skat السكات
Algerian Darja · noun
“skat” (السكات) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning silence, being quiet.
Meanings
- silence, being quiet
- muteness, lack of response
Usage
Skat is the noun derived from the verb "to be quiet", which also gives the imperative "oskot!", "be quiet!". The word refers to a person's silence, more than the calm of a place. It often carries a nuance of reproach or worry: "3lach had ess-skat?" means "why this silence?", said to someone who is not answering. It also appears in proverbial sayings that praise keeping quiet. The register is everyday, in all regions.
Example
علاش هاذ السكات؟ قولي واش بيك
3lach had skat? 9olli wach bik
“Why this silence? Tell me what's wrong with you.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “skat” but also “sskat”, “sekat” and “skate”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.