August 12, 2008 Words of the day: Ishirran and Ishirrwan

Ishirran means “boys”. I’ve learned three or four words for “boys” since I came to Morocco, but that’s the one they use around here. Tishirratin is the corresponding word for “girls”. (Yes, language nerds, you’ll continue to notice that masculine words usually begin with a vowel and feminine words begin – and often end – with a t.)

And tonight, as we walked past a herd of sheep – ulli, I’d been taught during PST – the gaggle of girls surrounding me told me that they are ishirrwan. And it was later confirmed by Ama. One short letter distinguishes boys from sheep.

And considering the way young people – male and female, in every country I’ve been to – tend to travel in herds, I’m tempted to speculate…

Oh, and another, shweeya-related funny word pair: tabrat and tarbat. Envelope and girl, respectively. One of my CBT buddies got them confused every time…I hope he’s keeping them straight now, and not asking the postman how much it costs to send a girl to America…