a9allia أقلّية
Moroccan Darija · noun
“a9allia” (أقلّية) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning minority (smaller group).
Meanings
- minority (smaller group)
Usage
A9alliya belongs to the formal register of the media, politics and social debates. It is used about a minority group, a vote or an opinion: ghir a9alliya lli bghat hadchi ("only a minority wanted that"). Its opposite is l-aghlabiya ("the majority"). In casual conversation, a simple phrasing is often preferred, such as chi chwiya d n-nas ("a few people") or 9lil lli ("few are those who"). The word is generally used with the article: l-a9alliya.
Example
غير أقلية اللي ماوافقاتش
ghir a9alliya lli ma wafqatch
“Only a minority didn't agree.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “a9allia” but also “a9aliya”, “a9alliya” and “aqalliya”. 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.