Learning Iraqi dialect

[sohuda]

Hello Everyone,
I've noticed some members interested in Iraqi dialect, therefore here is a thread to teach you some Iraqi vocabulary and used expressions, and also to answer your questions about Iraqi dialect..

However before we start, here are some things to put into perspective:
*I've left Iraq since about 10 years, therefore my Iraqi is neither perfect nor updated! but I'll teach you basics..
*when writing in Arabic letters I'll use ج for both j and ch

[sohuda]

When talking to people:
use "k" for males.
eg.: شلونك =Shlonak? (how are you)
شخبارك =shakhbarak (what are your latest news?)

and "ch" for female,
eg.:
شلونج =shlonech (how are you?)
شخبارج =shakhbarech (what are your latest news?)

The Iraqi way of saying What's up?
شكو ماكو؟
shako mako (originally: شنو اكو شنو ماكو sheno ako sheno mako) it literally means:
sheno: what
ako: there
mako: not there
so it would be what's there and what's not
and the answer would be "ماكو شي \\mako shi"= there's nothing

Some question words:
شنو\\sheno=what
شوكت\\shwaket=when (originally: shwa8et but here it is said as waket
ليش\\laish=why
شلون\\shlon=how
منو\\meno=who
شقد\\shgad=how much

[incriptedtruth]

first student to join the class , sign me up
i have lotta of questions but ill wait for now
thanks sohuda

[Jihan]

Oh, I'm gonna join, too.

And I've got a question relating to pronounciation:

The sound of ك kaf in some cases (as above for female pronoun 2nd person)...is it similar to farsi چ which will be pronounced as "tsche"???

Cordially

Jihan

[Tulin]

Mashallah I can help too

[Zahra91h]

nice thread sohuda

[sohuda]

thanks guys! and everyone's welcome to join

@incriptedtruth: welcome! expecting excellence from you, and good attendance to lessons :P kidding.. and ready for your questions dear.

@Tulin: GREAT! I need all the help I can get!

@Jihan: well, it is pronounced as "ch" yes so I guess it is originally from the Farsi letter چ
it is used when talking to a female!

[sohuda]

Here's a short one, because I don't have much time..

Greetings in Iraqi:
when meeting a person we rarely say "marhaba=مرحبا" . Instead we say a word that is a mix between two words: "Hello+hala>>Hallaw\\هلو"

when answering "how are you? "shlonak//shlonech?"
we say (female): zaina (زينة) and (male) zain (زين)

Yes in Iraqi is "eeyy" : اي

[Tulin]

of course we use marhaba sometimes but we use Hallaw or Selam more.

Other...

To male:

Shlon se7tak
شلون صحتك

To female:

Shlon Se7tech
شلون صحتج

And it is also like "How are you" But actually it means "How is your health"

The answer is also Zein زين ( Male ) and Zeina زينه ( Female )

[incriptedtruth]

Here's a short one, because I don't have much time..

Greetings in Iraqi:
when meeting a person we don't say "marhaba=مرحبا" . Instead we say a word that is a mix between two words: "Hello+hala>>Hallaw\\هلو"

when answering "how are you? "shlonak//shlonech?"
we say (female): zaina (زينة) and (male) zain (زين)

Yes in Iraqi is "eeyy" : اي

@sohuda: can you please write it with phonics ( phonetical symbols)so we can know how to prounounce as far as i know is, pronounciation is the main characteristic of iraqi dialcet which distinguish it from other dialcets
for example:
we say (female): zaina (زينة) and (male) zain (زين)
Zaina is not pronounced this way right? it's something like ( ziena) with long vowel
correct me if im wrong

[Tulin]

@sohuda: can you please write it with phonics ( phonetical symbols)so we can know how to prounounce as far as i know is, pronounciation is the main characteristic of iraqi dialcet which distinguish it from other dialcets
for example:
we say (female): zaina (زينة) and (male) zain (زين)
Zaina is not pronounced this way right? it's something like ( ziena) with long vowel
correct me if im wrong

Maybe I can tell you how to pronounce it..It is like "Zen" and "Zeneh"

[ciyo37]

I dont know arabic but i curious about
Which Arabic dialect is more different than the Classical Arabic ?

[Tulin]

I dont know arabic but i curious about
Which Arabic dialect is more different than the Classical Arabic ?

In arabic there are alot of accents.. But the Iraqi is Arabic mixed with Turkish and Persian.
Another difficult accent is the Algerian and the accent in Tunisia and so on.. It is too difficult for us to understand it.

[Jihan]

Maybe I can tell you how to pronounce it..It is like "Zen" and "Zeneh"

I guess it's just a general matter about diphtongs, which in Standard Arabic and in some dialects (some lebanese as far as I know) are truly diphtongs, while in Iraqi (and others) they just become a long vowel.

like fauqa/fawqa (above) from Fus7a becomes foq/fog

or [i]bawsa[/] (kiss) which becomes bosa (as in as-Saher's 600 bosa )

or mauti (my death) will be moti


the same way with the diphtong ai/ay which becomes e/ee just as in زَين (zain for Fus7a, zeen for dialect, here Iraqi)

So, to sum up, diphtongs are less distinct in Iraqi dialect.

