Glossary entry

Arabic term or phrase:

‫ ده تلم تلامة

English translation:

bluntly inconsiderate, blunt, insensitive, tactless

Added to glossary by Arabic & More
Aug 16, 2013 11:05
10 yrs ago
1 viewer *
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.
Change log

Aug 16, 2013 11:05: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"

Discussion

Arabic & More (asker) Aug 22, 2013:
Thank you to those who offered suggestions.

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.
Something went wrong...
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.
Something went wrong...
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.
Something went wrong...
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search