la3djouz لعجوز
Algerian Darja · noun
“la3djouz” (لعجوز) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning old woman.
Meanings
- old woman
- mother (informal)
Usage
L3djouz primarily means an elderly woman. It is often found in tales, where the old woman plays the part of a trickster or a matchmaker. In Algiers in particular, young people also use it to refer to their mother, like "my old lady" in informal English. For a father, one says echikh. This usage is affectionate among close people, but it remains very informal. It is best avoided in front of the person concerned or with strangers. It is not a term of address: one says yemma to call one's mother. Depending on tone, saying "an old woman" can also be pejorative.
Example
لعجوز راهي تستنى فيا في الدار
la3djouz rahi testenna fiya fi dar
“My mother is waiting for me at home.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “la3djouz” but also “l3djouz”, “la3jouz”, “l3jouz” and “el3djouz”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.