al-Sharq al-Awsat: How to say โnaturalized citizenโ
The article is about Germany where last year many people of foreign origin were granted citizenship. The headline contains some interesting phrases that we should look at and remember.
Note that I am using the headline of the online article, which is slightly enlarged because printed newspapers often have to stick to the number of characters possible by using a shortened style.
ุฃุนุฏุงุฏ ููุงุณูุฉ ู ู ุงูู ุฌูุณูู ูู ุฃูู ุงููุง ูุชูุฏู ูู ุงูุณูุฑููู
Record numbers of naturalized citizens (โEinbรผrgerungenโ) in Germany, led by Syrians
Let’s focus on the word ุงูู ุฌูุณูู. The root is ุฌ-ู-ุณ.
- First of all, you may know a quite common noun of this root: ุฌูููุณู (plural: ุฃูุฌูููุงุณู), meaning sex, gender (also in linguistics) or species; category or genre.
- For example, if you want to express non-binary/third gender, you can say ุงููุฌูููุณู ุงูุซูุงููุซู. For asexuality, people use a new word, which is ุงูููุงุฌูููุณููููุฉ. Same-sex or homosexual is ู ูุซูููููู ุงููุฌูููุณู. For gender equality, you can say ุงูู ูุณุงููุงุฉู ุจููููู ุงููุฌูููุณููููู. Many gender expressions such as gender equality use the dual form (ู ูุซููููู) in Arabic, emphasizing two genders. This is because discussions on non-binary issues are rare in the Arab world. Be careful talking about these topics as it can be sensitive and against the law in some Arab countries.
- to have a citizenship: ุญูู ููู ุงููุฌูููุณููุฉู ุงููุฃูููู ุงููููุฉู
- to obtain a citizenship: ุญูุตููู ุนูููู ุงููุฌูููุณููุฉู ุงููุฃูููู ุงููููุฉู
- dual citizenship: ุฌูููุณูููุฉู ู ูุฒูุฏูููุฌุฉู
- stateless: ุนูุฏููู ู ุงููุฌูููุณูููุฉู
- Interestingly, in dictionaries, we only find enhanced verb patterns of the root ุฌ-ู-ุณ. In other verbs, there is no I-verb, we do not have an entry for the most basic, core meaning of the root action. This usually happens when the root is not connected to any action. The II-verb (ุฌููููุณู) means to make alike, to assimilate; but also: to sort, to categorize. In modern terms, it also denotes: to grant citizenship to.
- The passive participle (ุงูุณูู ู ุงููู ูููุนูููู) of ุฌููููุณู โ ููุฌููููุณู is the noun ู ูุฌููููุณู. Thus, ุงููู ูุฌููููุณูููู is the sound masculine plural (ุฌูู ูุนู ุงููู ูุฐููููุฑู ุงูุณูุงูู ู) in the genitive case (ู ูุฌูุฑููุฑู) as it follows a preposition (ูู/ู ููู).
Some nerd stuff: How would you express to become a citizen/to be naturalized (German: sich einbรผrgern lassen)?
Arabic often uses the V-verb pattern (ุชูููุนูููู) to show a reflexive meaning of a II-verb (ููุนูููู). A reflexive verb is a verb where the subject performs an action on itself, using reflexive pronouns like myself, yourself, himself, etc. Example: She taught herself to play the violin.
So can we use the pattern ุชูููุนูููู in our example ุฌููููุณู? Yes! โค The pattern makes the V-verb ุชูุฌููููุณู โ ููุชูุฌููููุณู which means becoming a citizen or being naturalized, meaning you naturalize yourself.
Thus, to become a (naturalized) German citizen could be expressed as ุชูุฌููููุณู ุจูุงููุฌูููุณููููุฉู ุงูุฃูููู ูุงูููููุฉู. Note that we need the preposition ุจู as we need to express in what way we are naturalized. V-verbs are usually intransitive (ุบูููุฑ ู ูุชูุนูุฏูู) which means that they do not take a direct object (ู ูููุนูููู ุจููู), but go along with an indirect object introduced with a preposition.
With reflexive verbs, it’s important to choose the right participle. For II-verbs which usually express an intensified meaning, it’s simple: to express a status, the passive participle is often the best choice, as shown in the headline above.
