Mark Shockley
@shjsat.bsky.social
Arabic | Books | Bible | Running | Local Color
📍Sharjah 🇦🇪
I've never been to Antarctica
✍️ Dissertation on Emirati dialects
📍Sharjah 🇦🇪
I've never been to Antarctica
✍️ Dissertation on Emirati dialects
Reposted by Mark Shockley
Postdoctoral Researcher in Linguistics at the Center for the Human Past, "historical linguistics pertaining to one or more language families of Africa, Oceania, and Eurasia" desired: www.uu.se/en/about-uu/...
Postdoctoral Researcher in Linguistics at the Center for the Human Past - Uppsala University
Postdoctoral Researcher in Linguistics at the Center for the Human Past, Department of Linguistics and Philology, Uppsala University
www.uu.se
November 10, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Postdoctoral Researcher in Linguistics at the Center for the Human Past, "historical linguistics pertaining to one or more language families of Africa, Oceania, and Eurasia" desired: www.uu.se/en/about-uu/...
Dora never stopped to think that calling him "Swiper" identified the criminal with his crime. Like what if his real name is just Larry
November 10, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Dora never stopped to think that calling him "Swiper" identified the criminal with his crime. Like what if his real name is just Larry
Sharjah today, Abu Dhabi tomorrow, Dubai on Friday, Fujairah on Saturday, Ras Al Khaimah on Sunday. 🤩
Now I just need to squeeze in a day each in Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, and my week is booked.
Now I just need to squeeze in a day each in Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, and my week is booked.
November 10, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Sharjah today, Abu Dhabi tomorrow, Dubai on Friday, Fujairah on Saturday, Ras Al Khaimah on Sunday. 🤩
Now I just need to squeeze in a day each in Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, and my week is booked.
Now I just need to squeeze in a day each in Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, and my week is booked.
FYI there is a functioning dam near where this photo was taken
November 10, 2025 at 8:27 AM
FYI there is a functioning dam near where this photo was taken
Q: "How do puppies usually get super powers?"
A: "I saw the city movie [Mighty Pups] on the airplane, and they usually get their powers from crystals in meteors."
(Of course)
A: "I saw the city movie [Mighty Pups] on the airplane, and they usually get their powers from crystals in meteors."
(Of course)
November 10, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Q: "How do puppies usually get super powers?"
A: "I saw the city movie [Mighty Pups] on the airplane, and they usually get their powers from crystals in meteors."
(Of course)
A: "I saw the city movie [Mighty Pups] on the airplane, and they usually get their powers from crystals in meteors."
(Of course)
Reposted by Mark Shockley
is there any variety of Arabic that handles relative clauses ("the man who went to Damascus") and content clauses ("i thought he was drunk") the same way? iirc the division between the two is fuzzy in Hebrew and Aramaic
the word اللي lli, usually a relativizer (الزلمة اللي هون l-zalame lli hōn "the man that's here"), has a weird alternate usage: منيح اللي جيت mnīḥ lli jīt "good that you came"
i was proud of the og idea in the 2nd pic - BUT what prob actually happened (3rd pic) is so cool
(forgive clunky writing!)
i was proud of the og idea in the 2nd pic - BUT what prob actually happened (3rd pic) is so cool
(forgive clunky writing!)
![screenshot of the following wiktionary etymology with a mythbusters sorta "BUSTED" stamp overlaid on top:
Etymology 2:
Difficult to understand as an extension of the above [i.e. the relativizer اللي] due to the differences in syntax. Instead, perhaps a construction like *مْلِيح إِن (*mlīḥ ʔin, literally “good that”) underwent assimilation to become *مْلِيح ال (*mlīḥ (ʔ)il, “good that”), where the resulting *ال (*(ʔ)il) was reanalyzed as اللي (lli)'s byform ال (l-). This reanalysis would have allowed all other byforms, including اللي (lli) itself, to be used in this construction. Only later would the construction have spread to allow for adjectives other than مْلِيح (mlīḥ, “good”) as described in the usage note below.
Both terms of the proposed original *مْلِيح إِن (*mlīḥ ʔin, literally “good that”) are now unorthodox: مْلِيح (mlīḥ) is an archaic or rural form of what is now predominantly مْنِيح (mnīḥ, “good”), and a bare إِنْ (ʔin, “that”, complementizer) is absent from most Levantine varieties today in favor of a form with a fused expletive pronoun, إِنُّو (ʔinno). This reanalysis would have occurred before both of these terms fell from prominence. (Note, however, that Henri Fleisch recorded multiple Lebanese varieties that retained forms like إِنْ (ʔin) in his 1946–1974 studies of Lebanese Arabic.)
