; spaciousness

11 note this way of saying a shade or tone of a colour

12 tatasarrab; infuse, perhaps here, permeate, also seep / infiltrate in other contexts

13 ramuuz; symbols, plural of ramz

14 Tard as-siHr; literally, expel magic but here perhaps, protection against sorcery

15 kaff al-`ayn; ward off the evil eye

16 tabriikaat; blessings

17 istidlaal `ala; inference from

18 ar-ramuuz al-baSriyya; visual symbols

19 Humuulaat; weight / heft (spiritual)

20 biwajhin maa; in some way

21 tata`zaz; is strengthened

22 ruu’ iya; vision

23 al-fakhaar; earthenware, al-ma`aadin; metal

24 al- a`raaqa; the state of being genuine, original, ancient ancestral line, honourable lineage, deep ethnic roots

25 tashabu`; satisfaction / gratification

26 dooka; the Sudanese metal hot plate used for making flatbread

27 al.Hafriyyaat; excavations

28 judhuur a`miiqa; deep roots

29 note this way of saying “like everything”

30 an indication of creative difference

Nubian Architecture Part 2

Nubian Architecture Part 2

Above, stills from this week’s instalment of the arD as-sumur documentary episode on Nubian architecture.

Background to This Week’s Text

Anyone who has traveled in Nubia cannot fail to be struck by the organic elegance of its homes and the seamless continuation of building techniques used for thousands of years.

In this week’s brief post, we explore Nubian house design in more detail and learn more about Nubian women’s role in house building. Next week we look at women’s unique artistic influence on house decoration throughout the region.

The scenes studied in this intermediate level 5-minute excerpt focus on Nubian doors, their traditional locks and how the characteristic smooth, soft surfaces of the houses are achieved. The episode also offers insight into the importance of cooperation and communal projects in Nubian culture.

Below, an imposing Nubian facade and doorway, still from the documentary.

Possible Approaches

You will hear two Nubian terms; “shuruu” and “kosti kosti”. Watch to find out what they mean. You will also hear the names of three Nubian heroines from antiquity. Who might they be and can you spell their names correctly in Arabic? What is women’s role in the design and upkeep of Nubian houses?

What would you predict to be the typical dimensions of Nubian doors and what are they made of? Can you describe the lock below and explain how it works in colloquial Sudanese before watching the excerpt? How close was your description to that of the video?

Can you explain what the women are doing in the photo below? What terms would you like to use but don’t know or are not sure about in Sudanese Arabic? Watch the excerpt for the terms you were searching for.

Alternatively, make notes in Arabic to summarize the key points made by the two speakers below:

Lexical Focus

As you have probably predicted, the text contains many expressions related to doors, their dimensions and lock mechanisms as well as those used to describe the making of plastered facades. You will also hear the Nubian word for “door lock” and a Sudanese term often used for communal projects, meaning to come together to help someone in need. You will also hear the word in Arabic for scented pod acacia wood.

If you would like pre-viewing orientation, then consider which expression you might hear for “height”, “width”, “huge / massive”, “tied / attached / fixed,” for a lock. How would you say the following in colloquial Sudanese; “dung”, “plaster”, noun, verb and participles; “mud”, “adobe”, “knead”, “to wet / soak”, “to sift”, “gum arabic” and “insulate”?

You will also hear a collocation for “carry out / finish a job or task”, “invite” and for something – a task or activity – that keeps you busy or occupies your time.

What expression would you use for “overwhelming /dominant or overriding” (presence)?

