posted
The following egyptian words and expressions are often used whenever we egyptians are faced with any form of corruption or probelm in our country. They represent the mentality that has taken us to this horrible state. i really believe that if we wish to become a better country, we have to wipe out those expressions from our dictionary. Although i know what had taken years to be done, will also take years to be undone. Anyway here are some of things i can remember now.
Ma3lesh: (its ok) We ana mali: (it has nothing to do with me) whenever egyptians witness a problem weather its pollution, overpopulation, or throwing garbage from your balcony, people never get involved to stop it. even if they think its wrong, they are too scared to do anything Heya gat 3aleya: (its not like i'm the one who will make a difference) if someone is doing something wrong like throwing something out of their window, and you tell them its wrong, they'll tell you heya gat 3aleya? they think because if everyone does it, then its ok for them to do it too. Heya el balad keda: (this is the way the country works) again whenever there is any form of corruption happening Ya3ni e7na eli hansala7 el balad: (r we going to fix the country?) the same meaning as above Eli na3rafo a7san men eli mana3rafoosh: (better someone we know, than someone we don't know) if you ask someone why they will vote for mubarak, this is most likely answer you will get Asl el sha3b el masri maygeesh gheir bel korbag. (the egyptian people can only be controlled by the whip) it comes from the time when egypt was under the turkish rule. people think that you have to torture the egyptians to get them to do what you want. i don't believe in this. if we want a change, its through awareness and education not the korbag Ayam zaman a7la: (the old days were better) really? did all those egyptians die to get egypt's independence so that we can say that the old days are better?
anyway i really think those expression show how passive we egyptians are. if we want a better egypt, then we should have a better way of thinking. do my fellow egyptians know any other similar expressions?
best
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
OMG 7aya I was just obout to place the same topic, not only about these words, but aslo about the newly invented jargon, like "gab zeit, fayyesh el-fashayesh" or whatever..
Posts: 8756 | From: Tax-Free Zone | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by MyKingdomForATaba2Koshari: OMG 7aya I was just obout to place the same topic, not only about these words, but aslo about the newly invented jargon, like "gab zeit, fayyesh el-fashayesh" or whatever..
hehe wow, i was also planning to start another thread about the new egyptian jargon/slang! must be telepathy!
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
There is one thing I would like to mention here, well you see everytime I enter a clothes store. The girls say "3awza eh ya gameel" since I am not used to it. I get ALL RED! even though i know they dont mean it Second they use also these nicknames like toto and nono and soso and tote. and the funny thing is that when I was young, they used to call me TOTE! So I am like, How did you know my nickname! hehe
OH and i remember our first travel to egypt, workers used to say to us: "kol sana wenta tayeb" ( like happy birthday) and we would just look strangely at them and say "wenta tayeb" without understanding who's birthday it is.Its not before a long time we understood that means bakhsheesh in a nice way!
posted
Come on, let me fix u something here, Kol Sana We e2nty Tyebah it said when:
1st in birthdays 2nd in Cermonies, mostly national 3rd when they need u to give them some money , IT is not BAKASSH Dah Bakash with hand in yr bocket :d
quote:Originally posted by Serendipity: OH and i remember our first travel to egypt, workers used to say to us: "kol sana wenta tayeb" ( like happy birthday) and we would just look strangely at them and say "wenta tayeb" without understanding who's birthday it is.Its not before a long time we understood that means bakhsheesh in a nice way!
quote:Originally posted by Serendipity: There is one thing I would like to mention here, well you see everytime I enter a clothes store. The girls say "3awza eh ya gameel" since I am not used to it. I get ALL RED! even though i know they dont mean it Second they use also these nicknames like toto and nono and soso and tote. and the funny thing is that when I was young, they used to call me TOTE! So I am like, How did you know my nickname! hehe
OH and i remember our first travel to egypt, workers used to say to us: "kol sana wenta tayeb" ( like happy birthday) and we would just look strangely at them and say "wenta tayeb" without understanding who's birthday it is.Its not before a long time we understood that means bakhsheesh in a nice way!
hehe ya sara you're right about this kol sana wenta tayeb thing, its really bad that they turned this phrase made for special occasions, into one used for begging. and as for the ya gameel thing, i think they mean it, because no one ever told me that while i was shopping! heheh and by the way when i was kid they used to call me tote too!!!
