a7wel احول
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“a7wel” (احول) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning cross-eyed, having strabismus.
Meanings
- cross-eyed, having strabismus
- unobservant, mistaken (mocking)
Usage
A7wel refers to a person whose eyes do not look in the same direction. The feminine is 7oula and the plural is 7oul. The word describes a physical trait, but it is often used to mock someone or as a nickname. It can then be hurtful: best avoided when talking about someone present. Figuratively and jokingly, it is thrown at someone who missed something obvious. The corresponding verb is 7wel, "to become cross-eyed." The neutral medical sense is rather expressed by a paraphrase about the eyes.
Example
عندو عين حولة من وهو صغير.
3andou 3in 7oula men wenti sghir.
“He's been cross-eyed in one eye since he was little.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “a7wel” but also “a7wal”, “ahwel” and “ahwal”. 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.