The Map of Love (84 page)

khatibet akhuya:
my brother’s fiancée.

khawagaya:
a foreign (European) woman. Masculine:
kha-waga
.

Khedive:
title of the ruler of Egypt from
Abbas Pasha in 1849 to the Sultan Hussein Kamel during the First World War.

kheir:
(may what has happened/the news be) good.

kit tan:
flax.

kufiyya:
scarf.

kufr:
disbelief.
Kafir:
an unbeliever (in Islam, Christianity or Judaism, the three religions of the Book).

kunafa:
a sweet pastry.

kuttab:
traditional elementary school which teaches reading, writing and the Qur’an.

la hawla wala quwwata ilia b-Illah:
there is no power or strength but with the support of God. Said when matten go beyond what you can help. It is a kind of ‘I am absolved of responsibility in this’. An expression of helpless sadness as one watches matters get out of hand. Also of exasperation as an opponent refuses to see sense.

la hawl Illtah:
short, ungrammatical version of above.

lalu:
childspeak for
‘khalu’:
my uncle — specifically my mother’s brother.

lek yom:
your day will come (when you will be defeated).

lessa:
not yet.

ma
alesh:
never mind.

mafish:
there is no[ne] …

magzub:
one drawn (to God) by religious fervour to the extent that he separates himself from all worldly matters -and (the worldly) part of his mind. From g/z/b: to pull.

ma
mur:
chief of police (of the markaz).

mandarah:
a room slightly apart from the house to receive male visitors who are not of the family.

tnarhab:
welcome.

markaz:
centre. Also central police station (of the district).

masha
Allah:
literally ‘Look what God has willed!’ Used to express admiration without being thought envious or activating the evil eye.

mashrabiyya:
the ornate wooden screen that protects the privacy of the balconies in traditional houses.

mawwal:
a traditional form of folk song, usually narrative, performed by one singer to the accompaniment of a rudimentary string instrument (a rabab). It is roughly equivalent to the English ballad, but relies heavily on verbal play, the lines often ending in a pun.

mayyit:
dead.

Misa
al-khairat:
Oh evening of many good things!

mutasarrif:
governor (Ottoman title).

n’har iswid:
(Oh) black day.

Nahdet Masr:
the Renaissance of Egypt.

nazra:
a look.

oud:
lute.

Qaroon:
historical (or mythological) character reputed to be fabulously rich.

quftan:
traditional long garment of wool or heavy cotton, in a dark colour, worn by men of religion over the gibba.

Rabb:
God — although the specific name of God is ‘Allah’. So: Allahu Rabbi: Allah is my God.

Rabi
al-Thani:
a month of the Arab year. The Arab year has twelve months. But since the months are lunar (the full moon falls on the 14th day of each month), it is shorter by eleven days than the Western year.

ruq
a:
the informal Arabic script used for personal letters, drafts and notes. Ruq
a is also the piece of paper on which the writing is done. Possibly: writing done on a scrap — rather than the formal ‘naskh’ (copying script) done on a formal folio.

Safar:
the second month of the Arab year.

Sahara: desert.

salamlek:
part of the house where men can move freely (as opposed to the haramlek, where they can only go by permission of the women).

’Salamu
aleikum
(
alaykum)’.
“
Aleikum as-salam
wa rahmatu
allahi wa barakatuh.’:
‘Peace be upon you.’ ‘And upon you peace and the mercy of God and His blessings.’ Traditional greeting and response upon arrival and departure. Spelled differently according to level of formality in speech.