għatta x-xemx bl-għarbiel

Maltese

Etymology

From Arabic غَطَّى الشَّمْسَ بِالْغِرْبالِ (ḡaṭṭā š-šamsa bi-l-ḡirbāli, literally “to cover the sun with a sieve”). Probably the idea is that the light of the sun could not be veiled even with an unperforated surface, but with a sieve the attempt is all the more hopeless. Compare Portuguese tapar o sol com a peneira, which is perhaps also from Arabic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaːt.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ blarˈbɪːl/
  • IPA^(key): /ˈaˤːt.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ blaˤːrˈbɪːl/ (archaic)
  • IPA^(key): /ˈɣat.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ bɪl.ɣarˈbɪːl/ (archaic, rural)

Verb

għatta x-xemx bl-għarbiel

1. to (try to) conceal something that is bound to come out