faheem_sa Oct 22, 2005:

Unfortunately, the real name of the character is not given... The nickname al-Afsah is given to one of the Americans. There were either 7 or 8 Americans at this point in the story by my count of the nicknames. As i quoted earlier, "Ghorab (Crow) or Ibn al-Malouna (Whoreson) was the name assigned to the first foreigner to arrive. Others became al-Ak'hal (Blackie), Bateen (Fatso), Jarbou' (Kangaroo Rat), Moghzel (Spindle), Dajaja (Hen), Aboul Hseyin (Pony) and al-Afsah." (pg. 80) To make matters more confusing the author refers to a translator. "All they (the emir's men with the foreigners) could do was tell the translator what the people were saying and the translator was tougher and more arrogant than the American's themselves." (pg. 79) I wonder now, that if the Arabs could really only speak to the translator (who must of been an Arab) and if al-Afsah means "the most eloquent" than is it the nickname the Arabs gave an Arabic speaking American or the translator and if so, does it have a negative (like sarcastic) or positive connotation?

And to make matters even more confusing, later in the story there is a tranlator and his real name is given, Naim Sh�eira. Is it the same translator from earlier in the story? The above description seems to relate to how Naim behaves. The Arabs hate Naim and give him the nickname Nusayis. Does anyone know what Nusayis tranlates to in English? Any help please...

Sorry, I don't know if this is a second question...I really want to learn Arabic now.

Fuad Yahya Oct 22, 2005:

You can provide further help by quoting the passage in which the character was given the nickname, as it may help shed some light. The trick is to find out if the term is ������, ������, or ������

Fuad Yahya Oct 22, 2005:

Considering that the characters endure into the subsequent volumes, you could help us by providing the "real" name of the character. For instance, Hamilton is dubbed AL-SAHIB ("The Companion" or possibly "The Friend").

Fuad Yahya Oct 22, 2005:

The point is that volume and chapter numbers hardly match in the English and Arabic versions. Of course, page numbers are no help. As luck would have it, I am missing one volume ("�����"), which I believe is the first in the sequence.

Fuad Yahya Oct 22, 2005:

The Arabic version consists of five volumes, not three. To complicat things further, they are not numbered, although one volume ("������ ����� �������") carries the mysterious number 3. Chapters are not numbered either, but one can at least count them.

Alaa Zeineldine Oct 22, 2005:

Posted on behalf of asker: Is it possible that "the most eloquent" is used by the arab characters as being sarcastic like the other derogatory nicknames, meaning the American "al-Afsah" was actually not eloquent or clear in explaining things?

Fuad Yahya Oct 22, 2005:

As an asker, you may not vote on answers for your own question. Voting is for other peers, but not for the asker.

Fuad Yahya Oct 21, 2005:

Cities of Salt is not one novel, but a cycle of several novels. Please state the title of the specific novel you are reading, and any other information to help us locate the specific nickname (chapter, a quote, etc.). Thank you very much.