Mike's Oud Forums

Arabic Oud Terminology in the Arab World

Alfaraby - 12-19-2013 at 07:34 AM

My 500th post is dedicated to this important topic:

Arabic Oud Terminology in the Arab World


There are major differences between various dialects in the Arab world. Spoken Arabic is not one language like the written language. I may meet an Arab and won't understand a word of what he says, and vise versa. All the more so when technical language is involved. Pliers, file or vise might be different in colloquial Egyptian Arabic, Moroccan, Saudi or Lebanese/Syrian; while the same word in one may mean another meaning (far away from the oud issue) in the other.

As a matter of fact there is no one Arab world in almost anything. Each and every village may have its own jargon in every life detail. Some agricultural terminology of the Syrian country, for instance, can be Gibberish for the neighbouring town.

Let's start:

Bowl: Qasa'a قصعة , Tassa طاسة , D'ahr ظهر , Sandouq صندوق
Soundboard: Sat-ha سطحة , Sadr صدر Wajeh وجه
Fingerboard: Meraya مراية , Sateh Alzend سطح الزند
Neck: Zend زند, Yad يد , Raqabah رقبة
Pegbox: Banjaq بنجق , Beit Mafateeh بيت المفاتيح , Beit Malawy بيت الملاوي
Pegs: Malawy, Mafateeh ملاوي ، مفاتيح
Nut: Anf أنف , Mikhaddah مخدّة
Neck-block: Loqmah لقمة
Tail-block : Ka3b كعب
Rib: Del3 ضلع , Reeshah ريشة
Braces: Josour جسور , Kabari كباري, Jahsh pl. Johoush جحش جحوش
Bridge: Farass فرس أو فرسة , Ghazal غزال Mosht مشط , Marbat مربط
Soundhole: Qamriah قمرية , Fat-ha فتحة
Rosette: Shamsiah شمسية Wardah وردة
Pickguard: Raqmah رقمة , Midrab مضرب
ِِAction: Dossah دوسة
Joint (Neck and bowl): Hijab حجاب
Buzzing: Zannah زنّة , Wazzah وزّة Tazzah طزّة Khazzah خزّة
Floating Bridge: Ghazal Rahhal غزال رحّال
Fixed Bridge: Faras Thabet فرس أو غزال ثابت

Any other words ? Pleas add

Quote: Originally posted by Ahmed  
I would add the following to the list:

Tuning: Dowzan دوزان
String: Watar وتر pl. Awtar اوتار
Floating bridge: Faras mutaharrik فرس متحرك

Thanks Ahmad

Yours indeed
Alfaraby

abc123xyz - 12-19-2013 at 02:28 PM

This is an extremely useful thread; thank you, AlFaraby.

I'd ask people to include the plural forms of any Arabic terms they contribute, as those are often irregular, and to include Arabic-script forms alongside, if possible, as AlFaraby has done, so that a correct pronunciation is available to those who are interested.

I'd also encourage people to contribute any Farsi, Turkish, Greek, or Hebrew musical terminology too that they may happen to know.

David

spyblaster - 12-19-2013 at 03:51 PM

The good thing is that posts are always editable in this forums. I guess the best option is to edit the first post and add updates. a title edit can also be good and I again insist on pinning this thread to make it more accessible. anyway here is the Farsi/Persian translation.

Bowl: Kaase - کاسه
Soundboard: Safhe - صفحه
Fingerboard: Ru daste - رو دسته
Neck: Daste - دسته
Pegbox: Sar Panje - سرپنجه , Ja'be Gooshi - جعبه گوشی
Peg: Gooshi - گوشی
Nut: Sheytaanak - شیطانک
Rib: Tarke - ترکه
Brace: Pol - پل
Bridge: Kharak - خرک , Sim Gir - سیم گیر
Soundhole: Soorakh - سوراخ
Rosette: Shamse - شمسه
Pickguard: Mezraab Khor - مضراب خور
ِِAction: [Same English word] - اکشن
Buzzing: Gez - گز
Floating Bridge: Kharak Motaharrek - خرک متحرک
Fixed Bridge: Kharak Saabet - خرک ثابت
Tuning: Kook - کوک
String: Sim - سیم

P.s. read single A as "hat" and double A as "car".

Oud Freak - 12-19-2013 at 11:51 PM

The "Nut" is devilish in Farsi :cool:
and thanks to you Spyblaster, just realized today that the Turkish word "mizrap" is like مِضْرابُ "Midrab" ("something you hit with").
Amazing...

