la3waj لعوج
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“la3waj” (لعوج) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning crooked, not straight.
Meanings
- crooked, not straight
- dishonest, devious (figurative)
Usage
La3waj is the form with the definite article of a3waj, "crooked". It is used for an object that isn't straight, like a line, a nail, a badly hung picture or a winding road. Figuratively, it describes a person with shady methods or a dubious deal. The feminine is 3awja and the plural 3waj. The word also serves as a nickname ("the crooked one"), which can be mocking. For an English speaker, note that the initial la- is the definite article, not part of the root.
Example
المسمار لعوج، بدلو.
el mesmar la3waj, baddlou.
“The nail is crooked, replace it.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “la3waj” but also “l3waj” and “la3wej”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.