jahl جهل
Tunisian Derja · noun
“jahl” (جهل) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning ignorance, lack of knowledge.
Meanings
- ignorance, lack of knowledge
- foolishness, narrow-minded behavior
Usage
Jahl means ignorance. The word is used a lot in Tunisian, often in a critical tone, for behavior seen as obtuse, fanatical or thoughtless: hedha jahl, "that's ignorance". The corresponding adjective is jehel, "ignorant", plural jehlin, and it can be offensive. The word also appears in religious and historical references, such as Abou Jahl. Do not confuse it with "naivety", which is rather nya.
Example
هذا موش ذكاء، هذا جهل.
hedha mouch dhke, hedha jahl.
“This isn't intelligence, it's ignorance.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “jahl” but also “jehl” and “jahel”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.