thi9l ثقل
Tunisian Derja · noun
“thi9l” (ثقل) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning weight, influence (of a party, person).
Meanings
- weight, influence (of a party, person)
- heaviness
Usage
Thi9l refers first to weight in the figurative sense: the influence or importance of an actor. It is heard mostly in political discussions and on television, in phrases such as "3andou thi9l" (he has clout) or "a7zeb 3andhom thi9l" (influential parties). The register is formal and close to Standard Arabic. For physical weight, the common word "wazn" is used instead, or the adjective "th9il" (heavy). Depending on the context, it can be translated as "weight", "influence" or "stature".
Example
الحزب هذا عندو ثقل كبير في البلاد
el 7ezb hedha 3andou thi9l kbir fil blad
“This party has great weight in the country.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “thi9l” but also “the9l”, “thikl” and “t9al”. 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.