Fun with Arabic

SecretAgentK

Being a student of the Arabic language, I decided today to look up the root meaning of the word for childbirth (labor) in Arabic. (The word is ????, makhaadh)

Most words in Arabic are derived from 3-letter verbal roots, and then various meanings are implied by various forms.  So this particular word's root comes from churning milk into butter. I found it interesting because it's not something associated with pain or struggle, although the agitation required to make butter from milk is certainly an effort. 

The word can also be used for clouds about to rain, i.e., "the sky prepared/became ready (to rain)"; and like "time brought forth a trial/civil war."

So if the sky gives birth then it rains, and time can give birth to a civil war.

I'm curious if women who have labored and delivered naturally ever saw parallels to making butter during their labor. Ancient Arabs (it's an old word) would have put milk in an animal skin and shaken or agitated it in order to make butter.

 

Also, has anyone else looked up the word in other languages for implicit meanings?  

MadameFancyPants

Shini mah shini! (sorry terrible with Englishized spellings)

Arabic is such a fun language.  My son is learning it from our really good friend.  I've got some basic words and phrases down.  Sadly, I think it's mostly Southern Iraqi slang.

 I love how many words are all grouped together by the root.  Ex. Bird, plane, pilot, cockpit, etc all come from the same word.  I think it's sky maybe air, but I could be wrong.

 

SecretAgentK

You're right. The English equivalent of the root is to fly. So anything related to flying--birds (thing that flies), planes (something else that flies), pilots (person who flies), airports (place of flying), will a lot of times be derived from it. 

So it's a lot of fun to study--very logical.  

 

 

iris427

I can honestly say I see no parallels between birth and making butter, but then again I have never really made butter LOL

Semitic languages and the three letter roots are very interesting. 

anna7602

I like that in Spanish, the idiomatic term for giving birth is to "dar a luz," literally, to bring into the light.

Your whole description is very interesting, Thanks for posting.

MadameFancyPants

anna7602:

I like that in Spanish, the idiomatic term for giving birth is to "dar a luz," literally, to bring into the light.

Your whole description is very interesting, Thanks for posting.

I don't know the literal translations for giving birth in many languages but I think Spanish is one of the most beautiful descriptions.  It makes giving birth sound like a fun experience unlike "labor" which is hard work!

anna7602

This whole thread really makes me want to learn Arabic!