houma حوما
Tunisian Derja · noun
“houma” (حوما) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning neighbourhood, local area.
Meanings
- neighbourhood, local area
- the neighbourhood folk
Usage
Houma (often written حومة) refers to the neighbourhood where one lives, with its neighbours and habits. It's a very affectionate word: "wled el houma" means the boys of the neighbourhood, those you grew up with. "Fel houma" means "in the neighbourhood", and "houmti" means "my neighbourhood". The word evokes solidarity and social control between neighbours, more than a mere administrative division. Note: it should not be confused with "blad", which refers to the city or country of origin.
Example
تربّينا مع بعضنا في الحومة
trabbina m3a ba3dhna fel houma
“We grew up together in the neighbourhood.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “houma” but also “7ouma”, “houmma” and “huma”. 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.