Kids Songs Around the World with English Translations
or French Translations
or Spanish Translations
Mama Lisa's World Blog
English Nursery Rhymes
Mother Goose in French
Wizard of Oz Audiobook
Poetry for Kids
ML Reviews
Mama Lisa's Hub
This is the Tunisia Archive Page
- Tataouine (1)
Categories
- 1512 (1)
- Arts and Crafts (21)
- Books (56)
- Children's Songs (432)
- Countries & Cultures (912)
- Customs (42)
- Folk Lore (6)
- Folk Songs (76)
- Food & Nutrition (4)
- Games (40)
- Gardens (2)
- History of Nursery Rhymes (8)
- Holiday Calendar (1)
- Holiday Songs (154)
- Holidays Around the World (340)
- Languages (723)
- Learning (37)
- Lullabies (40)
- Mama Lisa (422)
- Movies & TV (23)
- Music (63)
- Nursery Rhymes (161)
- Parenting (72)
- People (18)
- Photos (27)
- Podcasts (29)
- Poetry (96)
- Proverbs (20)
- Questions (309)
- Quotes (7)
- Recipes of the World (74)
- Recommendations (62)
- Recordings of Nursery Rhymes (19)
- Recordings of Songs (101)
- Rhymes by Theme (42)
- Seasonal (29)
- Songs by Theme (69)
- Teaching (41)
- Traditional Songs (2)
- Traveling (35)
- Video (23)
- Words & Phrases (16)
- YouTube (70)
My Tweets
Archive for the 'Tunisia' Category
Contents
Posts
Mama Lisa Now Has a Facebook Group
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009We’d love it if you’d join the Mama Lisa Facebook Group. You can post anything you’d like about your culture. You can post your own musical recordings or YouTube videos… Links to culture and musical sites… Photos of your country… Questions about songs or cultural issues… Anything related to World Culture and Music…
Click on the icon below to access the group. If you have a Facebook account already, you just need to click on “Join the Group” to join. If you’re not a member, you simply have to sign up for free to become a member and then you can join the Mama Lisa Group…
Looking forward to seeing you in Facebook!
Mama Lisa
Modern Arabic Transliteration
Friday, February 13th, 2009Mourad Bendjennet sent us information about a new way of transliterating Arabic that has come about since the advent of computers. Here we’re talking specifically about transliterating Arabic by writing the language in the Roman alphabet to show how to pronounce it in English…
“With the introduction of computers and text messages among Arabs, they write a lot of transliterations. They noticed that many Arabic letters were written with Latin letter compounds that made reading difficult. So they decided to create a new way of writing.
Example #1 : Instead of writing ‘Kh’ like Spanish ‘j’ or German ‘ch’ in ‘Bach’, we write the number 5. Graphically speaking, it looks like the letter خ. On top of that, Arabic number 5 is pronounced Khamsa. There’s the letter خ in this number.
Example #2 : Instead of writing ‘Ha’ (strong ‘h’) like Mohamed or Halal, we write number 7. Graphically speaking, it looks like the letter ح.
Example #3 : Formerly, the letter ‘K’ would transliterate both ك and ق, while it should transliterate only the letter ك. As to the letter ق, it’s presently replaced by the number 9. Graphically speaking, 9 looks like the letter ق. To pronounce it, the “k” sound must go out from the bottom of the throat, not from the top of it.
Example #4 : Formerly, the letter ‘A’ would transliterate the letter أ while it’s pronounced rather “eh” than “ah”. So number ‘2′ was adopted because graphically speaking, it looks like the symbol on the top of the letter أ, that is to say ء.
Example #5 : Formerly, the letter ‘T’ would transliterate both ت and ط, while it should only transliterate the letter ت. As for the letter ط it’s presently replaced by number 6 because graphically speaking, it looks like the letter ط. The letter ت is pronounced ‘t’ like in ‘tea’ (without the ‘explosion’ of English ‘t’ pronunciation) and the letter ط is pronounced ‘Ta’ (i.e. curving the soft palate upwards).
Example #6 : Instead of writing ‘Aa’ to transliterate the letter ع an ‘ah’ sound going out from the bottom of the throat, we write number 3 because it graphically looks like it.
Example #7 : The letter هـ (pronounced ‘h’) is replaced by number 8 because graphically speaking, it looks like the letter هـ.
Following those principles, we can show the transliteration of a specific children’s song from Tunisia. First you’ll see it in the Arabic text, then the transliteration, followed by an English translation…
Transliteration
3andi dbeyyib ya ma7le8 ya ma7le8
Gannooshoo 5ashmoo wate8 (x2)
Shoofoo shoofoo 3yoonoo (x2)
Barra9a min koth’r thke8.All the R’s are rolled.”
English Translation
I have a nice soft Teddy Bear
His nose looks very fine
Look, look, his eyes,
Shining with intelligence.Many thanks to Ilyes Bekri for contributing this song and to Monique Palomares for the English translation. Thanks also to Mourad Bendjennet for help with the song and such an interesting commentary about the new way to transliterate the Arabic language.
Come visit our Arabic Children’s Song Page for links to all of our Arabic kids songs.
You can also read this post about Arabic transliteration in French or Spanish.
Mama Lisa
Can Someone Help with the Lyrics or Melody to the Arabic Lullaby called “Doha Ya Doha”?
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008Rondi wrote to me…
Hello Lisa!