Alfaraby - 12-20-2013 at 12:08 PM

To keep this thread ahead and "pinned", we have to collaborate:
Here are some more:

Cedar: أرز
Spruce: Shouh (Syria) Jam (Iraq) Mosky (Egypt) شوح جام موسكي
Walnut : Jowz جوز
Cypress : Pine , Sarrow سرو
Grain: Naseej نسيج
Marquetry: Tate3eem, Ta3sheeq تطعيم ، تعشيق
Bone: 3adhem عظم
Glue: Samegh صمغ pl. Asmagh أصماغ , Ghera غراء
Dowel: Watad وتد
Mold, Mould: Qaleb قالب
Ornament: Zakhrafah, Zokhrof زخرف زخرفة


Yours indeed
Alfaraby

spyblaster - 12-21-2013 at 11:32 AM

You are great!

Persian translations:
Cedar: Sedr - سدر
Spruce: [the same English word] - اسپروس , Senobar - صنوبر
Walnut : Gerdoo - گردو
Cypress : Sarv - سرو
Marquetry: Khaatam Kaari - خاتم کاری
Bone: Ostokhaan - استخوان
Glue: Chasb - چسب
Dowel: Mikh - میخ
Mold, Mould: Qaleb قالب
Ornament: Taz'een - تزئین
Mapple: Afraa - افرا
Sissoo: Jag - جگ
Ebony: Aabnoos - آبنوس
Risha (Pick): Mezraab - مضراب , Zakhme - زخمه
Rosewood: [same English word] - رزوود

P.s. Obviously Mizrap in Turkish and Mezraab in Persian are the same Arabic word pronounced differently. Zakhme is the original Persian word which some people still use it.
I couldn't find any Arabic word for mapple and heard the word "Meybel - میبل" from some friends. Let us know if there is any other translation for it.
I have even heard the word "Esbiroos - اسبیروس" for Spruce.

Alfaraby - 12-21-2013 at 03:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by spyblaster  

I couldn't find any Arabic word for maple
Maple: Qayqab قيقب

Pick: Reesha ريشة = feather (since oud used to be plucked with an Eagle's feather)
Plucking up and down: Sadd & Radd صدّ وردّ
Floating Bridge Oud: Oud Sahb عود سحب
Perforation: (e.g. a rosette) Takhreem تخريم

More ? :)

Yours indeed,
Alfaraby

spyblaster - 12-22-2013 at 03:30 AM

Feather: Par - پر
Horn: Shaakh - شاخ
Plucking up and down: Raast & Chap - راست و چپ

bulerias1981 - 12-22-2013 at 07:12 AM

Very helpful, thanks. There is another word for string that I recall.

abc123xyz - 12-22-2013 at 06:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bulerias1981  
Very helpful, thanks. There is another word for string that I recall.

In Farsi there is besides sīm سیم also tār تار , or were you asking about Arabic?

David

Masel - 12-25-2013 at 12:28 AM

i think its all been said, the only word i can add is for the fingerboard: shkhif شخيف

Alfaraby - 12-25-2013 at 02:29 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Masel  
fingerboard: shkhif شخيف

This is Hebrew, not Arabic !

Yours indeed
Alfaraby

Masel - 12-29-2013 at 12:58 PM

haha perhaps, it does not have a root in hebrew that i know (nor in arabic now that i think of it...)

i wonder where it comes from

John Erlich - 1-2-2014 at 10:24 AM

I may be a geek, but I truly find it fascinating how words and ideas are traded among different cultures. I love how the Arabic "mathrab" ('beater") became the Turkish "mizrap" and Farsi "mizrab," which are still used today, while the Arabs "moved on" and re-named the oud pick "risha," after the eagle quill used later.

I always love to point out to those of my fellow Americans who are Right-wing, gun-toting, and Arab/Muslim-hating that the word for the ammunition holder on their beloved firearms, "magazine," comes from Arabic ("makhzan" = "storehouse").

Jody Stecher - 1-2-2014 at 11:13 AM

Quote: Originally posted by John Erlich  
I may be a geek, but I truly find it fascinating how words and ideas are traded among different cultures. I love how the Arabic "mathrab" ('beater") became the Turkish "mizrap" and Farsi "mizrab," which are still used today, while the Arabs "moved on" and re-named the oud pick "risha," after the eagle quill used later.

I always love to point out to those of my fellow Americans who are Right-wing, gun-toting, and Arab/Muslim-hating that the word for the ammunition holder on their beloved firearms, "magazine," comes from Arabic ("makhzan" = "storehouse").


In India, the wire plectrum worn on the finger for playing sitar is called mizrab. The coconut shell hand-held plectrum for playing sarode is called java ("jaba" in Bengal). I'm told that Java means "striker/beater".