Search from various English teachers...
Brendan
Question for Arabs/Iraqis about tribal names
What is the meaning of "البو" ?
Many tribal names like البو نمر and البو ناصر .
Does "بو" mean something?
I know that "آل" is short for "آهل" having a meaning to do with family, like "آل رشيد" .
Thank you!I am guessing this is short for آل أبو ?
Dec 18, 2014 10:15 PM
Answers · 2
2
البوناصر = آل ابو ناصر
البونمر= آل ابو نمر
The ancestor of the tribe either known by his first name or by his كنيه
Kunyah كنيه = his elder son's name proceeded by the word abu=father.
If he is known by his first name his children will be known ~+ال
just like in English when we say The Simpsons for example.
thus a person like my ancestor whose name حمدان his children will be آل حمدان
and me I am الحمداني Al-hamdani.
Note آل is not the define article الــ
no it is light an alternative to قبيلة او عشيرة = tribe.
But it came to be used loosely , originally - in the Standard Arabic it means the close relatives of a person .. آل محمد = the family of him
But if an ancestor was known by his such person will have آل ابو ***
this way the tribe will be known as (the children of the father of someonename)
**********
Any correction for my bad English is welcomed.
December 20, 2014
ذلك صحيح , " البو " تقوم مقام "ال" في العاميه العراقيه
تجد ذلك في بلدان عربيه أخرى كبلاد شمال أفريقيا يسمون " ولد " أو " ولاد "
هي لفظه تدل على التجمع القبلي المميز كلها تفيد نفس المعني
December 19, 2014
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Brendan
Language Skills
Arabic, English
Learning Language
Arabic
Articles You May Also Like

How to Ask for a Raise or Promotion in English
9 likes · 8 Comments

The Key to Learning a Language Faster
30 likes · 8 Comments

Why "General English" is Failing Your Career (An Engineer’s Perspective)
30 likes · 12 Comments
More articles
