barnous برنوس
Tunisian Derja · noun
“barnous” (برنوس) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning burnous, hooded wool cloak.
Meanings
- burnous, hooded wool cloak
Usage
The barnous is the large traditional sleeveless cloak with a hood, woven from wool or camel hair. It is worn in winter over the jebba, especially in the countryside and by older men. It also has a ceremonial value: the groom often wears it at the wedding. The usual plural is brénes. English borrowed this word as "burnous" (via French). In derja, the expression "labes barnous" evokes traditional dress, sometimes said with respect, sometimes with irony.
Example
جدي ما يخرجش في الشتاء كان بالبرنوس متاعو
jeddi ma yokhrejch fi echtê ken bel barnous mte3ou
“In winter, my grandfather only goes out wearing his burnous.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “barnous” but also “bernous”, “burnous”, “barnouss” and “brnous”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “barnous” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “sleeveless hooded wool cloak”; “symbol of marriage, protection”: bernous in Algerian.