sejjer
Maltese
editRoot |
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s-j-r (going) |
2 terms |
Etymology
editFrom Arabic سائِر (sāʔir), active participle of سارَ (sāra). The verb was lost in Maltese as it became homophonous with sar (“to become”), from Arabic صارَ (ṣāra).
Pronunciation
editAdjective
editsejjer (feminine singular sejra, plural sejrin)
- on one’s way (to), going (somewhere)
- Jien u sejjer l-iskola, rajt kelb mejjet. ― One my way to school I saw a dead dog.
- Traditional (lyrics and music), “Ja ħanina”, performed by Frans Baldacchino:
- Fuq il-blata ġej u sejjer, fuq il-blata nerġa’ mmur.
Għax hemmhekk għandi namrata, u xxejjirli bil-maktur.
Ħanina, nitolbok ħaġa: Islifli ftit il-maktur!
Dawk in-nies ma jkunux jafu, ’l ommok ma ngħidilhiex żgur.- To the rock I come and go, on the rock I always walk,
For I have my sweetheart there, and she waves to me with a handkerchief.
Darling, one thing I ask of you: Lend me that handkerchief a while!
Those people won’t even know, and I sure won’t tell your mum.
- To the rock I come and go, on the rock I always walk,
Particle
editsejjer
- Indicates a future tense.
- 1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Lis-Sena l-Ġdida 1964”, in Fl-Arena:
- X’sejra ġġibilna ġewwa l-fardal tiegħek.
ja Sena Ġdida?
Ah! biegħed minna
il-għelt, il-ġlied,
id-demm bejn l-aħwa;
rażżan ir-regħba u l-ġibdiet tal-ħakma,
rattab l-irjus u l-qlub,
ġibilna s-sabar ta’ xulxin, l-imħabba,
ġibilna l-għaqda,
ġibilna s-sliem,
ġibilna l-ħelsien!- (please add an English translation of this quotation)