arabic pronounciation

[just Johnna]

It has come to my attention that my baby daughter's name may sound like a word in the Koran, a word that may mean "beauty" or "decoration," but I fear may also imply sexual immorality.

This word transliterates as "Zinah" or "Zina." I don't know how it is pronounced, would someone help me with this? Does the vowel transliterated as "i" sound
something like an English long i ("Zinah" rhymes with "China")?
or something like an English long e ("Zinah" rhymes with "Xena" and "Tina")?
or something like an English short i ("Zinah" rhymes with "in a" or dinna')


It's a small world, and I'm hoping it's not full of men who think my daughter's name is "illicit temptation." Had I better switch over to her middle name "Mary?"

commentary on the word "zinah" (http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/sunnah/0019.htm)

thanks for your help,

just Johnna

[Sparko]

Well my name (and apparently yours) means "toilet" in slang english but it hasn't stunted my ego too much.

John Sparks

:rofl:

[just Johnna]

Well my name (and apparently yours) means "toilet" in slang english but it hasn't stunted my ego too much.

John Sparks

:rofl:

:lol:

Your name (and apparently mine sort of) means "soul" in Uzbek.

To be a parent is to be irrationally overprotective at times.

[Sparko]

Every name probably means something embarassing in some foreign language.

For instance, Debbie sounds very much like the German slang word for "stupid" or "dumb" and Camelia is very close to the German word for a "Kotex"

I know this because my mom is German, and one of my cousin's name is Camelia, and my sister-in-law's name is Debbie. :lmbo:

In German my name is Johann (prounounced Yo' hahn) or Hans for short and yours would be Johanna (Yo' hahna) or just Hahnie for short.

PS, from that link you gave above, I think Zinah means more like a woman's finery, in other words, her makeup, jewelry and fine clothes. What she uses to dress up with to make herself beautiful.

PPS: Buckaroo Bonzai is one of my favorite movies. Everyone is named John so how can I not like it?

[just Johnna]

PPS: Buckaroo Bonzai is one of my favorite movies. Everyone is named John so how can I not like it?

Lectroids?
Planet Ten?
Nuclear?
Extortion?
A girl named John?

Love that movie.

The funny thing is, I did marry a neurologist guitar player who can chit chat in several oriental languages. He's doing a start-up now. I guess strictly speaking he's not a physicist, but he does seem to be able to drive through mountains from time to time...

Throw the harpoon.

Johnna

[Rahab]

It has come to my attention that my baby daughter's name may sound like a word in the Koran, a word that may mean "beauty" or "decoration," but I fear may also imply sexual immorality.

This word transliterates as "Zinah" or "Zina." I don't know how it is pronounced, would someone help me with this? Does the vowel transliterated as "i" sound

something like an English long i ("Zinah" rhymes with "China")?
or something like an English long e ("Zinah" rhymes with "Xena" and "Tina")?
or something like an English short i ("Zinah" rhymes with "in a" or dinna')

It's a small world, and I'm hoping it's not full of men who think my daughter's name is "illicit temptation." Had I better switch over to her middle name "Mary?"

commentary on the word "zinah" (http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/sunnah/0019.htm)

thanks for your help,

just Johnna
Salaam, Johnna!

Chances are the vowel "i" remains a short "i" in "zinah". A vowel sound which you do not find in English similar phoneticaly to Z-e-naH. The "a" blending into the "H".
If you live in a predominatly arabic speaking country, you could be justifiably concerned that your daughter's name may mean something ambiguous if mispronounced.
However, if you live in the US, most people as they read her name will probably struggle a bit with it as they hit the "ah" and short cut it to "Zin".
One of my Lebanese friends named his adorable daughter "Amira" (Princess). Unfortunatly most folks who come across her name in the US have already nicknamed her "Amy".
My name is Veronique. I have been called "Verny" "Ronnie" "Vera" all kinds of interesting things!
I will ask my friend who is an arab speaker what the name "Zinah" evocates to him and will get back to you as I will see him next week. I have lost all that I had learned in arabic as a child except for basic pronounciation patterns.

[just Johnna]

Salaam, Johnna!

Chances are the vowel "i" remains a short "i" in "zinah". A vowel sound which you do not find in English similar phoneticaly to Z-e-naH. The "a" blending into the "H".
If you live in a predominatly arabic speaking country, you could be justifiably concerned that your daughter's name may mean something ambiguous if mispronounced.
<cut to:>
I will ask my friend who is an arab speaker what the name "Zinah" evocates to him and will get back to you as I will see him next week. I have lost all that I had learned in arabic as a child except for basic pronounciation patterns.
Rahab/Veronique, Aleikum Asalam!

Thank you, thank you--and I will look forward to your reading your arab-speaking friend's report.

Although I live in the US, in years past my husband's work has included extensive travel, and our family will in the future travel/live abroad again.

Zina's an old mormon name, and belonged to a friend in college who was so good to me--she took me in when I was hungry, encouraged me so I didn't drop out of putting myself through school. So it's a name of great compassion to me.


Johnna