With reflexive verbs, things can be more complicated. For example, the active participle of the V-verb ู ูุชูุฌููููุณ means naturalized (German: eingebรผrgert) in dictionaries. In other words, in Arabic we use the active participle, but for the English translation, we use the passive meaning.
The word ู ูุชูุฌููููุณ is considered a synonym for ู ูุฌููููุณู. But is there a difference?
Passive participle | ู ูุฌููููุณูโ mujannas | Form II (ููุนูููู) |
Active participle | ู ูุชูุฌููููุณู โ mutajannis | Form V (ุชูููุนูููู) |
โค I feel that ู ูุฌููููุณู has a stronger connotation that the person was naturalized by the country, while ู ูุชูุฌููููุณ sounds like the person made an effort to become naturalized.
Vocabulary list
All the words marked in yellow above are explained here.
Al Youm Al Sabea: ุฃุฑุถ ุงูููุฑูุฒ
On Wednesday, 29 May 2024, I saw the phrase ุฃุฑุถ ุงูููุฑูุฒ on the front page of the Egyptian daily newspaper Al Youm Al Sabea (ุงูููู ุงูุณุงุจุน). What does that mean?
The word ููููุฑูุฒ means turquoise, a precious stone (ุญูุฌูุฑ ุซูู ูู). Be careful with the spelling because ููููุฑูุณ means virus! ููููุฑูุฒ is also a female name (โFairouzโ). The famous Lebanese singer Nouhad Wadie’ Haddad (ููุงุฏ ูุฏูุน ุญุฏุงุฏ) is known as โFairouzโ.
Literally, ุฃุฑุถ ุงูููุฑูุฒ means The Land of Turquoise. It is an expression for the Sinai Peninsula (ุดูุจููู ุฌูุฒููุฑูุฉู ุณููููุงุกู) in Egypt. The current military regime uses this term quite frequently in announcements.
Sinai is called the land of turquoise because of its many turquoise mines. Sinai is known for having some of the best turquoise in the world, dating back to ancient history and Pharaonic times. Turquoise was mined from Serabit al-Khadim (ุณุฑุงุจูุท ุงูุฎุงุฏู ) and near the city of Abu Zenima (ุฃุจู ุฒููู ุฉ) in southwest Sinai. The tombs of the pharaohs had a lot of turquoise stones.
Sinai’s modern Arabic name is ุณููููุงุกู (Egyptian Arabic: ุณููุง). This name comes from the Bible (Hebrew: ืกืื ื). In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, this area is very important. It is the place where the prophet Moses (ู ูุณู) spoke with God on a mountain (ุฌูุจูู ู ููุณูููฐ). Such events are also found in the Qur’an. Sura 52 is called ูุงูุทูููุฑ which is translated as โThe Mountainโ or โMount Sinaiโ. The Sura got its name from verse one (52:1) which starts with an oath: ูููฑูุทูููุฑู. This means: By Mount Tour!
โค The word ุทููุฑ (with โuโ) denotes a mountain (with trees). When adding the definite article, it becomes ูุงูุทูููุฑ referring to Mount Sinai (ุทููุฑู ุณูููุงุกู), the mountain where Moses is said to have spoken with God. Watch out: The word ุทูููุฑ (with โaโ) means stage; period.
Translation of an article
Let’s look at parts of a longer newspaper article in Arabic. We will translate each sentence carefully. The highlighted words are in the vocabulary list below.
al-Quds al-Arabi: โHow Morocco and Algeria will be forcibly led into warโ
On May 28, 2024, the following opinion piece by Moroccan author Dr. Hussein Majdoubi (ุญุณูู ู ุฌุฏูุจู) was published in the al-Quds al-Arabi (ุงููุฏุณ ุงูุนุฑุจู). Hussein Majdoubi has written extensively on various topics related to Morocco and its historical interactions with Spain.
Let’s now take a closer look at a few complete paragraphs.