An alternative possibility is that the original phrase was already *مْنِيح إِن (*mnīḥ ʔin, literally “good that”) and that it shifted to *مْنِيح ال (*mnīḥ (ʔ)il, “good that”) in the process of dissimilation rather than assimilation.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5gvygd24ilrqmbgsii2zzp3v/bafkreigj6t6uuvdk2jm2olanmr53vjuxusde2y4uy3iql4rtz23qy6d6sa@jpeg)
![screenshot of wiktionary quotation. the words اللي and illi are highlighted and bolded:
1902, Henry Minor Huxley, “Syrian Songs, Proverbs, and Stories: Collected, Translated, and Annotated”, in Journal of the American Oriental Society[1], volume 23 (overall work in English), Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts: American Oriental Society, passage #103, pages 242–244:
الوزير علّم مرة حتّى توقف على الدرب وصارت تسبّ وتقول الحمد للّه اللي مات الشيخ الفاخوري يخرب بيته اللّه يغمّق له عمره ما يرجع. قال لها لو كنت مش ميّت كنت بقوم ليكي.
l-wazīr ʕallam mara ḥatta tūʔaf ʕala d-darb w ṣārit tasibb w tʔūl l-ḥumdilla illi māt š-šayḵ l-fāḵūri yaḵrub baytu ʔaḷḷa yiḡammiʔlu ʕomru ma yərjaʕ. ʔallha law kunt muš mayyit kunt baʔūm layki.
[original: il-wezîr 3allem mara ḥɒtta tûʾaf 3ala'd-derb ū-ṣârit tesibb witʾûl il-ḥomd ílla illī mä̂t iš-šêḫ il-fāḫûrī yaḫrub bêtu ɒlla yiǧɒmmíʾlū 3omrū ma yörja3. ʾallha lau kunt muš mêyit kunt beʾ̂ūm lêki.]
The vizîr instructed a woman to stand on the road; she began to curse and say, "Praise be to God that he who has died is the jar-maker, (who was) an elder. May his house be destroyed; may God make his grave deep, and may his life not return." The jar-maker replied, "Were I not dead, I would rise against you!"
The given English translation is Huxley's. He somewhat misunderstands the expression عُمْرُه مَا يِرْجَع (ʕumro ma yirjaʕ, “may he never return for his entire life”, used this way even though the sheikh is allegedly already dead). It is unknown whether he similarly misunderstood the expression with اللي (lli), which in modern times would be understood as الحمدالله اللي مات الشيخ (l-ḥamdilla lli māt š-šayḵ, “thank God that the sheikh died”), or if it had indeed not yet undergone the reanalysis in question in 1902.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5gvygd24ilrqmbgsii2zzp3v/bafkreihjnaws7q4u5yskyfed7pkq62ns3yh5qd57mvde6ghn4tq2clkv6q@jpeg)
November 9, 2025 at 10:31 PM
is there any variety of Arabic that handles relative clauses ("the man who went to Damascus") and content clauses ("i thought he was drunk") the same way? iirc the division between the two is fuzzy in Hebrew and Aramaic
> Women are hiding their boyfriends online
I read this headline as: "women are trapping their boyfriends in the Internet"
I read this headline as: "women are trapping their boyfriends in the Internet"
November 10, 2025 at 1:10 AM
> Women are hiding their boyfriends online
I read this headline as: "women are trapping their boyfriends in the Internet"
I read this headline as: "women are trapping their boyfriends in the Internet"
Reposted by Mark Shockley
You forgot the part about “or has something to do with a camel”.
November 9, 2025 at 9:11 PM
You forgot the part about “or has something to do with a camel”.
Reposted by Mark Shockley
Wiktionary says there was a proto-Muskogean form "¢akliCₐo". Anyone know what on earth ¢ is supposed to be? Perhaps an old typewriter-derived Americanist version of ç?
November 9, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Wiktionary says there was a proto-Muskogean form "¢akliCₐo". Anyone know what on earth ¢ is supposed to be? Perhaps an old typewriter-derived Americanist version of ç?
I talked to all the neighborhood moms and they agreed it was best to let the middle school boys kick the toddlers out of their playhouse and destroy it while they look on in approval
Boys will be boys!
Boys will be boys!
