The Kuwaiti Dialect: Its Ability to Create Meaning (58)

Words related to food and drink: First, food: Here we mention words related to food, not the kitchen utensils contained in the kitchen, as we have mentioned that in articles related to the Kuwaiti kitchen published in Al-Qabas, so please review them.

Bashech: Food that lacks taste and flavor.

Batini: Gluttonous, voracious; his main concern is filling his stomach with food.

Har yashlout: When the food is extremely hot.

Haf: Food completely devoid of seasoning, such as meat, fish, and chicken.

Khaithar: Food with a thick consistency and delicious taste; it is said: “Khaithar milk” and “Khaithar broth.”

Khaneen: Food with a pleasant aroma, delicious due to spices such as cardamom and saffron.

Zafar: Said about food that is not flavored with spices, and this is most often the case with fish, which needs to be seasoned with spices.

Zahch: Said about meat, especially because it has a richness resulting from its taste, so it is seasoned with spices.

Shayit: Food that is burnt from the bottom and its smell has changed due to this burning.

Safra: The cloth on which food is placed; it is like a dining table. In old Kuwait, it was usually made of palm fronds in a circular shape, and sometimes square or rectangular.

Luqma: A small amount of food held in the hand and put into the mouth in one go, followed by another luqma or luqmat. This is based on the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying: “Sufficient for the son of Adam are a few morsels that keep his back straight.” It is also said: “He chokes on the luqma,” meaning it was difficult for him to swallow it, so he choked on it.

Machla: Provisioning the home or stocking up on food and the like for a period determined by the person bringing it, usually the head of the household.

Ma shaf kheir: Also said as “Mo shayef kheir.” The meaning is a greedy, voracious person who is not accustomed to enjoying blessings in food and the like, such as money or gifts or other things.

Masakh: Food lacking salt.

Malih: Said about food when its saltiness is excessive.

Mahkak: Food burnt from the bottom and its smell has changed due to smoke. From this, they say “Hakouka,” which results from leaving food burning at the bottom of the jadr (cooking pot). It is said: “Hakouka at the bottom of the jadr,” and also “smoked food.”

Mashfouh: Gluttonous, greedy; it may be used for voraciousness in food or other worldly matters.

Mafgou3: Gluttonous, voracious, who eats food in large quantities exceeding his needs.

Miyah: Fruits of all kinds.

Nate3: Delicious; said about food with a good taste.

Yibla3: Swallows food, and in the sense of eating it without chewing. It is also said: “Bila3ah” is used metaphorically to indicate voraciousness in eating, and literally it means swallowing food without chewing.

Yib3al riqo (riqo): Said when a hungry person sees food he is eager for. This phrase may also be said when a person sees something he fears.

Yatma3aq: The sound produced by the tongue and lips while eating food, indicating the pleasure of what is being eaten.

Yatanata3: Enjoys eating; eating nate3 means delicious.

Yadrib bil-khams: Eats with a full hand and five fingers, which is a sign of voraciousness, greed, and pleasure in eating.

Ya3bach: Arranging the morsel in the palm with the fingers, then chewing it in the mouth. From this also: “Ma3booj,” which is hot pepper chewed with garlic and the like, well-known among Kuwaitis.

Yaghos: Food getting stuck in the throat without going down. It is said: “He choked on the luqma.”

Yaqort: Bites or eats something hard with his teeth while making a sound.

Yumzimiz: Eats or drinks slowly and in small amounts while savoring it.

Yahbas: Eats voraciously; it may also be said: “Yahbas bil-khams,” meaning he eats with a full hand and five fingers.

To be continued... Dr. Saud Mohammed Al-Asfour