Tabiaa is an Arabic word for nature and what it signifies can be lush, humbling, capable of instilling awe as well as terror. It encompasses life in the natural world but can also hint at a person’s character. A form of the word is even used in the publishing world.
Al ard (the earth), al samaa (the sky), al jibal (the mountains), al nabatat (plants), al zuhoor (flowers), al bahr (the sea) and al sahra (the desert) are all components of tabiaa.
The philosophical study of nature and the physical universe is known as falsafat el tabiaa.
The natural sciences, meanwhile, are known as ouloum tabiiyye.
Natural gas is gaz tabeei. Hawaa tabeei is fresh air. A law of nature is kanoon el tabiaa. For the paranormal, you could say khawareq altabiaa or ma waraa altabiaa, which consequently is the name of the Netflix series based on the bestselling series of novels by the late Egyptian writer Ahmed Khaled Tawfik.
A person’s tabae is their nature or disposition. You could describe someone’s tabae as sayyea (bad), jayyed (good), asabi (irritable) or hadea (calm).
It’s worth noting that the word can also mean printing or publishing. Tabae masari is printing money. Tabae kutub is printing books. Huqooq eltabae are copyrights. Matbaa is a publishing house.
Circling back to tabiaa, the word can also be used to signify the typical.
Hai tabiaat el hal can be used similarly to the phrase ‘the way things are’.
Finally, a saying or two: Iza kan tareeq afdal min akhar, fataakad inahu tareeq el tabiaa — “if one road is better than the other, be sure that is the path of nature.”
And then there's hub el tabiaa mithl al musiqa aw el fan, hia lugha mushtaraka yumkin an tatajawaz hudood el siasiye wal ijtimaiye — “Love of nature is a universal language. Like music and art, it traverses beyond political and social borders.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see The National's pick of Arabic words of the week
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
SPECS
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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Jawan
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