مالطا
Arabic
Alternative forms
- مَالْطَة (mālṭa), مَالِطَة (māliṭa)[1][2]
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin Melita, from Ancient Greek Μελίτη (Melítē), of disputed origin. The modern form without medial /i/ is apparently due to the influence of English Malta or Maltese Malta.
Pronunciation
- (MSA) IPA(key): /maːl.tˤaː/, /maːl.tˤa/
- (Classical Arabic) IPA(key): /maː.li.tˤaː/, /maː.li.tˤa/
Proper noun
مَالْطَا or مَالِطَا • (mālṭā or māliṭā) f
- Malta
Declension
Declension of noun مَالْطَا (mālṭā)
| Singular | singular invariable | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
| Informal | — | مَالْطَا mālṭā | — |
| Nominative | — | مَالْطَا mālṭā | — |
| Accusative | — | مَالْطَا mālṭā | — |
| Genitive | — | مَالْطَا mālṭā | — |
Related terms
- مَالْطِيّ (mālṭiyy)
Descendants
- Maltese: Malta (see there for further descendants)
- → Ottoman Turkish: مالطه (malta)
- Turkish: Malta
- → South Levantine Arabic: مالطا (mālṭa)
References
- Martin R. Zammit (2016), “Ḍuriba bi-Mālṭa ‘Minted in Malta’: deciphering the Kufic legend on the Fāṭimid quarter dinar”, in Melita Classica, volume 3, Malta Classics Association, page 210: “In Arabic, the word Māliṭa can be written, or inscribed, either with two ’alifs,one after the letter /m/ and a final ’alif (مـالطـا), or with an ’alif after /m/ and a final tā’ marbūṭa (مـالطـة).”
- Wehr, Hans (1979), “مالطا”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN
South Levantine Arabic
| Picture dictionary | |
|---|---|
Etymology
Semi-learned borrowing from Arabic مَالْطَا (mālṭā), from Latin Melita, from Ancient Greek Μελίτη (Melítē), of disputed origin.
Proper noun
مالطا • (mālṭa) f
- Malta (a country and island in Europe)
Related terms
- مالطي (mālṭi, “Maltese”)