rkeka ركاكة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“rkeka” (ركاكة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning mediocrity, poor quality.
Meanings
- mediocrity, poor quality
- blandness, tastelessness
Usage
Rkeka is the noun derived from the adjective rkik, which describes what is mediocre, botched, tasteless or in bad taste. It is applied to a show, a joke, a performance, a behavior or sloppy work. The exclamation ya mella rkeka! means "what rubbish!". The word is very common in online comments to criticize, with a nuance of contempt or embarrassment close to "lame" or "cringey". In Standard Arabic, the same root denotes weakness of style. In Derja, the meaning is broader and more colloquial.
Example
يا ملّا ركاكة، المسلسل هذا ما يتفرجش
ya mella rkeka, el mosalsel hedha ma yetfarrejch
“What rubbish, this series is unwatchable.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “rkeka” but also “rkaka”, “rkeke” and “rakaka”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.