goumri قمري
Algerian Darja · noun
“goumri” (قمري) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning turtledove.
Meanings
- turtledove
- darling (term of endearment)
Usage
Goumri means the turtledove, a bird familiar in gardens and on rooftops, to be distinguished from hmama, the pigeon or dove. The word comes up a lot in popular song and chaâbi, where the bird symbolizes the beloved or a messenger. Hence its affectionate use: ya goumri, "my darling, my little bird". This tender register can also take on an ironic tone between friends. The pronunciation with g is the most widespread. A feminine form, goumriya, exists in songs.
Example
القمري يغني كل صباح فوق الشجرة
el goumri ygenni koul sbah fouq echejra
“The turtledove sings every morning on top of the tree.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “goumri” but also “gomri”, “qoumri”, “9oumri” and “gumri”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.