silġ

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Maltese

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Etymology

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From Arabic ثَلْج (ṯalj). Maltese s- (instead of expected t-) may be due to irregular assimilation of [θ] to the following alveolar [l]. The subsequent dissimilation š- → s- under the influence of following -j- would be less surprising (compare e.g. siġra).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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silġ m (collective, singulative silġa, paucal silġiet)

  1. ice; hail
  2. snow
    Synonym: borra
    • 1949-1952, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ħolma tan-Natura”, in Qasba mar-Riħ, published 1977:
      U meta tiġi x-xitwa erħilha teqred
      bir-rxiex, bis-silġ, bil-bard, bir-riħ u rwiefen
      il-ħlejjaq qodma: weraq sfajra u morda,
      u rix mitbiela,
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)