ุนุงุฏ ู ุฌุฏุฏุง ูุจุดูู ู ุซูุฑ ุงูุญุฏูุซ ุงูู ูุชุนู ุนู ุงุญุชู ุงู ูููุน ุญุฑุจ ุจูู ุงูู ุบุฑุจ ูุงูุฌุฒุงุฆุฑุ ูุชูู ุจุนุถ ู ุฑุงูุฒ ุงูุชูููุฑ ุงูุงุณุชุฑุงุชูุฌู ูุฑุงุกูุ ู ู ุฎูุงู ุงูุชุฑููุฌ ููุฐู ุงููุฑุถูุฉุ ู ุซู ุญุงูุฉ ุชูุฑูุฑ ุงูู ุฑูุฒ ุงูุฅุณุฑุงุฆููู ยซุจูุบูู ุงูุณุงุฏุงุช ููุฏุฑุงุณุงุช ุงูุงุณุชุฑุงุชูุฌูุฉยป ุงูุตุงุฏุฑ ููุงูุฉ ุฃุจุฑูู/ููุณุงู 2024 ูู ูุฐุง ุงูุดุฃู. ูุฅุฐุง ูุงูุช ูุฐู ุงูุญุฑุจ ูุงุฑุฏุฉ ุณูุฉ2021ุ ููู ุงูู ุนุทูุงุช ุงูุญุงููุฉ ุณูุฉ 2024 ุชุณุชุจุนุฏ ูููุนูุงุ ุจุงุณุชุซูุงุก ู ุง ุฅุฐุง ููุนุช ุญุฑุจ ุฑูุณูุฉ โ ุบุฑุจูุฉุ ููุชูุง ุณููุฌุฑ ุงูุจูุฏุงู ุฅูู ูุฐู ุงูุญุฑุจ ู ู ุฏูู ุฅุฑุงุฏุชูู ุงโฆ
Once again, we see the resumption of the intentional talk about a possible outbreak of war between Morocco and Algeria, noting that this is being promoted by certain strategic thinking centers, such as the report published in this regard by the Israeli Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at the end of April 2024. But while this war was a possibility in 2021, all the facts exclude it in 2024, except in the event of a Russian-Western war that would drag both countries into this war against their willโฆ
ูุฐุง ุงููุถุน ุงูู ุชูุฌุฑ ุนุงูู ูุง ูุดูู ุงููุฑุตุฉ ุงูุฐูุจูุฉ ูุชุฌุงุฑ ุงูุญุฑุจุ ูุจุนุถ ู ุฑุงูุฒ ุงูุชูููุฑ ุงูุงุณุชุฑุงุชูุฌู ููุชุฑููุฌ ููููุน ุญุฑูุจ ุฃุฎุฑูุ ููุจุฏุฃ ุงูุจุญุซ ุนู ู ูุงุทู ุงููุฒุงุนุงุช ุงููุงุจูุฉ ููุงููุฌุงุฑ
This globally explosive situation constitutes a golden opportunity for war merchants and some strategic think tanks to promote the outbreak of other wars, thus seeking other areas of conflict that might erupt.
ูุชุฑูุฒ ุจุนุถ ู ุฑุงูุฒ ุงูุชูููุฑ ุงูุงุณุชุฑุงุชูุฌู ุนูู ู ูุทูุฉ ุดู ุงู ุงูุฑูููุงุ ููุจุฏุฃ ุงูุชุฑููุฌ ููุญุฑุจ ุจูู ุงูู ุบุฑุจ ูุงูุฌุฒุงุฆุฑ. ูุนู ููุงุ ูุง ุชููุต ุงูุนูุงุตุฑ ูุงูุฃุณุจุงุจ ุงูุชู ุชุฏุนู ูุฐู ุงููุฑุถูุฉุ ูุงูุจูุฏุงู ูุนูุดุงู ุตุฑุงุนุง ุฌููุณูุงุณูุง ู ูุฐ ุนููุฏ ูุฒุนุงู ุฉ ุงูู ุบุฑุจ ุงูุนุฑุจูุ ูุบุฐูู ูุฒุงุน ุงูุตุญุฑุงุกุ ููุฐูู ุงูุชุญุงููุงุช ุงูุชู ุชูุณุฌูุง ูู ุฏููุฉุ ุงูุชุญุงููุงุช ู ุน ุงูุบุฑุจ ูู ุญุงูุฉ ุงูู ุบุฑุจุ ูุงูุชุญุงูู ู ุน ุงูุตูู ูุฑูุณูุง ูู ุญุงูุฉ ุงูุฌุฒุงุฆุฑ. ูุชุฑุบุจ ุจุนุถ ุงูุฃุทุฑุงู ูู ุงูุฏูุงุน ุญุฑุจ ุจูู ุงูู ุบุฑุจ ูุงูุฌุฒุงุฆุฑุ ุจู ุชุนู ู ู ู ุฃุฌู ุฐูู ุณุฑุงุ ูุนูู ุฑุฃุณ ูุฐู ุงูุฃุทุฑุงู ุงูููุงู ุงูุตููููู ูุจุนุถ ุฏูู ุฌููุจ ุฃูุฑูุจุง. ูุนูุงูุฉ ุจุงูููุงูุ ุชุฑุบุจ ุฅุณุฑุงุฆูู ูู ูุฌูุฏ ุฏูู ุนุฑุจูุฉ ุถุนููุฉ ููุบุงูุฉ ู ู ุงูู ุญูุท ุฅูู ุงูุฎููุฌุ ุฑุบู ุงูุชุทุจูุน ุงููุงุฆู ู ุน ุจุนุถ ุงูุฏููุ
Hence, some strategic thinking tanks are focusing on the North African region and (started) promoting the idea of a war between Morocco and Algeria. In practice, many (there is no shortage of) elements and reasons support this hypothesis, seeing as how the two countries have been engaged in a decades-long geopolitical conflict for the leadership of the Arab Maghreb, fueled by the Sahara conflict and the alliances weaved by each country, i.e. the alliances with the West in the case of Morocco, and the alliance with China and Russia in the case of Algeria. Some sides (parties) want to see such a war breaking out between Morocco and Algeria, even working secretly on that, namely the Zionist entity and some southern European countries. In the entity’s case, Israel wants to have extremely weak Arab countries from the ocean to the Gulf, despite the normalization of its relations with some of them.
ูุชูุธุฑ ุฏูู ุฌููุจ ุฃูุฑูุจุง ู ุซู ูุฑูุณุง ูุฅุณุจุงููุง ูุฅูุทุงููุงุ ูุธุฑุฉ ููู ูุจูุฑ ูุณุจุงู ุงูุชุณูุญุ ุงูุฐู ูุฎูุถู ุงูู ุบุฑุจ ูุงูุฌุฒุงุฆุฑุ ุฅุฐ ุฌุนู ุงููุฌูุฉ ุงูุนุณูุฑูุฉ ุจูู ุบุฑุจ ุถูุชู ู ุถูู ุฌุจู ุทุงุฑู ุชุชููุต ุจุดูู ูุจูุฑุ ููุฐุง ูุญุฏุซ ูุฃูู ู ุฑุฉ ุฎูุงู ุงูุซูุงุซุฉ ูุฑูู ุงูุฃุฎูุฑุฉ. ููุชุฑุชุจ ุนู ูุฐู ุงูุธุงูุฑุฉุ ุชุฑุงุฌุน ููุฉ ุงูุฑุฏุน ุงูุนุณูุฑู ุงูุชู ุชู ุชุนุช ุจูุง ูุฐู ุงูุฏูู ุงูุฃูุฑูุจูุฉ ูู ู ูุงุฌูุฉ ุดู ุงู ุงูุฑูููุง.
