xulxin

Maltese

Alternative forms

• xurxin

Etymology

Among the variants attested in early sources are xilxi(n) and ixili(li)x. Hence probably from underlying xejn lil xejn or xi lil xi, equivalent to Arabic شَيْءٌ لِشَيْءٍ (šayʔun lišayʔin, “one thing to another”, literally “a thing to a thing”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃulˈʃiːn/

Pronoun

xulxin (reciprocal)

1. each other; one another
   • 1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Lis-Sena l-Ġdida 1964”, in Fl-Arena:

     X’sejra ġġibilna ġewwa l-fardal tiegħek.
     ja Sena Ġdida?
     Ah! biegħed minna
     il-għelt, il-ġlied,
     id-demm bejn l-aħwa;
     rażżan ir-regħba u l-ġibdiet tal-ħakma,
     rattab l-irjus u l-qlub,
     ġibilna s-sabar ta’ xulxin, l-imħabba,
     ġibilna l-għaqda,
     ġibilna s-sliem,
     ġibilna l-ħelsien!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• Like min (“who”), this pronoun usually takes the preposition (or in this case, particle) lil when used as a direct object.