Watch the Episode here (Minutes 9.20-14):

Transcript

Transcript with Explanatory Notes

1 Dakhma; huge, massive, collosal

2 as-sumuT; scented pod acacia

3 irtifaa`ha; height

4 `arD; width

5 ash-shuruu; Nubian word for the door lock used in this region

6 muthabbata; fixed to / fastened to

7 marbuuTaat; tied / attached

8 sinnatayn; two teeth

9 note this expression for “over (the passing of) time”

10 Taaghiyyaan; overwhelming(ly) referring to the presence of women

11 Hukm al-mamaalik; notice the plural of kingdom, mamlaka

12 kandaakaat; note the plural of kandaaka; the ancient Nubian queens and heroines in Northern Sudanese culture

13 qaTT; adverb, never / not ever and in same line. hayba; prestige, standing

14 from the verb balla; to wet / soak

15 ba`r; dung

16 bina`jinuu; knead,

`ajan (i)

17 from layyas; liyyees / talyees; to plaster

18 al-liyyaasa; plastering

19 Did you catch this phrase and the difference between the two types of plaster? One which your hands apply in continuous movement and the other, kosti kosti which is pressed onto the wall surface

20 note this expression for “recently”

21 to finish / discharge / carry out (a task / job)

22 (the women) bring mud from the river

23 note this way of saying ” we add a proportionate quantity of”

24 as-samgh al- `arabii; gum arabic and we mix, nakhliTu, (khalaT (i)),it really well

25 al-jaaluuS; adobe, mud brick, made of mud, straw and dung

26 `aajila li; insulate from the rain, also isolate in other contexts

27 fii faSl al-khariif; in autumn

28 al-ta`riyya; to be updated, in many contexts, erosion

29 shaghala; something that keeps one busy

30 mulayyas; see 17)

31 yitalayyas; see 17)

32 faza`(a); to come together to help someone in need;

jibnaa-k faza`

biggit waja`; we brought you to help but you’ve become a pain

faza` HaTab; to collect firewood

33 from `azama (i); invite, Sudanese colloquial

`azuuma, invitation

34 tagharbil; to sift, sieve; ghirbaal

Nubian Architecture Part 1

Nubian Architecture Part 1 (Ard as-Sumur Documentary Series)

Above, stills from the arD as-sumur documentary. Can you describe the form and structure of the traditional Nubian house? What materials are used? Do you have any experience of travelling in Nubia and can you express your impressions in colloquial Sudanese Arabic?

Background to This Week’s Text

This week’s text is the first of three installments covering an episode dedicated to Nubian architecture as part of the arD as-sumur documentary series. It provides a visually stunning overview of Nubian landscape, history and house design and is a rich source of everyday intermediate level cultural, historical and architectural terms. It is a unique chance to see inside a Nubian house and learn about its distinctive gateways.

While much of the text is in standard Arabic, the speakers interviewed also make reference to Nubian dialect terms. You may find some speakers’ delivery and clarity challenging.

You can find the lyrics to the documentary theme song in The Unique History and Culture of Wad Medani Part 2/4

For more background on women’s key artistic role in Nubian house decoration, see https://womensliteracysudan.blog/2019/01/12/inscriptions-on-rosewater/

What is grown along the narrow fertile strip edging the Nile? How do you say gate / gateway in Arabic and which expression would you use for “decorated or embellished”?

Possible Approaches

What do you know about Nubian culture and architecture and what would you like to learn from the documentary? Note down three areas you would like to gain more knowledge of and see if they are covered in this week’s clip. What famous Nubian architectural sites might be mentioned? Can you name the sites pictured below?

After you have watched the excerpt, why not trying reading the transcript aloud, focusing on your vowelling and fluency.

If you would like specific comprehension questions to focus on, then consider the following:

What does the narrator say about the legacy of the Nile on Nubian life and the growth of civilizations in general? What aspects of Nubian culture are mentioned in the text? What are the defining characteristics of Nubian house design? What is the typical distribution and use of the rooms of the Nubian house? What constraining factors are mentioned related to Nubian life? What pre-Islamic ritual is mentioned?

Alternatively, make notes on any three of the speakers below. Who are they and what is their key message?

Lexical Focus

If you would like pre-viewing orientation, then what terms would you expect to hear for the following?

What words might be used for “quiet / peace”, “depth”, “uniqueness”, “wise” and its opposite? You will also hear references to “rhythms”, “story telling”, “weddings” and “deaths”. What expressions can you remember for “evidence”, “building style and capacity”?

