POST 2: Janna, the Poet

How Do You Say “Female Poet” in Arabic?

Quick answer: A female poet is شاعرة (shāʿira), pronounced SHAA-ʿi-ra. Add an “-a” to shāʿir (poet). A poem is قصيدة (qaṣīda), and a line of verse is بيت (bayt), the same word as “house.”

Meet Janna, the Poet from Central Saudi Arabia

Central Arabia (Najd) has a long tradition of Nabaṭī poetry (الشعر النبطي), verse in the everyday dialects of Arabia rather than classical Arabic. Janna is one of the [Central Shabby Little Fellas → Hub link].

How Do You Pronounce Shāʿira and Qaṣīda?

• Shāʿira is SHAA-ʿi-ra. The ʿ is the deep throat ʿayn sound.
• Qaṣīda is qa-SEE-da. The q is a deep “k” from the back of the throat, and the ṣ is a heavier, deeper “s.”

Where Do the Words Come From?

Shāʿira is the feminine of shāʿir. → [Meet Abdel-aziz the Poet] Qaṣīda comes from the root ق-ص-د (to aim or intend) and names the classical poem. Bayt (بيت) means both “house” and “line of verse,” and one way to picture a poem is as a house built from verses.

How Do You Say “She Is a Poet” in Arabic?

هي شاعرة (Hiya shāʿira).

FAQ

• What is the Arabic word for poem? قصيدة (qaṣīda).
• What is a verse of poetry in Arabic? بيت (bayt).
• What is Nabati poetry? Nabaṭī poetry (الشعر النبطي) is Arabian vernacular poetry, popular in Najd and across the Gulf.

Take Janna home: [Keychain] Next: [Meet Miss Al-Khatib the Language Teacher →]