khala خالة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“khala” (خالة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning maternal aunt, mother's sister.
Meanings
- maternal aunt, mother's sister
- polite address to an older woman
Usage
Khala refers only to the mother's sister. The father's sister is 3amma, so the English word "aunt" covers two distinct words. It is almost always used with a possessive: khalti (my aunt), khaltek (your aunt). The khala's husband is zouj khalti. Out of politeness, khalti is also used for an older woman with no family tie, such as a neighbour or a shopkeeper. The term then conveys respect and a certain affectionate familiarity. The khala's children are ould khalti and bent khalti.
Example
خالتي جات تزورنا البارح.
khalti jet tzourna l'bere7.
“My aunt came to visit us yesterday.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khala” but also “5ala”, “khalti”, “5alti” and “khela”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.