zalzel زلزل
Tunisian Derja · verb
“zalzel” (زلزل) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to shake violently, make tremble.
Meanings
- to shake violently, make tremble
- to shake up, destabilize (figurative)
Usage
The verb zalzel (imperfect yzalzel) means to shake strongly, to make tremble. It is related to zelzla, the earthquake. Figuratively, it is common in political and religious commentary: one wishes for someone to shake up a system, opponents, or 'the ground under their feet'. This register is fairly elevated and close to standard Arabic. In the concrete sense, tzalzel or tzalzlet is also heard to say that something trembled. In ordinary conversation, hazz or rajj is often preferred for 'to shake'.
Example
الكميون تعدّى وزلزل الدار الكل
el kamyoun t3adda w zalzel e dar el kol
“The truck drove past and shook the whole house.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “zalzel” but also “zelzel” and “zalzal”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.