wali والي
Tunisian Derja · noun
“wali” (والي) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning governor (of a governorate).
Meanings
- governor (of a governorate)
Usage
El wali is the governor, the representative of the state at the head of a governorate (wilaya). The word is very common in local news: el wali zar, "the governor visited". The plural is wolet. Do not translate it as "prefect", except as an explanatory analogy. Watch out for a reading trap: in Arabic script, the same string of letters often writes w elli, "and the one who". Use context to tell the two apart. The register is neutral and administrative.
Example
الوالي زار السبيطار البارح
el wali zar esbitar lbere7
“The governor visited the hospital yesterday.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wali” but also “wéli” and “waly”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.