When the German Machines Run Over Elephants: Arabic Football Nicknames at the World Cup
Arabic football headlines do not always name the teams. Germany become machines, Côte d’Ivoire become elephants, Morocco roar as lions — and one verb, تَدْهَسُ, makes the match sound like a factory crashing into the pitch.
The Ghost of the Company
A headline about the "New Egyptian Countryside" uses a feminine verb for a masculine noun. Is it a mistake, or is there a "ghost noun" haunting the sentence?
Sick Hamza
Even grammar gets airsick. On this Emirates bag, one Hamza is missing and the other is sitting on a chair when it should be on the floor. We diagnose the "Sick Hamza".
Creaking ATM
In Istanbul's historic district of Eyüp, an ATM offers a masterclass in "Chronic Truncation Syndrome." It turns cash dispensing into a creaking sound and leaves words hanging in mid-air.
Rizq or Qzir?
A simple Arabic error in a scientific journal highlights a delightful irony: It's a mistake an AI would never make.
God, Girls, and Grammar
Adding final ي changes the imperative: صَلِّ (masc. sg. “send blessings”) vs صَلِّي (fem. sg.). In “صَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ”, the default general address is masculine; writing صَلِّي restricts it to one woman.
At-Takallum: Why This Arabic Learning Series Works for Me
Tired of traditional, grammar-heavy Arabic textbooks? Guest author Paul Ammann reviews the At-Takallum series, detailing the modern, communicative method that finally "clicked" for him and why it might be the right choice for your learning journey.
Point Taken
A spelling error related to dry cleaning was found in an Arabic text in a hotel in Oman: الباشف instead of the correct spelling الناشف.
The Phrase الطرق السيارة: Is There a Mistake?
On road signs in Morocco, you'll see the phrase الطرق السيارة. At first glance, this looks like an Arabic grammatical error. Or is it correct?
Gender matters
When the internet went down on an airplane, a message appeared that raised grammatical questions.
