kmieni

Maltese

Etymology

Uncertain, but probably from Latin mane (“early in the morning”). The k- is explained by Joseph Aquilina as the preposition cum (“with”), as if from a Vulgar Latin phrase *cum mane (literally “with the early morning”).

Otherwise compare the Arabic root ك م ن (k m n) related to concealment and ambush; thus speculatively from the notion of getting up very early in order to do something in secret. Phonetically the word is quite reminiscent of dialectal Arabic كَمان (kamān, “also, as well”), from classical كَمَا أَنَّ (kamā ʔanna), but a semantic relation is hard to see.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkmɪː.nɪ/

Adjective

kmieni (invariable, comparative (Australia) ikmen)

early
Synonym: bikri
- 2022, Nadia Mifsud, meta tinfetaq il-folla, Ede Books, →ISBN:
  kollox għafsa. kollox fastidju. forsi
  għax għadu (wisq) kmieni. forsi.
  għax dallejl xtaqt stajt nimtedd maġenbek
  u dalgħodu stenbaħt
  b’subgħajja mwebbla għal ponn ramel
  u d-diqa mwebsa ma’ ħaddejja.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Adverb

kmieni

early
Synonym: bikri
- 2018, Antoinette Borg, Amina, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:
  Setgħet ġibdet lejn il-Mellieħa, mit-triq jew mill-passaġġ, jew qabdet it-triq tal-Imġiebaħ, inkella minn ħdejn il-lukanda għan-naħa t’Għajn Ħadid, jew jista’ jkun anke telqet lejn Forti Campbell iktar kmieni, qabel ma wasalt jien.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)