ghnam غنم
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ghnam” (غنم) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning sheep (collective).
Meanings
- sheep (collective)
- flock of sheep
Usage
Ghnam is a collective noun meaning sheep, or ovines in general, as livestock or a flock. For a single animal, 3allouch is used instead, notably for the Eid sheep. Ghnam is used for farming and trade: "rahbet el ghnam", the sheep market. Figuratively and pejoratively, it can be used for people who follow without thinking, like "sheep" in English. The register is everyday, rather rural or tied to livestock farming.
Example
جدّي عندو شويّة غنم في العرش.
jeddi 3andou chwaya ghnam fil 3arch.
“My grandfather has a few sheep in the countryside.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ghnam” but also “8nam”, “ghanam” and “ghnem”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 8 is light ha (ه) or ghayn (غ), depending on the writer.