Expect to hear references to geographical feature such as “mountains”, “rivers”, “plains” and the Nile “basin”. What words would you use for “temples”, “forts” and “caves” and what are the singular forms of these words? How would you say “palm trees”, “wheat”, “mud-brick” “offerings” (to the Nile) and “flood”?

Can you explain what the women above are doing in Arabic?

Write down the expressions you might expect to hear for “architecture”, “rooms”, “gate / gateway”, “vestibule”, “open to the sky”, “courtyard” (both classical and colloquial), “level roofs / ceilings”, “mainstay / pillar”, “palm logs / branches, fronds and fibres” and “stone”? How about “available space”, “feature”, “urban planning”, “lanes / alleys”, “warm”, “decorated / embellished”, “ventilation”, “cloning /copying” and “manifested”?

How would you say “since man first trod the Earth” and the “bloom of youth / heyday”?

How would you describe the room and lane pictured below and how are they described in the excerpt?

Watch the Documentary Here (Minutes 1 – 9.20) :

بيت النوبي .. الحضارة والتاريخ | سلسلة #أرض_السمر 

Transcription

Transcription with Explanatory Notes

1 note this expression for “it wouldn’t have been ….”/ if it hadn’t been that the Nile …

2 hudu’hu; (its) peace

3 `umqahu; (its) depth

4 faraadatahu; (its) uniqueness

5 Diffatayhi; its two banks

6 Hakiima; wise and

7 mutahawira; reckless / foolhardy

8 iTlaala; view, vision / outlook , also panorama, scenic routes

9 iiqaa`aatahum; and their rhythms

10 Taraa’iqahum; ways / forms of

11 fil-Hakii; story telling

12 fi sukuunihi; in its stillness / calm / tranquility

13 muwaasim al-`unfawaan; prime of life / bloom, flower of youth / vigor / heyday / spring

14 as-suhuul; plains, plural of sahl

15 HuwD; basin

16 murtakaz; concentrated

17 irTibaat bi; connected

18 al-wafiiyaat; deaths

19 al-afraaH; joyful celebrations, also weddings

20 quraabiin; offerings

21 fatiiyaat; young girls

22 yatabarrakuu; bless

23 ar-ruHiyya; spiritual

24 ash-shawaahid; evidence

25 al-binaa’ al-mu`aqad; complex building / construction

26 al-mu`aabid; temples, plural of

mi`abad

27 al-HuSuun; forts, plural of HiSn

28 al-athiir al-muHabib; perhaps very dear / favourite; to be updated

29 aT-Tiin al-leban; earthen / unfired brick; see

30 al-kuhuuf; caves, plural of kahif

31 al-Hijaara; stones

32 an-nakhiil; date palm

33 Tawfaan; flood

34 al-mi`maar; architecture

35 al-masaaHaat; spaces / areas / sizes

36 al-ghuraf; rooms, plural of ghurfa

37 as-samaawii; open to the sky

38 bawaaba; gate / gateway

39 dahliiz; vestibule, minDara; living room

40 multaSika; attached to, perhaps here, adjoining, also close fitting in other contexts

41 al-fanaa’; courtyard / yard

42 yustaghal; here; used for

43 fil-atraaH wa al-afraaH; for relaxation(atraaH) and afraaH, joys / celebrations and weddings

44 mutashaabiha; similar / alike

45 istinsaakh; clone / cloning; from naskh, copy, wajdaan; sentiment

46 al-i`maara; architecture

47 al-mutajaalliya; manifested

48 malmaH; feature

49 al-takhTiiT al-u`raani; urban planning

50 overflowing with warmth and attachment

51 al-taqaarub; closeness, also convergence

52 al-zigaa’; plural of zigaag; lanes / alleys

53 al-Hamiima; intimate, warm

54 ash-shariiT; the (narrow, muddy) strip …

55 al-masaaHa al-mutaaHa; the available surface area / space

56 `ala mada al- quruun; across the centuries

57 see (55

58 tashiid; building (of houses)

59 adawaat; tools

60 mudhu dabba `ala -larD; since the first steps on the Earth; dabba; to step / tread

61 ista`aanuu; here, using / with the help of

62 lil-tabriid al- Harara; to cool (the heat / temperature)