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by 7aya: The following egyptian words and expressions are often used whenever we egyptians are faced with any form of corruption or probelm in our country. They represent the mentality that has taken us to this horrible state. i really believe that if we wish to become a better country, we have to wipe out those expressions from our dictionary. Although i know what had taken years to be done, will also take years to be undone. Anyway here are some of things i can remember now.
Ma3lesh: (its ok) We ana mali: (it has nothing to do with me) whenever egyptians witness a problem weather its pollution, overpopulation, or throwing garbage from your balcony, people never get involved to stop it. even if they think its wrong, they are too scared to do anything Heya gat 3aleya: (its not like i'm the one who will make a difference) if someone is doing something wrong like throwing something out of their window, and you tell them its wrong, they'll tell you heya gat 3aleya? they think because if everyone does it, then its ok for them to do it too. Heya el balad keda: (this is the way the country works) again whenever there is any form of corruption happening Ya3ni e7na eli hansala7 el balad: (r we going to fix the country?) the same meaning as above Eli na3rafo a7san men eli mana3rafoosh: (better someone we know, than someone we don't know) if you ask someone why they will vote for mubarak, this is most likely answer you will get Asl el sha3b el masri maygeesh gheir bel korbag. (the egyptian people can only be controlled by the whip) it comes from the time when egypt was under the turkish rule. people think that you have to torture the egyptians to get them to do what you want. i don't believe in this. if we want a change, its through awareness and education not the korbag Ayam zaman a7la: (the old days were better) really? did all those egyptians die to get egypt's independence so that we can say that the old days are better?
anyway i really think those expression show how passive we egyptians are. if we want a better egypt, then we should have a better way of thinking. do my fellow egyptians know any other similar expressions?
best
Spot on
The one that really got me recently when I went to the Egyptian consulate , was by the officer (Mowazzeff), who claimed the relevant papers did not arrive from Egypt yet (many weeks after due date!)....He just said "What do you expect?, this is Egypt".....Sums it all up..do not you think ?
posted
[QUOTE]Originally posted by 7aya: [B]The following egyptian words and expressions are often used whenever we egyptians are faced with any form of corruption or probelm in our country.
Well 7aya, these words cannot be easily removed from our dictionary unless a major change happens in this country. Corruption is mushrooming in every where in Egypt, in a way that you can't imagine. Beside that there is no one in charge of any thing. Egypt is missing enforcement of the law, and experts who have broad sight to plan this country for another 100 years to come. If there is always one in charge responsible for people working under him, every one will work his best. But looking at the tree , we find the head leaning for 25 years and the rotten branches holding it , so the whole tree needs to be taken from the roots, till that happens, we shall see your hated words removed from the dictionary. The movement of kefaya is not only for Mubarak but also for the whole corrupted system.
quote:Originally posted by Sam on line: [But looking at the tree , we find the head leaning for 25 years and the rotten branches holding it , so the whole tree needs to be taken from the roots, till that happens, we shall see your hated words removed from the dictionary. B]
this is the best and most accurate description i've heard of the current egyptian system. you're right we have to take it out from the roots!
best
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Mal3sh !!! hate this words, and 3adiha (let it pass) ya allah, i hate it also, Today i went to a National Bank to buy Savings Certificate (dont know how we call it in english)anyway, i want 2 certificates , each one value of xxx , do you know what they told me, no buy only 1 certicate for all the amount because we did not have enough printout!!!! she wanted to kill me because i refuse what she advice me
is it my problem they do not have a printout of the application??? HOw can after that encourage the national services???
quote:Originally posted by Lonely: Mal3sh !!! hate this words, and 3adiha (let it pass) ya allah, i hate it also, Today i went to a National Bank to buy Savings Certificate (dont know how we call it in english)anyway, i want 2 certificates , each one value of xxx , do you know what they told me, no buy only 1 certicate for all the amount because we did not have enough printout!!!! she wanted to kill me because i refuse what she advice me
is it my problem they do not have a printout of the application??? HOw can after that encourage the national services???
yeah the famous 3adiha! i'm sorry for your frustration. mykingdom opened a thread about the egyptian bureaucray check it out, we are all suffering from this, well ma3lish! heh
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
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