kewelis كواليس
Tunisian Derja · noun
“kewelis” (كواليس) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning behind the scenes, what happens in secret.
Meanings
- behind the scenes, what happens in secret
- backstage of a show
Usage
Kewelis is a plural borrowed from standard Arabic. It is very common in Tunisia in discussions about politics, football or the media. It appears mostly in the phrase fil kewelis, "behind the scenes," to refer to hidden dealings or suspected manoeuvres. The literal sense, the back of a theatre stage or TV set, also exists but is rarer in everyday conversation. The register is neutral, slightly journalistic. As in French, the word often carries a nuance of suspicion: talking about kewelis suggests something is being hidden from the public.
Example
نحكي عاللي قاعد يصير فال كواليس ,
na7ki 3alli 9999a3d ysir fil kewelis ,
“We're talking about what's going on behind the scenes.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kewelis” but also “kawalis”, “kwalis” and “kewalis”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.