Another question: what about the peculiarity of Hamza in Iraqi dialcet. Is it generelly or mostly eliminated (esp. in the middle of words, like رأس...and what means the idiom 3ala ra'si btw...I always have that one in my ear...)???

Oh, and what are the personal pronouns resp. the differences to standard Arabic?

And, maybe, sohuda, Dear, you can sum up the (different) pronounciation of some letters for the beginning...I mean, what about those so-called "emphatic" consonats ص ض ط ظ...I think there are some differences, aren't there? I mean, I somehow remember Iraqis saying aidhan (also, too) instead of aidan (with emphatic d أيضاً)


I really do love this thread....

Jihan

[sohuda]

Just wanted you guys to pray for the victims and the families who were affected by the bombings in Baghdad today! Can't say anything more! allah ykon b3onhom, w allahu akbar 3la elly 8amaw bel tafjeerat! May allah be with those innocents who were affected!

And don't worry I'll answer all of your questions later!

[ciyo37]

In arabic there are alot of accents.. But the Iraqi is Arabic mixed with Turkish and Persian.
Another difficult accent is the Algerian and the accent in Tunisia and so on.. It is too difficult for us to understand it.

thank you for this explanation

[Tulin]

thank you for this explanation

You are welcome, my friend

[sohuda]

@sohuda: can you please write it with phonics ( phonetical symbols)so we can know how to prounounce as far as i know is, pronounciation is the main characteristic of iraqi dialcet which distinguish it from other dialcets
for example:
we say (female): zaina (زينة) and (male) zain (زين)
Zaina is not pronounced this way right? it's something like ( ziena) with long vowel
correct me if im wrong

well, yes pronunciation is important! but the problem is that I have no idea about phonics! haven't studied them in school :S
so don't what to do?!
and I guess no "zaina" isn't pronounced that way, it's just that I always write it that way and so I haven't really thought it through

it's neither "zaina" nor "zeena" and also not "zena"! I'll think of something, maybe record it for you!

[sohuda]

@Jihan:

I guess it's just a general matter about diphtongs, which in Standard Arabic and in some dialects (some lebanese as far as I know) are truly diphtongs, while in Iraqi (and others) they just become a long vowel.

like fauqa/fawqa (above) from Fus7a becomes foq/fog

or [i]bawsa[/] (kiss) which becomes bosa (as in as-Saher's 600 bosa )

or mauti (my death) will be moti


the same way with the diphtong ai/ay which becomes e/ee just as in زَين (zain for Fus7a, zeen for dialect, here Iraqi)

So, to sum up, diphtongs are less distinct in Iraqi dialect.

yes well, I think you're right!

Another question: what about the peculiarity of Hamza in Iraqi dialcet. Is it generelly or mostly eliminated (esp. in the middle of words, like رأس...and what means the idiom 3ala ra'si btw...I always have that one in my ear...)???

yes when it is on the letter "alef", it is not pronounced! like raasi, and also like "فأس" it's said like "faas"
and about 3la raasi: it's used (not only in Iraqi I think, but in many dialects) it is used when someone does a good thing or when you respect someone, you say to them: 3la raasi (as in you respect them therefore you put them on your head (lit. translation) )

Oh, and what are the personal pronouns resp. the differences to standard Arabic?

he=hwwa
she=heyya
we=e7na
they=homma
you=enta(m)//enti(fe)//ento(plural)
I=anee
you want more?!

And, maybe, sohuda, Dear, you can sum up the (different) pronounciation of some letters for the beginning...I mean, what about those so-called "emphatic" consonats ص ض ط ظ...I think there are some differences, aren't there?

here are some:
ض=ظ=(we pronounce them both as ظ)
even though Arabic is the language of "ض"
somehow we Iraqis have looked over that and ignored it, therefore they are both pronounced the same way
ذ=th(like in then)
ص=the true "ssad" not like in some other dialects they say it like "s"
ط=here to we emphasis on the letter, we don't say it like a light "t"
ق=it differs on the word we pronounce it sometimes "g" like in "gelet(I said), gemet(I stood up) or we pronounce it "q" like in "qalam"! (we don't say it like 2>'a)
ج=the true "j" not the light one like in "pleasure" like in Syrian and Lebanese dialect
ث=th like in "thorn"
I mean, I somehow remember Iraqis saying aidhan (also, too) instead of aidan (with emphatic d أيضاً)
yes we say it like: أيظاً

[Jihan]

you want more?!

I ??? Anii, or what?

here are some:
ض=ظ=(we pronounce them both as ظ)
even though Arabic is the language of "ض"
somehow we Iraqis have looked over that and ignored it, therefore they are both pronounced the same way
ذ=th(like in then)
ص=the true "ssad" not like in some other dialects they say it like "s"
ط=here to we emphasis on the letter, we don't say it like a light "t"
ق=it differs on the word we pronounce it sometimes "g" like in "gelet(I said), gemet(I stood up) or we pronounce it "q" like in "qalam"! (we don't say it like 2>'a)
ج=the true "j" not the light one like in "pleasure" like in Syrian and Lebanese dialect
ث=th like in "thorn"
I mean, I somehow remember Iraqis saying aidhan (also, too) instead of aidan (with emphatic d أيضاً)
yes we say it like: أيظاً

Thanks a lot