63 khalaTuu; mixed

64 taqsiimaat; divisions / subdivisions

65 mustawrada; brought in, also imported

66 kansiya; perhaps of churches / temples – to be updated

67 `imaad; mainstay, pole or pillar

68 yulaa’imu aT-Taqs; that is suitable for / fits / matches

69 faraD aT-Taqs namaTaan; that imposed a pattern / manner / style

70 futHaat tahwiiya; openings for ventilation

71 as-suquuf al-mustawiya; level roofs (plural); from saqaf, roof, ceiling

72 li-qillat-al-amTaar; because of the scarcity of rain

73 juzuu`an-naHal; roots / stumps / logs

74 ghuSuun; branches, plural of ghuSn

75 wa sa`ifhu lil-aghraaD……; fronds, plural of

sa`ifa, for the purposes of roofing;

76 al-a`rash; from

`arrash, to from the verb to form a natural roof or sun shelter of trees

77 aT-Tiraaz; style / class / mold

78 si`at-ad-dar; capacity of the home

79 muzakhrafa; decorated / embellished / adorned

Aljazeera Reports on The Education Crisis in Sudan

Aljazeera Reports on The Education Crisis in Sudan

Above, the key contributors to this report, still, Aljazeera.

Background to This Week’s Text

This week’s text is a 2.5-minute intermediate level Aljazeera report outlining the wartime challenges facing the higher education sector in Sudan. You will hear fast, standard journalistic Arabic interspersed with colloquial language. The report gives insight into one of the many tragic consequences of the ongoing conflict.

At the end of this post, you will find the English language version of the same report. It is interesting to see the slight differences in focus and information omitted in this version. One approach might be to use the English version as a prompt for translation into Arabic practice, using the Arabic version to check your accuracy.

Above, still from the Aljazeera report, showing Emad at work.

Possible Approaches

The report provides an excellent overview of the key challenges facing the sector as a result of the war. What do you predict these challenges to be and how accurate are your predictions? Did you overlook any key factors mentioned? Do you expect the report to be optimistic or pessimistic in tone?

If you would like specific comprehension questions to focus on, then make notes to answer the following:

What is Emad’s view of the higher education situation in Sudan? What has happened to his academic plans and what does he do now?

Above, Emad, former undergraduate.

What have been the effects of the war on the university sector? How have university premises been used during the war? How have Ministry of Education decisions been received by university staff and what differences of opinion are expressed? What is the overall message and tone of the report?

Alternatively, make notes to summarize the views expressed by the speakers below:

What does the report say about the cost of the damages inflicted by the war on the higher education sector?

Lexical Focus

If you would like pre-viewing orientation, then what expressions do you predict will be used for the following ideas:

“displaced” (people), “media studies”, “raging” (for war), “indefinitely” (for plans / programmes), “abort” (plan); “fate / destiny / path”? What two words will be used for “destruction / ravages”, and what expression would you expect to hear for “shelter(v) for those affected by the war?

Can you remember the word for “salaries / pay”? How would you say “regrettable or unsuccessful” (for a decision) and “hasty” (for a decision)? And for “interested parties”, “backlog / accumulation” (for salaries), “losses”, “exposure to” and “private” (for universities and schools)?

You will also hear expressions for “disturbances”, “exercise control over”, “mortgage / wager” and “floundering”.

Watch the Report Here:

https://www.facebook.com/AJA.Sudan/videos/715430507269507/?extid=NS-UNK-UNK-UNK-IOS_GK0T-GK1C&ref=sharing

Transcript

Transcript with Explanatory Notes

1 mutakhbiT; floundering / without a plan

2 naaziH; displaced

3 musta` ira; raging(like a fire / ablaze;

musta` ila)

4 note, the expression ila ajlin ghayr musama; indefinitely, and ijhaD; literally to abort, here to kill his dream of…

5 al-maSiir al-mahjuul; unknown fate / destiny / lot / path, see below for more, interesting collocations:

6 itlaaf; destruction / ravages

7 iiwaa’; shelter / lodging

8 became incapable of / unable to

9 ghayr muwaffag; perhaps here; regrettable, also unhappy / unsuccessful, see too:

10 mutasarri`; hasty, also impetuous; see below:

11 aSHaab ash-shaa’n; interested parties / parties concerned

12 taraakum; accumulation, but perhaps here, backlog

13 khasaa’ir; losses

14 ta`arruD; exposure to

15 notice this use of the word for “private” in educational contexts

16 tataHakkum fii; control, perhaps here, exercise control

17 iDTiraabaat; disturbances

18 see 4) indefinitely

19 litarahhun; mortgage or wager

20 perhaps here, to pay with their education for an uncertain future

Watch the English Language Version of the Report:

Waiting to Return 2/2

Waiting to Return 2/2

Background to This Week’s Text

This week’s text focuses on the concluding part of Ahmed’s interview in Awbah Media. See Waiting to Return Part 1 for background to this text and his account of living through the early days of the war.

Ahmed uses highly colloquial expressions, fillers and anglicisms / English loan words in this fast, intermediate level text that offers a fresh, young person’s perspective on living through such turbulent times.

Possible Approaches

Ahmed’s account of his experiences of war and the challenges faced by Sudanese who have fled to Egypt is a useful model of young people’s colloquial Sudanese Arabic. Why not watch the video three or four times and then try to retell his story using the interview questions as prompts? Try to use as many of his colloquial expressions and fillers as you can remember, while imitating his pace and intonation.

If you would like specific comprehension questions to focus on while listening, then consider the following:

What type of social media content does he produce and how does he feel about his social media presence? What’s his view of the role of social media in wartime? What clip did he post at the start of the war and what did he realize after posting it? What’s his message to those still in Sudan and those who have gone to Egypt? What has he done in Egypt to help his fellow Sudanese?

Lexical Focus

How would you say “keep going” (in difficult circumstances), “lift someone out of depression / cheer someone up” ? What expression would you use for a “journal or diary? And for “switch on (TV / screen, etc), “make someone happy” and “face criticism”? Which expressions might be used for “post” (on tiktok, etc) and “video clip”?

Ahmed gives us an expression often used with the idea of “to offer consolation or comfort” and literally meaning to “give someone a loving or comforting pat”. He also urges Sudanese to “join hands / join forces” in supporting each other, using a verb related to “shoulder”. Which expressions might these be?

Can you remember the word used in previous posts for “roaming the streets”, “clashing forces” and the Sudanese colloquial for “those resisting or opposing”?

You will hear two religious invocations often used to express support for those in challenging circumstances. Can you predict what they are?

How would you say “by the way” and “and so on”?

Watch the Video Here (Minute 5.22 – End):

كل واحد عندو طريقة مختلفة للتخفيف على الناس وأحمد حيدر كان بحاول يزرع فينا الضحكة والابتسامة في عز ا المفتاح؟ #السودان #ذكريات #الحاضر 

Transcript

Transcript with Explanatory Notes

1 ligiit i`jaab min; note this way of saying people appreciated / liked my work

2 yoomiyaat; diary / journal, also memoirs

3 note this way of saying stopping involuntarily, ghayr iraaDiyaan

4 al-ikti’aab; depression, note this way of saying to lift me out of depression / cheer me up

5 things that make me happy if I’m going through ….

6 maqTa`; clip

7 rakabta fiinii shariiHa; literally to install a chip, young people’s expression for (to be updated)

8 note this way of saying ” face criticism”

9 bitTabT(a)ib `ala; literally, to give someone a comforting / loving pat, repeatedly pat someone’s shoulder, but often used in songs to mean “give love / support or consolation”

10 muSaddadiin; still resisting, still opposing; Sudanese colloquial

11 the decision to leave

12 note these religious invocations to give comfort to those in difficult circumstances; May God give you strength / strengthen you; Allah yugawiikum

13 and May our Lord preserve you; rabbanaa yaHfaZkum

14 note this expression of hope that “when we return, we will find you as you were” (before the war, unchanged, not negatively affected, everything as it was)

15 Ahmed emphasizes that even in the very early days of the war, the situation was terribly hard, he then refers people Haaiimiin; literally roaming the streets but here he is probably referring to the RSF in the streets; see this word in Sudan bids farewell to Shadin Gardood; Aljazeera and Al Arabiya tell her story and Two Songs

16 al-mushtabkiin; those involved in (armed) clashes

17 note this way of saying “you who stayed are making history”

18 `ala fikra; by the way, come to think of it; and in the following line, did you catch the English expression CV?