Today was the first time I've gotten an earnest "Boys will be boys ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ " (direct quote) from the neighbors
November 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
I talked to all the neighborhood moms and they agreed it was best to let the middle school boys kick the toddlers out of their playhouse and destroy it while they look on in approval
Boys will be boys!
Boys will be boys!
I have a question and I want someone to answer honestly, how does Mariah Carey make those sounds with her vocal cords
November 9, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I have a question and I want someone to answer honestly, how does Mariah Carey make those sounds with her vocal cords
Reposted by Mark Shockley
Palm Beach, Waiheke. Right now
Nerd fact (I’m a marine biologist after all), when luciferin and luciferase (gotta love the biblical names) join together, they react with the oxygen in the air to make an oxidised complex. After that, luciferin emits a photon, and that is what you see when it breaks
Nerd fact (I’m a marine biologist after all), when luciferin and luciferase (gotta love the biblical names) join together, they react with the oxygen in the air to make an oxidised complex. After that, luciferin emits a photon, and that is what you see when it breaks
November 9, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Palm Beach, Waiheke. Right now
Nerd fact (I’m a marine biologist after all), when luciferin and luciferase (gotta love the biblical names) join together, they react with the oxygen in the air to make an oxidised complex. After that, luciferin emits a photon, and that is what you see when it breaks
Nerd fact (I’m a marine biologist after all), when luciferin and luciferase (gotta love the biblical names) join together, they react with the oxygen in the air to make an oxidised complex. After that, luciferin emits a photon, and that is what you see when it breaks
Here's a thing re √ʔ-ḫ-ḏ in Arabic:
Lane says that أَخَذْتُ is pronounced like /aḫattu/ with assimilation; I actually noticed in fieldwork a number of people say ḫat (< ḫad < *ḫaḏ?) "he took", etc., but I attributed it to final devoicing, which is pretty common anyway!
Lane says that أَخَذْتُ is pronounced like /aḫattu/ with assimilation; I actually noticed in fieldwork a number of people say ḫat (< ḫad < *ḫaḏ?) "he took", etc., but I attributed it to final devoicing, which is pretty common anyway!
November 9, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Here's a thing re √ʔ-ḫ-ḏ in Arabic:
Lane says that أَخَذْتُ is pronounced like /aḫattu/ with assimilation; I actually noticed in fieldwork a number of people say ḫat (< ḫad < *ḫaḏ?) "he took", etc., but I attributed it to final devoicing, which is pretty common anyway!
Lane says that أَخَذْتُ is pronounced like /aḫattu/ with assimilation; I actually noticed in fieldwork a number of people say ḫat (< ḫad < *ḫaḏ?) "he took", etc., but I attributed it to final devoicing, which is pretty common anyway!
Ruus Al Jibal Arabic word of the day
دوينتي
/dawēntī/
'my ear(s)'
dawēntī 'my ears' < *ḏawānī 'ears' < *ḏān 'ear'?
There's a peculiar development here, which is that it seems final *ī from the broken plural was confounded with the fem. sing. suffix -î < *-ah.
دوينتي
/dawēntī/
'my ear(s)'
dawēntī 'my ears' < *ḏawānī 'ears' < *ḏān 'ear'?
There's a peculiar development here, which is that it seems final *ī from the broken plural was confounded with the fem. sing. suffix -î < *-ah.
November 9, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Ruus Al Jibal Arabic word of the day
دوينتي
/dawēntī/
'my ear(s)'
dawēntī 'my ears' < *ḏawānī 'ears' < *ḏān 'ear'?
There's a peculiar development here, which is that it seems final *ī from the broken plural was confounded with the fem. sing. suffix -î < *-ah.
دوينتي
/dawēntī/
'my ear(s)'
dawēntī 'my ears' < *ḏawānī 'ears' < *ḏān 'ear'?
There's a peculiar development here, which is that it seems final *ī from the broken plural was confounded with the fem. sing. suffix -î < *-ah.
Classical Arabic is great because you look up some noun like "tomato" and it's like "here is a verb meaning to be or become red and squishy, to be or become ketchupable, to be or become ambiguously fruit and vegetable"
November 9, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Classical Arabic is great because you look up some noun like "tomato" and it's like "here is a verb meaning to be or become red and squishy, to be or become ketchupable, to be or become ambiguously fruit and vegetable"
Today was the first time I've gotten an earnest "Boys will be boys ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ " (direct quote) from the neighbors
November 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Today was the first time I've gotten an earnest "Boys will be boys ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ " (direct quote) from the neighbors
It's funny how in English, if you offer something as reported speech, it often implies it is false.
