DUBAI //Older Emiratis will tell you a barkhees is unlikely to buy you so much as an aranjous.
That will not mean much to many young Emiratis, as barkhees (miser) and aranjous (orange juice) are old slang terms unique to the Arabic spoken in the UAE.
Realising many such words could soon be lost if not recorded, Faisal Jassim and Thani Al Shafar, both 25, have launched a virtual dictionary of Emirati terminology in Arabic and English.
Their iPhone application Thikrayat (at www.appthik.co) collates these words for posterity and often pairs them with illustrations.
The name of the application is an old word meaning things remembered from the past.
"We started by accident," said Mr Al Shafar.
"We were getting to know words through the elderly in the family that we had never heard of before. We realised that we no longer used such words, so we started collecting them."
Mr Jassim said this disconnect between generations was "a tragedy, because these words give flavour to the Emirati dialect".
So far, 100 words have been included and 300 more with illustrations are to be released soon. Among the words that were fading from the language are nomlait, for lemonade; dahdeeha, meaning quick; and pankah, for ceiling fan.
"Our society has been established based on an oral history and our ancestors didn't read and write," Mr Jassim said. "When they pass away, their history and memories will be gone as well.
"If we don't preserve them now, they'll be lost. These words are what gives us a flavour. It's like our saffron, our spices."
Mr Al Shafar said the app was also aimed at engaging expatriates.
"The application can be accessed globally and foreigners can download it before coming to the UAE, and know the language and learn about the UAE culture," he said.
The two also accept feedback and suggestions from the public.
"We want the application to become a community project," said Mr Jassim. "This is the Wikipedia of Emirati culture."
aalhaddad@thenational.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')
Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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Frida%20
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Brief scores:
Newcastle United 1
Perez 23'
Wolverhampton Rovers 2
Jota 17', Doherty 90' 4
Red cards: Yedlin 57'
Man of the Match: Diogo Jota (Wolves)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