19 itfaajaata; I was surprised, referring to the private messages he received

20 maSaariif; spending

21 tatakaatif; join hands, to stand should to shoulder (and bear burdens), join forces. Ahmed goes on to recommend that people ask each other how things are going, whether they have a job, or are

22 `aaTil; out of work

23 receiving a salary

24 his company has gone under, notice he used the English word “finished”

The Unique History and Culture of Wad Medani Part 3/4

The Unique History and Culture of Wad Medani Part 3/4

Background to This Week’s Text

This week’s excerpt focuses on two key aspects of life in Wad Medani; cotton cultivation and the city’s rich musical associations. For anyone interested in Sudan’s 20th century musical history, the excerpt provides fascinating insights into changes in musical forms and styles and the connection several leading artists had with the city and the inspiration for some of their songs. The documentary evocatively recalls the heyday of the Gezira Scheme era and the pride felt in Sudanese cotton.

The 8-minute episode is in predominantly intermediate standard journalistic Arabic with references to poetic song titles, the names of song types and proper nouns in the form of the names of several leading artists of the time.

Possible Approaches

Why not focus on whichever theme is most of interest to you; Sudanese cotton and the Gezira Scheme or the role Wad Medani has played in Sudan’s 20th century musical history? Note down three things you would like to find out before listening. Did the excerpt answer your questions? Alternatively, make notes on the comments of any two of the speakers interviewed in the excerpt pictured below:

If you would like specific comprehension questions, then consider:

How do media accounts of Sudanese music need to be amended, according to the speakers interviewed? Which famous musical artists are mentioned and what details are given of their connection to the city? What is the relationship between the city of Wad Medani and the Gezira Scheme, according to those interviewed? What memories are evoked of working in the scheme? What information is given about the cotton industry?

Lexical Focus

Expect to hear everyday terms connected with the Sudanese cotton industry, such as cotton gin, seeds, export and cloth (plural). You will also hear expressions for everyday items of clothing, such as turban and suit. Can you remember the plural of “jalabiya”? And how would you say “sparkling” for white robes?

The excerpt also includes memories of the Jazeera Scheme and its decline. Can you guess which expressions might be used for “siren / whistle”, “horn”, “rising early”, “melting pot”, “melt/ fuse, also intermingle”, for people and cultures? And two terms for “decline / fall”?

Can you remember the words for crescent moon and full moon in Arabic? And a poetic expression for “heart”? Among the song titles quoted, expressions for “garden / gardens”, “branch / bough”, “leaning” and “joy” are used. What might they be?

As the excerpt discusses the musical impact of Wad Medani, expect to hear proper noun terms for types of song and musical genres. Can you guess which words will be used for “backing singers”, “melody”, “tambourine”, and “players / musicians”?

You will also hear expressions used to describe the unfair or unjust treatment of someone by the media, “meeting point”, “inspiration”, and “elegant / sophisticated”. Which word would you use for “a person in love”(romantically)?

Watch the Video (Minutes 11.15- 19) here:

Transcript with Explanatory Notes

1 Suffaara; siren, hooter, beep, buzzer or whistle

2 was born / grew out of (hard) work and bukuur; early rising; literally, the time between daybreak and sunrise

3 al-buurii; the horn

4 the narrator is emphasizing the sheer scale and importance of the Jazeera Scheme; and what indicates the (scale of) the scheme

5 nahDa; renaissance

6 and when project ended; from inhara, collapse; upon the collapse / end, inhaar, we felt that the city itself began to (go into decline);

