Culture
Khosh, Chai, Glaas: The Persian and English Words Hiding in Iraqi Arabic
خوش
khosh
Good / nice (from Persian)
Persian next door
Iraq's long border and deep history with Persia shows up in the language every day. خوش (khosh) — used constantly to mean 'good' or 'nice,' as in خوش فكرة (khosh fikra), 'good idea' — comes from the Persian 'khosh.' چاي (chai) itself, the word for tea that anchors so much of Iraqi social life, is also a Persian loanword that spread across the region.
خوش فكرة
khosh fikra
Good idea
'Khosh' comes from Persian
English words that stuck
More recent history brought English words straight into the dialect. تلفون (telfon) is used for 'phone' — you'll hear تلفوني ضاع (telfoni dhaa'a), 'my phone is lost,' constantly. And a drinking glass is گلاص (glaas), a straightforward borrowing from English 'glass.'
تلفون
telfon
Phone
From English 'telephone'
گلاص
glaas
Glass
From English 'glass'
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