għatta x-xemx bl-għarbiel

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Maltese

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Etymology

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From Arabic غَطَّى الشَّمْسَ بِالْغِرْبالِ (ḡaṭṭā š-šamsa bi-l-ḡirbāli, literally to cover the sun with a sieve). Probably the idea is that the light of the sun could not be veiled even with an unperforated surface, but with a sieve the attempt is all the more hopeless. Compare Portuguese tapar o sol com a peneira, which is perhaps also from Arabic.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈaːt.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ blarˈbɪːl/
    • IPA(key): /ˈaˤːt.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ blaˤːrˈbɪːl/ (archaic)
    • IPA(key): /ˈɣat.ta‿ʃˈʃɛmʒ bɪl.ɣarˈbɪːl/ (archaic, rural)

Verb

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għatta x-xemx bl-għarbiel

  1. to (try to) conceal something that is bound to come out