7 hubuuT; decline, fall, trough

8 butaga; crucible, melting pot

9 inSaharuu; melted / fused / forged, also intermingle of tribes, etc, intermarry

10 biz(dh)ra; seeds

11 muHaalijnaa; cotton gins

12 proper noun, cotton growing area in the region

13 al-taSdiir; exporting

14 types of cloth / fabric, agmasha, plural of gumaash

15 al-`imma; turban

16 al-jalaaliib; plural of jalabiyya

17 talma`; sparkle

18 al-bidal; suit

19 fawaaiid; plural of faa’ida; benefit

20 name of song / musical form

21 as above

22 as above

23 as above

24 talHiin; composition / setting to music

25 “The Occupants of my Heart”; fuu’aadii, my heart

26 “You were the full moon; badr as-samaa’; in your purity; Safaak

27 ghuSan; branch or bough, maa’iid; leaning of the garden

28 naghiim; the melody of your mouth

29 oh Um Zein is my medicine (dawaaii)

30 al-bahja; joy

31 ilHaan; compositions

32 connection / intimacy (al-waSaalik) with you is glorious and harsh / cruel, expressing the contradictions of being in love

33 ash-shayaala; backing singers

34 and who has never been treated fairly / received his due; inSaaf; equity, justice, square deal

35 by the media; al-ajhiza al- `ilaamiya

36 ghuSun; branch, bough

37 al-maaiid; leaning, of the garden; riiyaaD; garden / meadow

38 nuqTa liqaa’; meeting point

39 waHii; inspiration

40 min Duman al-aTibaa’; among the doctors

41 / 42 / 43 literally, between the gardens of the shores / banks, between the palaces of Rome … to be updated, I weep, oh one in love; maghruum; a person in love

44 al-`aazifiin; players

45 munHaaz; biased towards

46 aalat-al-riqq; tambourine

47 ghuniya al-Hagiiba; a singing genre of 1920s, Hageeba; literally, briefcase; see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Sudan for background to this musical genre.

48 al-khabaaza; baker

49 / 50 to be updated

51 perhaps, here, who was unjustly treated by the media

52 rashiim; diminuitive, the ornamental fine chain that connects the nose ring, zumaam, to the earring

53 the festival of the provinces

54 to be updated

55 Did you know this plural for radios?

56 raaqiya; sophisticated, elegant

Waiting to Return Part 1

Background to This Week’s Text

This is the first of two posts from the recently established Awbah (see definitions below) media channel, focussing on the compelling account of the young Khartoum resident, Ahmed Haidar, as he talks about his experiences of war, having to leave the capital and his hopes for the future of his country.

The intermediate level text is fast, spontaneous and highly colloquial Sudanese and is an excellent cold listening test resource. Ahmed is one of so many thousands who have had their lives turned upside down by the ongoing conflict and he offers a youthful and positive perspective on how to cope in these difficult times.

In this 4-minute opening section, Ahmed recalls the start of the war, his family’s reaction and how he came to leave the capital.

Perhaps we could translate the name of the media channel as “Returning”. The channel has uplifting interviews with young Sudanese creatives.

Possible Approaches

Ahmed speaks quickly and sometimes a little indistinctly. One approach might be to take the text as a conversational cold listening test. What basic, throwaway expressions did you miss when compared with the transcript? Remember you can always slow down playback speed after the first or second listening at natural speed.

If you would like pre-viewing orientation comprehension questions then consider the following:

How did Ahmed come to learn about the outbreak of war? Where was he and how did he react? How would you describe his material circumstances? What might you deduce about his background and family? How and why did he leave Khartoum and where did he go initially? What was the most valuable or precious thing he took with him and why was that problematic? How does he feel about going back to Khartoum?

Lexical Focus

You will hear many everyday expressions you might not know if you haven’t experienced daily life in Sudan.

