Captivity: 118 Days in Iraq and the Struggle for a World Without War - James Loney (2011)
GLOSSARY
In general, the terms listed below reflect the author’s hearing and understanding of the Arabic used by his captors. This glossary is not correct in every instance, in terms of meaning or transliteration, and should only be used for the purpose of reading this book.
abiya - ankle-length black coat worn by women
abu - father
afwen - you’re welcome
akeel - food
aku akhbar - any news?
alakum salam - the response to salam alakum, “and peace to you”
ali baba - thief
Allah - God
Allah ackbar - God is great
Amriki - American
ani - I
Arabi - Arabic
asbooah - week
bacher - tomorrow
beit - house
Britannia - Great Britain
cahraba - electricity
Canadi - Canada
chai - tea
chees - plastic bag
clatha - three
dishdashda - one-piece, loose-fitting tunic worn by Arab men
duwa - medicine
el messiahiyea - Christianity
el yom - today
faloos - money
firar - escape
Franci - French
frook hind - rub together
Furat - Euphrates River
haji - term of respect for someone who has completed the pilgrimage to Mecca
halal - religiously pure to eat
hamam - bathroom
hum da’Allah - praise be to God
haram - something forbidden, taboo, a moral offence
hazeen - sad
hazeem - escape
helcoom - a type of candy
Hind - India
hooriya - freedom
hubis - bread, money
humburger - hamburger
ianni - means, also a common conversational filler, as in English “like,” “so,” “well”
imshee - walk, hurry up
inshallah - God willing
Islami - Muslim
isma - listen
Issau - Jesus
jaysh - soldier
jaysoos - informant, collaborator
Jenna - heaven
Jehennem - hell
kabir - big, old
kadim - old
kaffir - unbeliever
killam - talk
killeator - hat
kineesa - church
kool yom - every day
la - no
leaish - why
majnoon - crazy
makhtoof - kidnapped
mazboot - truly
mbhara - yesterday
melabas - clothes
Messiahiy - Christian
mezjoon - prisoner
minundra ani gulak - likely ma’adree ani gulak, which means I don’t know, I will tell you later
mooreed - sick
mooseh-dis - gun
mooshkilla - problem, nuisance
mot - dead
mozane - no good
mujahedeen - holy warrior of God
mumkin - could I please?
my - water
najis - spy, piece of soiled toilet paper
nam - sleep
na’am - yes
noos - half
noos-noos - so-so
numibasra - a sour fruit used for making tea, flavouring food
Nuzlander - New Zealander
ogod - sit down
Ordoon - Jordan
petrol - kerosene
portugal - orange
qatil - murder
romana - grenade
sabha il hare - good morning
sabha il noor - morning light
sadika - girlfriend
salam - peace
salam alakum - peace to you
sena - year
shid ghul - repeat again, I didn’t hear you
shlonik - how are you?
shokren - thank you
shoo - what
shorta - police
shstem - smell
shuhada bil Arabi - how do you say in Arabic
shwakit - when?
shwaya - little
sierra - car
soba - heater
t’al wiyaya - come with me
talib - student
thnein - two
umma - mother
wahid - one
wardeh - flower
whalid - children
zane - good
zengeel - chain
zowage - marriage
zowagi - married woman
zowja - wife