histiria هستيريا
Tunisian Derja · noun
“histiria” (هستيريا) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning hysteria, excessive collective frenzy.
Meanings
- hysteria, excessive collective frenzy
- fit of hysterics
Usage
Histiria is an adapted loanword in common use in Tunisia. It mainly refers to collective agitation seen as exaggerated or irrational: people speak of "histiria" about a controversy on social media, panic buying or a smear campaign. It is also used for a person having a fit of hysterics: "dkhalet fi histiria". The typical construction is "dkhal fi histiria" (to go into hysteria). The tone is critical; it is used to dismiss a reaction seen as disproportionate. The corresponding adjective is histiri.
Example
الناس دخلت في هستيريا وشرات الفارينة الكل.
ennes dkhlet fi histiria w chrat el farina lkol.
“People fell into hysteria and bought up all the flour.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “histiria” but also “hysteria”, “histeria” and “hesteria”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.