sa9r صقر
Tunisian Derja · noun
“sa9r” (صقر) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning falcon.
Meanings
- falcon
- brave, fearsome man (figurative)
Usage
Sa9r refers to the falcon. The word is used mainly in a figurative sense, as a complimentary nickname for a brave, sharp or fearsome man, for example an athlete or an artist. It is also heard in honorific titles coined by fans. Its register is rather elevated or emphatic. Sa9r is also a family name in Tunisia. One must therefore distinguish, depending on context, the bird, the nickname and the surname. In ordinary conversation about birds, the word remains fairly rare.
Example
هاك الراجل صقر، ما يخاف من حد
hak rajel sa9r, ma ykhaf men 7add
“That man is a falcon, he fears no one.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sa9r” but also “saqr”, “sakr”, “sa9er” and “sagr”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.