It has been said by many writers, philosophers and artists that music is a universal language. The Lebanese-American poet and writer Khalil Gibran elaborated on this idea, writing that “music is the language of the spirit”.
One of the most popular forms of music is, of course, the song, which is also this week’s Arabic Word of the Week – ughniya.
The word ughniya is a noun derived from the root word ghanna. Made up of the letters ghain, noon and alif, ghanna is a verb meaning to sing. The word ghanna can also be used, depending on its context, to refer to praising someone.
The meaning of ughniya is spoken words or various forms of poetry recited in some rhythm either in an acapella form or sometimes accompanied with music. Like many Arabic words, ughniya has more than one plural – ughniyat or aghani.
There are various forms or categories of songs that are referred to in Arabic. For example, there is ughniyat al aamal, which translates to songs of work, which are songs that have a continuous, almost monotonous rhythm that are often sung during work hours.
Ughniyat shaabiyya, which translates to songs of the people, are forms of colloquial and highly evocative poetry that express the trials, challenges and celebrations of people.
Plenty of words are derived from the root word of ughniya that are also related to songs and music but vary in meaning.
Al ghinaa is a noun, which describes the sound of wind as it moves through the plants. Al ghinaeeyya is a live musical theatre production that includes dialogue but where music is the overarching element.
Another word is al ghina, which refers to a state of contentment where one does not need anything else – the verb of which is istaghna, which also means to deny one something because they no longer have need for it. Ghaniya is another verb meaning the act of becoming wealthy or gaining fulfilment. Ghani on the other hand, means someone who is wealthy.
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Hob is the Arabic word for love, but can be used in many contexts -
The Arabic word helu translates, in English, to sweet -
Nashef is the Arabic word for dry, but has many connotations, depending on the context in which you use it -
The Arabic word hurriyeh translates to freedom in English -
The Arabic word tayeb can mean delicious or good, depending on the context -
The Arabic word mustaqbal is best expressed as future in English -
Waqaa, the Arabic word for fall, can signify a loss of power, stature, health or grace -
Hudood means borders in English -
The Arabic word rooh translates to spirit or soul in English -
The Arabic word ain means eye in English -
Waraq, the Arabic word of the week means paper in English -
Bahr, the Arabic for sea, has a poetic lilt -
Kareem means generous in English -
Bab means door in English -
Eid means holiday or festival -
Najm means star for the night sky and cosmos, but also has plenty of other meanings, including ambition or fame -
Alwan, the Arabic word for colours, has many shades of meaning -
Akel can refer to home-cooked meals, embezzlement, fire and rust -
Jamal is the Arabic word for beauty, be it literal or figurative -
Herfe translates to profession or craft -
Tabiaa translates to nature and can frame landscapes and portraits -
Sehha is the Arabic word for health -
Ijaza is Arabic for holiday and shines in summer but is not stress-free -
Aamal is the Arabic word for work -
Al dahr translates to time -
Qalb is a word for heart, with poetic roots -
Lugha in Arabic translates to language in English -
Insaan means human being -
Na'eeman is an idiomatic expression used when someone has had a shower or bath, a haircut or had their beard trimmed -
The Arabic word for life touches on eternity, death and accomplishment -
Qamar is the Arabic for moon -
The Arabic word for strength or power is quwwa -
Burj is Arabic for tower -
The Arabic word for sun is shams -
Sabr in English can translate to patience -
Hayba is the Arabic word for prestige -
The Arabic term al shay'e translates as 'the thing' in English -
The Arabic word for road is tareeq -
The Arabic word for read has mystical and scholarly connotations -
Istikan is the Arabic word for a type of tea cup -
The Arabic word hanan means affection in English -
The Arabic word atlal means ruins in English -
Kura is the Arabic word for ball, in all its forms -
Janaah in Arabic means wing in English -
The Arabic word sana translates to year in English -
Qasida is the Arabic for poem, not poetry -
Ameer, the Arabic word for prince, which influenced another English title -
Nakhla translates to palm tree in English -
Al samt is the Arabic for silence -
Kalimaat translates to words in English -
Markaz is Arabic for centre -
Beshara is the Arabic word for good news -
Bayt is the Arabic for house or home -
Fann is the Arabic word for art, and can be either a verb or an adjective -
Isim, which means name, is made up of three letters, alif, seen and meem -
Dunya is the Arabic word for world -
Nazaafah translates to cleanliness in English -
Many traditions revolve around drinking coffee, including weddings, funerals and business meetings -
Fajr is the Arabic word for dawn -
Maghrib is the Arabic word for sunset -
The Arabic language is filled with idioms, quotes and colloquial quips involving the mirror -
Raei is the Arabic word for opinion -
Wa'ed is a multifaceted word for 'promise', as well as a female name -
Qussa is the Arabic word for story -
Sadaaka is the Arabic word for friendship -
Akhbaar is the Arabic word for news -
Rasem is made up of the three Arabic letters Rah, Seen and Meem. While it can simply mean a drawing or a sketch it’s also a malleable word whose definition can change depending on context and dialect – particularly between colloquial and classical Arabic. -
As well as finishing a task, khatem denotes a deeper sense of finality -
Commonly translated to blessed, mubarak is used as a popular greeting on auspicious days -
The Arabic word for lighthouse is also a term that has become closely associated with Islam -
Siyaam, the Arabic word for fasting is also connected to silence -
Tawbah, the Arabic word for repentance, is also connected to Ramadan -
Safar, the Arabic Word for travel can also refer to sunny days, a brighter-blazing fire or exile. The National
It is interesting to point out that most of these words relating to ughniya refer to feelings of contentment or fulfilment, similar to how song or music is supposed to make listeners feel.
The popular 1972 film Ughniyat Ala El Mammar, which translates to The Song of the Isle, starring renowned actors Mahmoud Moursy and Mahmoud Yassine, tells the story of an Egyptian infantry platoon besieged in the desert during the 1967 Six-Day War.
Based on the play by the playwright and author Ali Salem, the story revolves around four characters, each of whom comes from a different sector of society, with their own dreams and motives, but who are all subject to the song of war and the elements of the desert canal they find themselves in.
