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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread "Al" #197728 02/27/2011 12:46 AM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water Question to someone who may know: We see in Arabic many words which are prefixed with an "al", Moammar Al-Qaddafi, for example. Others like Al-Akbar, and I believe it was Anwar Al-Sadat of Egypt. To what does the "al" refer? Or is it like a "the", "of", "from"? Is it like Fitz in Fitzsimmons, Da in DaVinci, D' in D'Onofrio, Mac in MacKay, De in DeMaupassant? I notice it is in names of places as well as people, hence my question. ----please, draw me a sheep---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "Al" LukeJavan8 #197732 02/27/2011 1:48 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Yes. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "Al" LukeJavan8 #197735 02/27/2011 2:33 AM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh The word 'al is basically the definite article in Arabic, i.e., the. Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "Al" zmjezhd #197741 02/27/2011 3:17 AM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water The. Thanks. ----please, draw me a sheep---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "Al" LukeJavan8 #197745 02/27/2011 3:44 AM Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 down under Candy Pooh-Bah Candy Pooh-Bah Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 down under and in NZ some place names begin with the French 'rue'. It translates to 'street' (I use to think it meant the) Akaroa Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "Al" Candy #197754 02/27/2011 4:07 PM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water Looks like a beautiful place. Qadaffi's son was called Al-Qadaffi on the new this AM. Last edited by LukeJavan8; 02/27/2011 4:07 PM. ----please, draw me a sheep---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "Al" LukeJavan8 #197850 03/02/2011 1:44 PM Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 677 Middle Earth bexter addict bexter addict Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 677 Middle Earth The same things happen in Ancient Greek if I remeber correctly...for about a week after learning this we went around school calling everyone "The Alice" or "The Guinevere"...I presume we found it funny to begin with but it only lasted that first week... ----The next sentence is true. The previous sentence is false---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "Al" bexter #197878 03/02/2011 4:26 PM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,971 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water Originally Posted By: bexter The same things happen in Ancient Greek if I remeber correctly...for about a week after learning this we went around school calling everyone "The Alice" or "The Guinevere"...I presume we found it funny to begin with but it only lasted that first week... Even that makes more sense to me. With it being the definite article explained that way. So the thing being definitely pointed out (like Qadaffi) does not necessarily mean anything, it is like The Alice? ----please, draw me a sheep---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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