Arabic-L:LING:abu and umm fulaan

[Dilworth Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Wed 11 Jun 2003
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
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1) Subject:abu and umm fulaan

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1)
Date: 11 Jun 2003
From: Waheed Samy <wasamy at umich.edu>
Subject:abu and umm fulaan

As David Willmsen's example shows, abu is also a possessive.  It
functions
like dhu/dhaat
So is 'ummu:  il-bitt 'ummu shaCr aHmar: the red-haired girl, the girl
with
the red hair, the girl who has red hair.
il-waad abu lbaana: the kid with the gum, the one with the gum.
il-Carabiyya ummu Cagala nayma, the car with the flat tire, the car
whose
tire is flat.

abu riiHa: the smelly one, or the fragrant one.

These also occur as set expressions:

abu rigl masluukha: typically, a scary fellow occurring in stories.
abu al-afkaar: an ingenious fellow

There are many more.

Waheed

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End of Arabic-L:  11 Jun 2003