qalb

• IPA^(key): /ʔalp/

From Arabic قَلْب (qalb). The feminine gender in Maltese is unusual since the Arabic etymon is masculine, its form is that of a masculine, and even the Romance equivalents (Sicilian cori, Italian cuore) are masculine. One might suspect influence by the semantically related ras (“head”) and ruħ (“soul”), which are feminine; but this is mere conjecture.

qalb f (plural qlub)

1. (also anatomy) heart

   Synonym: qalba

   • 2021 [2017], Antoine Cassar, Erbgħin Jum, 2^nd edition, Malta: Ede Books:

     Bl-istess libsa vjola, tikxifli ħobbok
     lewn l-ewwel ftira ma’ ħjiel iż-żerniq,
     bl-istess sandli, difrejk ħomor daqs qalbi,
     u xagħrek immewweġ jofrogħ fir-riħ.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 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)

   • 1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Fil-Ġnien”, in Fl-Arena:

     Ta’ ferħ u serħ imlietni, u bħall-għasafar
     u l-friefet jien għamilt: minn fjur għal fjur
     ħsiebi tar bħal farfett, taħt siġra kbira
     qalbi fesdqet il-għana bħal għasfur.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1949-1952, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Bejta ta’ Dejjem”, in Qasba mar-Riħ, published 1977:

     Qalbi xebgħet bil-bejta
     li dejjem ta’ kull sena
     titwaqqa’ kull ħarifa,
     u kull April tinbena,

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

From Arabic قَلْبَ (qalba).

qalb

1. amongst

Borrowed from Arabic قَلْب (qalb).

qalb (plural qalblar)

1. heart