This is Rondi Charleston – I am a singer/songwriter in the NY area.
I have an important recording project coming up in which I need an Arabic Lullaby to incorporate into an original song. I’m searching for the MELODY! Sheet music? or an MP3?
I heard about “Doha Ya Doha” from an article in Mothering Magazine by Cynthia Mosher. However, I can not find the lyrics and melody anywhere! I contacted Cynthia, but she no longer has the book, and can’t remember the song.
Also, by any chance, do you know any songs in Arabic that talk about PEACE?
I would GREATLY APPRECIATE any assistance you can give. I’ve tried the Arabic publishing house but they no longer have it. It is a traditional lullaby, apparently.
PLEASE contact me with any information.
Best Always,
RondiIf anyone can help Rondi, please comment below or email me.
Thanks in advance!
Lisa
The Muslim Festival Eid al-Adha – Festival of Sacrifice – is Celebrated Today
Thursday, December 20th, 2007This year Eid al-Adha (a holiday that’s also known as Eid Kbir) is held on the 18th to the 20th around the Muslim world. It’s a festival celebrating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah.
Everyone dresses up and goes to the mosque to perform the Eid prayer. Families that can afford it will also sacrifice an animal such as a sheep. Most of the meat of the sacrificed animal should go to the poor. The rest can be used for a feast for family and friends.
100!
Sunday, April 22nd, 2007Mama Lisa’s World features children’s songs from around the globe, in the original languages, with English and French translations. I’m very happy to announce that we’ve just added our 100th culture!
Monique of Mama Lisa’s World en français recently visited Tunisia. She brought back many photos, including this great shot of camels:
She also brought back the Tunisian children’s song I Have a Teddy Bear.
We’re thrilled to add Tunisia to our collection and that we can now boast that Mama Lisa’s World features kid songs from 100 countries and cultures!
Here are a couple of more photos that Monique took in Tunisia…
More on the connection between Star Wars and Tunisia…
Sunday, April 22nd, 2007Andy Carvin, the man who took the great photo of Hotel Sidi Driss (Luke Skywalker’s Home) in my previous blog post, wrote me pointing out that he’s written a whole article on Star Wars locations in Tunisia.
Also, check out his movies at the same link.
Thanks Andy!
For All of You Star Wars Fans: Tataouine is a Real Place in Tunisia
Thursday, April 19th, 2007If you’re a Star Wars fan you know that Luke Skywalker grows up on the planet Tatooine. But what you may not know is that Tatooine is a real town in Tunisia! (Spelled “Tataouine”.)
The connection between Tatooine and Tunisia goes deeper than the just the name. Many of the scenes in Star Wars Episode IV (the first movie) that took place on Tatooine were filmed in the North Aftrican nation – though not in the town of Tataouine.
In the movie, the farm where Luke grew up looks like it’s a single area. But it was actually filmed in more than one place. The scenes with the sunken home, pictured below, were filmed in the town of Matmata. There, homes really were built underground ages ago. This view of Luke’s house is actually a hotel, called Hotel Sidi Driss.
Other views of the outside of Luke’s home were filmed in the town of Nefta. (Pictured below).
Still other scenes of Tatooine were filmed in Tozeur.
The way people in Tunisia dress also influenced Lucas in his designs for Jedi costumes.
Many thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for the photo outside Luke’s home, and to Andy Carvin for the photo of Hotel Sidi Driss. The initial map is courtesy of the CIA World Factbook. I altered it to show the Star Wars locations mentioned.
Here’s a link for more Star Wars locations and photos in Tunisia
How to Find Sheet Music, Tunes and MP3’s on Mama Lisa’s World
Saturday, January 6th, 2007In addition to this blog, I also host Mama Lisa’s World. Mama Lisa’s World is a large collection of children’s songs and rhymes from countries all around the globe.
Matt, a music teacher from Rhode Island, wrote a question to me, the other day, about Mama Lisa’s World:
Hey Mama,
I love the concept of your site. It’s been exciting to watch it grow. My only frustration is not being able to find either written (preferably) or audio music to accompany the lyrics. How do I find the tunes for all these great lyrics?
Matt
Music Teacher, Rhode Island, USAHere’s what I wrote back, I’m sharing it with you, in case it helps you too…
Hey Matt,
Thanks for writing!
We’ve just added basic sheet music to a lot of songs on the Germany, France, Hungary, Spain and Mexico pages – plus many others.
We’re now in the process of converting the whole site to a database. We’re halfway through. Hopefully by the summer we’ll have a feature that will let you do a search on songs that have sheet music, midis or mp3’s. Midis play the tune of a song. MP3’s are recordings – usually of someone singing the song.
But for now, the songs on the countries that are in the database are working on a simple system. On the country pages they have symbols next to the song if they have special features. Here’s the key…
KEY TO SYMBOLS
– this song has sheet music
Midi – this song has a Midi tune
MP3 – this song has an MP3 recording
– this song has a Video recording
If there’s anything in particular you’re looking for, you’re welcome to ask – in case I know if we have it or not – I may be able to guide you to the right place to find what you’re looking for.
And, of course, we’re always looking for more sheet music, midi’s and mp3’s, so if you’d like to contribute any from your culture, we’d be thrilled!
I hope this helps!
Mama Lisa
________
Help Support
Mama Lisa's World!
$5, $10, $25
or any amount welcome!
