mezbla مزبلة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“mezbla” (مزبلة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning dump, landfill.
Meanings
- dump, landfill
- very dirty place
- dustbin (of history), figurative
Usage
Mezbla comes from zbel (garbage). The word means the place where waste is dumped, whether a municipal landfill or an illegal pile of trash. Figuratively, it is used for a very dirty or neglected place: "darou wallet mezbla" (his house has become a real dump). The expression mezbla mta3 ettarikh, modelled on "the dustbin of history", is common in political commentary to express contempt. Applied to a person or a country, the word becomes insulting. It should not be confused with poubella, which means the household trash can.
Example
البلدية حلّت مزبلة جديدة قدّام الحومة
el baladiya 7allet mezbla jdida 9oddem el 7ouma
“The municipality opened a new dump in front of the neighbourhood.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mezbla” but also “mazbla”, “mazbala” and “mezbala”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.