7arga حرقة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“7arga” (حرقة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning clandestine emigration by sea.
Meanings
- clandestine emigration by sea
- burn, burning pain
Usage
7arga refers above all to the clandestine crossing of the Mediterranean to Europe. People say "mcha 7arga" (he left illegally) or "7arga l'Italie". Someone who attempts the crossing is called a 7arra9 or 7arraga, and the corresponding verb is 7ra9. The word also keeps its original sense of a burn, both literally and figuratively: pain, grief that gnaws. It is found in curses such as "ya3tih 7arga". The two senses coexist, and only context can decide between them.
Example
ولد جارنا مشى حرقة لإيطاليا
wled jarna mcha 7arga l'italia
“Our neighbour's son went illegally to Italy by sea.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7arga” but also “7ar9a”, “harga” and “7arka”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat; 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.