In the case of the southern European countries such as France, Spain and Italy, they are extremely concerned by the arms race taking place between Morocco and Algeria, which significantly reduced the military gap between the two western banks of the Strait of Gibraltar for the first time in the last three centuries. This phenomenon caused the retreat of the military deterrent power enjoyed by these European states against North Africaโฆ
ููู ููุงู ูุฑุถูุฉ ุฃุฎุฑู ูุฏ ุชุณุจุจ ูู ุญุฑุจ ุจูู ุงูุจูุฏููุ ููุฐู ุงูู ุฑุฉุ ู ู ุฏูู ุฑุบุจุชููู ุงุ ูุชุนูู ุงูุฃู ุฑ ุจูุฑุถูุฉ ุชุทูุฑุงุช ุงูุญุฑุจ ุงูุฃููุฑุงููุฉ โ ุงูุฑูุณูุฉ ูุญู ุญุฑุจ ุฑูุณูุฉ ุจุฏุนู ุตููู ุถุฏ ุงูุญูู ุงูุฃุทูุณู. ูุชุฌู ุน ุงูุฌุฒุงุฆุฑ ุงุชูุงููุงุช ุนุณูุฑูุฉ ูุฏูุงุนูุฉ ู ุน ุฑูุณูุงุ ููุฌู ุน ุงูู ุบุฑุจ ู ุน ุงูุบุฑุจ ุงุชูุงููุงุช ุนุณูุฑูุฉ ู ุชุทูุฑุฉ. โฆ ูููุง ุณูููู ุงูุฏูุงุน ุงูุญุฑุจ ุจูููู ุง ูุงุฑุฏุง ููุบุงูุฉุ ูุฃู ุงูุญุฑุจ ุณุชูุน ูุฐูู ุบุฑุจ ุงูู ุชูุณุท.
But there is now another issue that could provoke a war between the two countries, despite their will. It is related to the evolution of the Ukrainian-Russian war into a Russian war backed by China against NATO. Algeria has military and defensive agreements with Russia, while Morocco has advanced military agreements with the Westโฆ In this case, it is highly likely to see the outbreak of war between the two countries because the war will also reach the western Mediterranean.
ููุฏ ุฃุตุจุญุช ุงูุนูุงูุงุช ุจูู ุงูู ุบุฑุจ ูุงูุฌุฒุงุฆุฑ ุถุญูุฉ ู ุฑุงูุฒ ุงูุชูููุฑ ุงูุงุณุชุฑุงุชูุฌูุ ุจุนุถูุง ููุฏู ูุฑุงุกุงุช ู ูุทููุฉ ููู ููููุฉุ ูุจุนุถูุง ููุฏู ูุฑุงุกุงุช ุงูุชุฑููุฌ ููุญุฑุจ ูุงูุชุดุฌูุน ุนูููุง ููู ูู ุงูุบุงูุจ ุฅุณุฑุงุฆูููุฉ ูุบุฑุจูุฉโฆ ููุจูู ุงูู ุคุณู ูู ุงุณุชูุจุงู ุดุฑูุญุฉ ู ู ุงูู ููุฑูู ูุงูุจุงุญุซูู ุงูุฃูุงุฏูู ููู ูุงูุตุญุงูููู ูู ุงูุจูุฏููุ ูู ุซู ูุฐู ุงูุชูุงุฑูุฑ ูุงูุชุฑููุฌ ููุงุ ู ู ุฏูู ุญุณ ููุฏู. ูุฐุง ูุชุงุฌ ุทุจูุนู ูุบูุงุจ ุญุฑูุฉ ุงูุจุญุซ ุงูุฃูุงุฏูู ู ููุถุนู ุงูุฏุฑุงุณุงุช ุงูุฌููุณูุงุณูุฉ ูู ุงูุจูุฏููุ ูุงูุชูุฌู ุนูู ุงูุฃุตูุงุช ุงูุฅุนูุงู ูุฉ ุงูู ุชุฒูุฉุ ุญุชู ุฃุตุจุญ ูู ุตูุช ุนุงูู ูุฏุนู ุฅูู ุงุณุชุจุนุงุฏ ุงูุญุฑุจ ูุงูุชุฑููุฒ ุนูู ุงูู ุดุชุฑู ุจูู ุงูุจูุฏููุ ููุฃูู ูุฑูุฌ ูุฎุทุงุจ ุงูุฎูุงูุฉ.
Relations between Morocco and Algeria have become a victim of strategic thinking tanks, very few of which are putting forward logical readings, while the rest are promoting and encouraging war which are mostly Israeli and Western ones (โฆ) What remains unfortunate at this level is that a segment of thinkers, academic researchers and journalists in both countries are promoting such reports without any sense of criticism, which is the natural result of the absence of free academic research and the weak geopolitical studies in both countries, as well as the attacks on the balanced media voices. This caused every reasonable voice calling for the exclusion of war and on focusing on common grounds between the two countries to be treated as though promoting a treasonous discourse.