More driving music. For M & me.

Omani Arabic-for my girl in Jordan- part 1

Oman can be grouped into different language regions with different accents. I find it fun to guess where people are from based on their clothing and accents. I love anthropology! [The map above is of the regions in Oman].

Muscati is different from the dialects near the UAE border, and the interior dialects are different from these, and the Eastern Coastal dialects are distinct, and then the Southern dialects are very similar to Yemeni except the mountain dialects which are very unique.

The sedentary dialect of Oman proper sounds closest to the dialect of Qatif and the Bahraini Shi'a (according to Kees Versteegh), while the bedouin dialect is basically the same as the speech of the bedouins of the UAE and southeastern Saudi Arabia (a sort of bedouin-Gulf hybrid, where ج is prononced ي). Southern Oman can be grouped as very similar to Southern Yemen (7adhramaut), including pronouncing جـ as [g] .

In Muscat:
The future tense formation (Gulf: with ba-; Yemen: with sha-; Oman: ba)
The present continuous (Gulf: null or with gaa3ed; Yemen: ?; Oman: null)
Interrogation (Gulf: wish(shu), shino, shu, etc.; Yemen: maa; Oman: muu [muu is interior], as well as Waish. [*In Muscat they say aish, near the UAE border they say shu*]

In Muscat jeem is geem but the qaaf is correct.

In UAE border dialects qaaf is gaaf. So Qu'ran would Guran.

One distinct feature of most Omani dialects is the feminine -ish instead of Khaleeji -ich. This is a feature shared with Yemenis. Also, kaafs don't change, as in Khaleeji i.e. tomorrow is baakar, not baachar. Also, about the phonology: Omanis use long Khaleeji vowels, and also their 'ain and Ha are very hard sounding compared to that of non-Khaleejis.

Omani dialects also have a lot of Hindustani and Farsi lexicon.

One rather extensive linguistic volume on the subject states "The modern Arabic dialects of Oman form a structurally coherent group, distinguishable from those of the Gulf littoral on the one hand, and central Arabia on the other. None the less, Omani dialects can still be clearly sub-divided into two basic types: 'sedentary' (S) and 'bedouin' (B). "There is also, according to EI2, "a 'mixed' dialect which has both S and B elements," for example, in the coastal towns of the Bāṭina region (this, as the article states, includes the speech of Muscat). The article also says that the S dialects in many ways closely resemble "those of other ancient sedentary groups living on the periphery of the peninsula (Hadhramawt and Dathīna ... the Shi'i Baḥārna of eastern Arabia)."

Also, because of the grande cultural mix here in Oman, both regional aaaaaand (add in the Irani, Baluchi, Tanzanian, Portuguese, and Hindu mixes in Oman's history), Omanis use some different words than the standard Arabic and it can be funny to the student of only-a-little-arabic to notice the difference. You'll see a bit of hindi and swahili thrown in, as well as some Bedu:)

Straight ahead: English

Alatool: Arabic

Ceda: Omani Arabic

How are you?: English

Kayf al haal?: Arabic

Chef barak!: Omani Arabic

Cat: English

KitTa: Arabic

Senora: Omani Arabic

What: English
Ma: Arabic
Waish: Omani Arabic (or shu near UAE, and mu near Salalah)


I don't understand: English
La afham: arabic
Ma a'rif: Omani Arabic


No problem: English
La mushkila: Arabic
Ma mushkila: Omani Arabic

An elegant time.................

Something is missing in todays times.....

Early Richard Avedon

UNICEF report on women and children in Oman, 2006

Vision 2020:

The strategic plan prepared by Oman's Ministry of National Economy (MoNE) makes explicit provisions for the continued health of the welfare state, which underpins the well-being of Omani children. The major issues identified in this Situation Analysis include improving the database on children in order to allow a full range of monitoring of child rights, decreasing regional and gender disparities, institution building and community participation, and sustainability and Omanization of service provision while maintaining quality.

http://www.unicef.org/french/sitan/files/Oman_SitAn_Jan2007.pdf

The Omani Dress Project

If you are interested in the textile history of Oman this http://www.omanidress.com/home link is great.

Frankincense, part 1

I found this https://www.mei.edu/SQCC/EducationalResources/TheHistoryofFrankincense.aspx very good link to follow if you want a quick history in Frankincense (a very integral trade factor for ancient Oman---and a very important part of the culture here today).