How would you say “a phone call”, ring”, “skip a call”, and the sound a phone makes in Sudanese Arabic? What expressions would you use for “shout / yell”, “relax / chill out”, “sleepy”, “scroll” (a social media site), “burnt”, “bam!”, “frightened / startled”; “we were sorted / fine / comfortable”, “shoes,” “change of clothing”, “charge up” and “disconnect” (fridge, etc), “close up / switch off”, “to keep / pull oneself together / cope, get a grip of oneself,” “check up on someone/ something”, “deny”, “neighbourhood”, “a mess / confusion”, and “nosey / curious”? Which verb would you use for “empty”, describing shops?

Which expressions we have seen before in this blog will be used for “clashes”, “coups” and ” I thought that..”? How would you say “I’ve just gone to bed” in Sudanese colloquial?

Watch the Video Here

كل واحد عندو طريقة مختلفة للتخفيف على الناس وأحمد حيدر كان بحاول يزرع فينا الضحكة والابتسامة في عز ا المفتاح؟ #السودان #ذكريات #الحاضر 

Transcript

Transcript with Explanatory Notes

1 everyone has different ways of alleviating; takhfiif (the situation they find themselves and others in)

2 literally, in the magnitude of sorrows `izz-al-aHzaan; perhaps here in the depth of sorrow

3 yadaab; a slang variation of yaadoob; just, just now; da yadoob kifaaya, it’s just enough, yaadoob khiliS; he has just finished; yaadoob-na raja`na;

4 maakhad raaHti; rest / relax; literally to take my rest

5 tirin tirin; note the sound a phone makes in Arabic

6 al-mukaalama; the call

7 `aayiinta; literally, I eyed

8 na`saan; sleepy

9 jalayt; to skip

10 maa fii `aadah inu; he isn’t accustomed to / he doesn’t usually

11 yukoorik; shout / yell

12 zaT; and just like that / bam!, he hung up

13 bigiit makhluu`; I became alarmed / frightened / startled

14 maHruug; burnt

15 ishtibaak; clash

16 bigiit ugallib; I started scrolling

17 al-ishtibaak; see 15)

18 burDuu kunta gaa’il; and I also thought that …. see Two Songs

19 al-ingaalabaat; coups

20 biga tafDaa; emptied

21 tashtakii; complain / grumble

22 raagidiin raa’s; relaxed, to be updated

23 wa umuuranaa ZaabTa; we were comfortable / we were sorted; from ZabaT / ZabbiT; to put sth right, fix taZbiiT

24 makaroonaat; macaroni

25 muaajiriin; renting / hiring

26 Halafatnii `adiil; she made me swear / promise Hallafa; put someone under oath; Hilf; oath, also pact

27 aghlaa Haaja; the most expensive

28 jizmii; shoes, plural of jazma; jazmaji; shoemaker, cobbler

29 shilta kam ghiyaar; (a few) changes of clothes

30 TafTif; to switch off / close

31 waSiiyaat al-amahaat al-kahribaa’; to be updated

32 afSul; disconnect; from faSala

33 tashan; from shaHana I / ashHana IV, for phone, fridge etc

34 ahaanida; Sudanese colloquial; and here it is (masc)

35 ankur; deny

36 proper noun, (name)

37 intigaadaat; criticisms

38 khaafiihu; hiding

39 ad-da`aama; support, but here Ahmed is referring to the RSF, Rapid Support Force, who clearly entered and took over their home theeby making the issue of the key irrelevant

40 al-khaalaanii itmaassak; what kept me together / what let me keep myself together

41 bintawannas; to chat, spend time chatting

42 see 40)

43 bintaTamun `ala; check up on / be reassured about sth

44 itkhala`ta; I was startled by;

itkhala`ta khu la; I jumped out of my skin

45 kunta bishtaki min; I complained about / moaned about

46 ightarab; go abroad as an emigrant / emigrate

47 iktashafta; discovered

48 `alanuu; announced

49 naDiifa; literally; clean, but here clear / safe

50 jaayTa; mess / chaos; from jaaT; (u, jooTA), to muddle, mess up, make a din / fuss

51 see 43)

52 al-Hilla, plural Hilal; the neighbourhood, also village

53 muriinaa; the media doesn’t show us, from warra, i, to show

54 shamshaar; nosey / curious, also gossip / spread rumours in other contexts