The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #160326   Message #3802558
Posted By: Monique
29-Jul-16 - 05:25 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Bisan / Bissan / Bissane
Subject: RE: Origins: Bisan / Bissan / Bissane
All in all, here's what I could make up to. I'm not sure the words in the transliteration are all cut properly.

kanat lana min zaman
bayyaraton jamila wa ḍai3ton ẓalila
yanamu fi 'afyaiha nisan ḍai3tuna
kanas muha bisan
khudhuni ila bisan, 'ila ḍia 3tish shita iyyah
hunaka yashi3 ul Hanan, 3lal Hafafiren ramadiyyah
khudhuni 'ilath ẓuhairat 'ila ghafwaten 3inda babi
hunaka maddat 3ilat, 'u3niqu ṣamtati turabi
'adhkuru ya bisan, ya mal3b alṭufula
afya ukil khajula, wa kullu shai en kan
babon wa shubbakan, baituna fi bisan
khudhuni, khudhuni ma 3l Hasasin
'ila alẓalil lati tabki
rufufon min al3idin, 3la Haninen laha taHki
khudhuni 'ila bisan

a, i, u: "a" as in "father", "i" = "ee" or "i" as in "bit", "u" = "oo" or "u" in "put".
y: as in "you"
ḍ: dark/emphatic d –pronounced raising the roof of your mouth
3: a sort of "ah" pronounced very deep in the throat*
ẓ: dark/emphatic z – pronounced raising the roof of your mouth
': glottal stop
h (on its own): like an English "h"
kh (or 5): like a Spain Spanish "j" or German "ch" in Bach
dh: like an English "th" in "the, this…"
H (or 7): a strong "h" (imagine you've just swallowed a Jalapeño chili)
gh: a gargling sound like a Greek γ
q (or 9): dark/emphatic k -pronounced raising the roof of your mouth
ṣ: dark/emphatic s -pronounced raising the roof of your mouth
ṭ: dark/emphatic t -pronounced raising the roof of your mouth

* a student of mine's father once told me "Remember we were shepherds! It sounds like a sheep bleat!"