Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Arabic term or phrase:
ده تلم تلامة
English translation:
bluntly inconsiderate, blunt, insensitive, tactless
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Aug 16, 2013 11:05
10 yrs ago
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Arabic term
ده تلم تلامة
Arabic to English
Social Sciences
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Two people are discussing someone they know. One is saying that he is rude and uncaring and left on a trip without asking if he needed anything first. The second one then says:
ده تلم تلامة
The country is Egypt.
ده تلم تلامة
The country is Egypt.
Proposed translations
(English)
5 +2 | bluntly inconsiderate, blunt, insensitive, tactless | Mohamed Rehan |
4 | a real idiot! | Muhammad Said |
3 | Please see below. | Ahmed Ahmed |
Change log
Aug 16, 2013 11:05: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"
Proposed translations
+2
3 hrs
Selected
bluntly inconsiderate, blunt, insensitive, tactless
bluntly inconsiderate, blunt, insensitive, tactless
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Spiridon
: yes
3 hrs
|
Thank you Spiridon.
|
|
agree |
Samar Higazi
: I prefer "tactless"
19 hrs
|
Thank you Samar.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you for your help!"
40 mins
a real idiot!
Someone who was being stupid, immature ,blunt or retarded.
God he looked like an idiot.
God he looked like an idiot.
Reference:
3 hrs
Please see below.
The literal translation of تلم is blunt.
a blunt knife is سكينة تلمة
blunt:
1. Having a dull edge or end; not sharp
4. Lacking in feeling; insensitive
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/blunt
Unfortunately, if we say, "He's so blunt!" native speakers will think that he's straightforward; saying exactly what he thinks without trying to be polite, which is not the intended meaning. تلم is used in colloquial Egyptian Arabic to imply that the person is عديم الحس or لا مبال.
In your context, the said person is so cold, insensitive, indifferent, uncaring, etc.
Note from asker:
Thank you for the detailed explanation. It was very helpful to me. |
Discussion