tajn

Maltese

Root
t-j-n
5 terms

Etymology

From Arabic طِين (ṭīn). Some older Gozitan dialects regularly diphthongised /iː/ and /uː/ in the vicinity of emphatic consonants. In tajn, this diphthongisation established itself more widely probably because it prevented homophony with tin (“figs”), from Arabic تِين (tīn).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tajn/
• Homophone: tgħin (one pronunciation)

Noun

tajn m (plural tjun)

1. mud

   Hyponym: fangu

See also

• ħama