I imagine languages with evidentials might use them to imply falsehood sometimes, but Idk.
I imagine languages with evidentials might use them to imply falsehood sometimes, but Idk.
November 8, 2025 at 5:15 AM
It's funny how in English, if you offer something as reported speech, it often implies it is false.
I imagine languages with evidentials might use them to imply falsehood sometimes, but Idk.
I imagine languages with evidentials might use them to imply falsehood sometimes, but Idk.
My kid says he is speaking something called Voice Sign Language
November 8, 2025 at 4:53 AM
My kid says he is speaking something called Voice Sign Language
I imagined the good old days would involve more sleep at night
November 8, 2025 at 4:06 AM
I imagined the good old days would involve more sleep at night
I'll be talking about my work in Ruus Al Jibal at the National Library and Archives in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. 🇦🇪
If anyone is around and wants to attend or meet up, feel free to message me for details.
If anyone is around and wants to attend or meet up, feel free to message me for details.
November 8, 2025 at 3:30 AM
I'll be talking about my work in Ruus Al Jibal at the National Library and Archives in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. 🇦🇪
If anyone is around and wants to attend or meet up, feel free to message me for details.
If anyone is around and wants to attend or meet up, feel free to message me for details.
Emirati toponym of the day
يبل اليُوّ
yibal l-yoww
‘largest mountain in northern Fujairah’
n.b.
1. I have no idea why it's pronounced yoww [jow:] and not yaww [jæw:]. It reminds me of Ruus Al Jibal, where /a/ has an [o]-like allophone sometimes, e.g. in حَبُاط. 🤷♂️
يبل اليُوّ
yibal l-yoww
‘largest mountain in northern Fujairah’
n.b.
1. I have no idea why it's pronounced yoww [jow:] and not yaww [jæw:]. It reminds me of Ruus Al Jibal, where /a/ has an [o]-like allophone sometimes, e.g. in حَبُاط. 🤷♂️
November 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Emirati toponym of the day
يبل اليُوّ
yibal l-yoww
‘largest mountain in northern Fujairah’
n.b.
1. I have no idea why it's pronounced yoww [jow:] and not yaww [jæw:]. It reminds me of Ruus Al Jibal, where /a/ has an [o]-like allophone sometimes, e.g. in حَبُاط. 🤷♂️
يبل اليُوّ
yibal l-yoww
‘largest mountain in northern Fujairah’
n.b.
1. I have no idea why it's pronounced yoww [jow:] and not yaww [jæw:]. It reminds me of Ruus Al Jibal, where /a/ has an [o]-like allophone sometimes, e.g. in حَبُاط. 🤷♂️
I made a list of all of the *CaCiC verbs that maintain the "intransitive" form CɨCɨC (< CaCɨC) across Najd, Bahrain, and UAE.
Here it is:
1. sɨlɨm (impf. yɨslam) 'to be safe'
Here it is:
1. sɨlɨm (impf. yɨslam) 'to be safe'
November 7, 2025 at 8:38 AM
I made a list of all of the *CaCiC verbs that maintain the "intransitive" form CɨCɨC (< CaCɨC) across Najd, Bahrain, and UAE.
Here it is:
1. sɨlɨm (impf. yɨslam) 'to be safe'
Here it is:
1. sɨlɨm (impf. yɨslam) 'to be safe'
you don't hear much about the Air Bud Cinematic Universe anymore
November 6, 2025 at 3:34 PM
you don't hear much about the Air Bud Cinematic Universe anymore
Reposted by Mark Shockley
En dan te bedenken dat de Romeinen nooit meer dan zesendertig voornamen hebben gekend.👇
A short thread on onomastics in Numidian inscriptions (eastern script).
Indexes of names in eastern Numidian inscriptions (Chabot 1940, Rebuffat 2018) provide us with an almost ridiculous number of different names. I wondered if this is correct, or if this is due to the messiness of the corpus.
Indexes of names in eastern Numidian inscriptions (Chabot 1940, Rebuffat 2018) provide us with an almost ridiculous number of different names. I wondered if this is correct, or if this is due to the messiness of the corpus.
November 6, 2025 at 2:32 PM
En dan te bedenken dat de Romeinen nooit meer dan zesendertig voornamen hebben gekend.👇