Pretty Omani Hijab Styles and Make-Up

Omani Bridal Hijab Styles

Dixie Chicks-Wide Open Spaces & Cowboy Take Me Away

My friends from high school
Married their high school boyfriends
Moved into houses in the same ZIP codes
Where their parents live

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

I hit the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling
Lived like a gypsy
Six strong hands on the steering wheel

I've been a long time gone now
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
But I've always found my way somehow

By taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around

I met the queen of whatever
Drank with the Irish and smoked with the hippies
Moved with the shakers
Wouldn't kiss all the asses that they told me to

No I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

It's been two long years now
Since the top of the world came crashing down
And I'm getting' it back on the road now

But I'm taking the long way
Taking the long way around
I'm taking the long way
Taking the long way around
The long
The long way around

Well, I fought with a stranger and I met myself
I opened my mouth and I heard myself
It can get pretty lonely when you show yourself
Guess I could have made it easier on myself

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

Well, I never seem to do it like anybody else
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
If you ever want to find me I can still be found

Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around

Who I am-by Jessica Andrews

If I live to be a hundred

And never see the seven wonders
That'll be alright
If I don't make it to the big leagues
If I never win a Grammy
I'm gonna be just fine
Cause I know exactly who I am

I am Rosemary's granddaughter
The spitting image of my father
And when the day is done my momma's still my biggest fan
Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy
But I've got friends that love me
And they know just where I stand
It's all a part of me
And that's who I am

So when I make a big mistake
And when I fall flat on my face
I know I'll be alright
Should my tender heart be broken
I will cry those teardrops knowing
I will be just fine
Cause nothing changes who I am

I am Rosemary's granddaughter
The spitting image of my father
And when the day is done my momma's still my biggest fan
Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy
But I've got friends that love me
And they know just where I stand
It's all a part of me
And that's who I am

I'm a saint and I'm a sinner
I'm a loser; I'm a winner
I am steady and unstable
I'm young, but I am able

I am Rosemary's granddaughter
The spitting image of my father
And when the day is done my momma's still my biggest fan
Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy
But I've got friends that love me
And they know where I stand
It's all a part of me
And that's who I am

I am Rosemary's granddaughter
The spitting image of my father
And when the day is done my momma's still my biggest fan
Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy
But I've got friends that love me
And they know where I stand
It's all a part of me
And that's who I am
That's who I am

Be unique!!

Be unique - be different and this is what this bride has done. Beautiful, elegant and stylish in her Doilies dress, which she made herself.

Photos via Picture Perfect Wedding

All the Cute Ramadan and Eid Decorations

These are all of the cute Ramadan craft ideas that I love from this blog http://www.ramadanchallenge.com/ . For how-to's check the site out. The site also contains some great recipes and tips for making your holiday easier.

Food Presentation Ideas for Ramadan

It is all in the presentation.
Try using a simple cookie-cutter to glam up sandwhich meats and cheese, and breads.

Try decorating a cake with a Ramadan-themed cake topper????

Why not make a crescent shaped gift-box and fill it with chocolates? Easy to re-use or to store for other things.

Moon, Star, and Palm Decorations for Ramadaan

While looking for cute Ramadan decorating ideas (which honestly, I might be too tired to do while working and fasting) I stumbled upon this great blog http://www.ramadanchallenge.com/ which has lots of tips and crafts ideas. I promise, more to come, inshaAllah.

Yummy Ramadaan Recipes: crescent Moon cookies

K, this recipe is mine, not traditional Omani, but I love to do it for Ramadaan.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Sticks of butter (1 Cup), softened
2 1/2 Cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:
Blend flour, baking soda, and baking powder together. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg to the butter and sugar and mix well. Add vanilla extract. One cup at a time, add the flour mix into the wet ingredients. Mix until it's nice and doughy.

Flour your hands, and roll dough into pieces about the size of a golf ball. Squash it down and shape it into a crescent, and then flatten it down. Another option is to roll the dough out and cut it with crescent cookie cutters -- be sure to flour your cookie cutters before you use them, or the dough won't come out as well.

Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 for about ten minutes, until the sides begin to brown.

Make icing with the following ingredients:
1 8-oz block of cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
4 Cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. milk

Blend the cream cheese and butter together, and then gradually add in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and mix well. Blend in the milk (add a little more if your icing doesn't seem creamy enough). After your moon cookies have cooled, Use this to frost them.

Optional: add silver sprinkles to your cookies while the frosting is still wet, or dip half the cookie in chocolate and frost the other half in white.

Paper art

I just love these! Such an inexpensive way to decorate your wedding reception. You just need some fabulous paper and elbow grease!

Photos are via Design Sponge  Photographer Jen Curtis

Photos from Pepper Design Blog

Mad About Khaleeji Abayas

To dress like an Omani Princess (not really, LOL) you have to own at least 2-3 nice abayas for dressier occasions out of the home. Here, I design my own, and take it to the tailor, but there are alot of nice online sites you can order up some gorgeous Khaleeji style from. This site has some awesome ruching and use of colours that I enjoy. Bon apetit. http://www.rouge-couture.com/

Photobooths

Photobooths at receptions are so much fun. They capture hilarious pictures of your wedding guests having fun. Supply a basket filled with props like goofy glasses, feather boas, hats - I am sure you will have a fun time shopping for them in party shops like:

I also found this as an idea:

The Chalkboard Speech Bubble

You can buy them from Photojojo Store

Find some old frames:

Photo via weddingsbycolor

Make your own backdrop:

Photo via weddingsbycolor

Cute Omani Kids

I think the babies here in Oman are sooooo cute mashaAllah! Especially when they have kohl rimmed eyes and their cute gold bangles:D (the girls---I want a little girl inshaAllah).