# Mediterranean



## Jana337

Why is the Mediterranean sea called  البحر الأبيض المتوسط ?  I understand all three parts (sea, white, middle) – but why is it white? 

   Also, how do you vocalize  المتوسط ? My guess: al-matuusaT



   Jana


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## ayed

> Jana337
> but why is it white?


It is ascribed to the whiteness of its coast rocks




> Jana337:
> how do you vocalize المتوسط ? My guess: al-matuusaT


al-Mo-ta-wassit
al-Motawassit


*المُتَوَسِّط*

​


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## Whodunit

Jana337 said:
			
		

> Why is the Mediterranean sea called البحر الأبيض المتوسط ? I understand all three parts (sea, white, middle) – but why is it white?
> 
> Also, how do you vocalize المتوسط ? My guess: al-matuusaT
> 
> 
> 
> Jana


 
Hi Jana,

I'd pronounce it "al-ba7ru al-2abyadu al-mutawassitu", which would mean "the white middle sea" (compare German: Mittelmeer). Here's my try to vocalize the complete word group:


*ُ البَحْرُ الأَبْيَضُ المُتَوَسِّط*​


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## Jana337

Thank you. My guess was wilder than I thought... 

Jana


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## ayed

Whodunit said:
			
		

> Hi Jana,
> 
> I'd pronounce it "al-ba7ru al-2abyadu al-mutawassitu", which would mean "the white middle sea" (compare German: Mittelmeer). Here's my try to vocalize the complete word group:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *ُ البَحْرُ الأَبْيَضُ المُتَوَسِّط   *​


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## toubar

Dear Jana,
The Mediterranean Sea is called in Arabic (The White Middle Sea).
Reason for this name is as follows:
1)- White: Because its clouds, almost all over the year, are always white.
2)- Middle: Because of laying among 3 continents: Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Regards,
REDA TOUBAR


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## elroy

Whodunit said:
			
		

> Hi Jana,
> 
> I'd pronounce it "al-ba7ru al-2abyadu al-mutawassitu", which would mean "the white middle sea" (compare German: Mittelmeer). Here's my try to vocalize the complete word group:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *ُ البَحْرُ الأَبْيَضُ المُتَوَسِّط*​


Just remember that the alefs at the beginning of the second and third words are not pronounced, but undergo liaison with the last letters of the respective previous words:

*al-ba7ru l-abyaddu l-mutawassitu *


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## elroy

toubar said:
			
		

> Dear Jana,
> The Mediterranean Sea is called in Arabic (The White Middle Sea).
> Reason for this name is as follows:
> 1)- White: Because its clouds, almost all over the year, are always white.
> 2)- Middle: Because of laying among 3 continents: Africa, Europe, and Asia.
> Regards,
> REDA TOUBAR


 
Well, that theory is quite different from Ayed's!  I personally don't know why it's called that, so I don't even have an inclination...


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## toubar

It's easy to do some googling in order to know the reason behind this name.
REDA TOUBAR


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## Whodunit

elroy said:
			
		

> Just remember that the alefs at the beginning of the second and third words are not pronounced, but undergo liaison with the last letters of the respective previous words:
> 
> *al-ba7ru l-abyaddu l-mutawassitu *


 
Oh yes, of course. "al-ba7ru al-..." wouldn't sound as smooth as "al-ba7ru l-...".


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## elroy

Whodunit said:
			
		

> Oh yes, of course. "al-ba7ru al-..." wouldn't sound as smooth as "al-ba7ru l-...".


 
And it would be incorrect.


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## Whodunit

elroy said:
			
		

> And it would be incorrect.


 
INcorrect? Why? It wouldn't be incorrect to say "al-bahr al-abyadd ..." either, which is just lazy, I think.


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## elroy

Whodunit said:
			
		

> INcorrect? Why? It wouldn't be incorrect to say "al-bahr al-abyadd ..." either, which is just lazy, I think.


 
It would be incorrect.  There is a "wasleh" on the alef in "al-abyadd," which requires liaison.

Furthermore, no one would say it otherwise.


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## ayed

> Originally Posted by Whodunit
> Hi Jana,
> 
> I'd pronounce it "al-ba7ru al-2abyadu al-mutawassitu", which would mean "the white middle sea" (compare German: Mittelmeer). Here's my try to vocalize the complete word group:
> 
> ُ البَحْرُ الأَبْيَضُ المُتَوَسِّط


 
The "al-alef al-mahmoozah"--with hamza"in the second word is _pronounced_


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## elroy

ayed said:
			
		

> The "al-alef al-mahmoozah"--with hamza"in the second word is _pronounced_


 
Are you sure?

Would you really read it "alba7r*u* *a*l-abyaddu" and not "alba7r*u l*-abyaddu"?  If so, I'd be very surprised.


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## toubar

Can be vocalized as follows:

1)- Al-ba7rul-abyadhul-mutawas-set.   (Formal 1)

2)- Al-ba7rul-abyadh    al-mutawas-set. (Formal 2)

3)- Al-ba7r    al-abyadh     al-mutawas-set. (common)


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## elroy

toubar said:
			
		

> Can be vocalized as follows:
> 
> 1)- Al-ba7rul-abyadhul-mutawas-set. (Formal 1)
> 
> 2)- Al-ba7rul-abyadh al-mutawas-set. (Formal 2)
> 
> 3)- Al-ba7r al-abyadh al-mutawas-set. (common)


 
Yes, but I'm talking about pronunciation.


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## Whodunit

elroy said:
			
		

> Are you sure?
> 
> Would you really read it "alba7r*u* *a*l-abyaddu" and not "alba7r*u l*-abyaddu"? If so, I'd be very surprised.


 
I think you're right, Elroy. "alba7ru-l..." would be correct, "alba7ru al-..." would sound ugly and "alba7r al-..." would be very lazy and poor Arabic.


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## toubar

The correcy pronunciation as I wrote before.

1)- Al-ba7rul-abyadhul-mutawas-set. (Formal 1)

2)- Al-ba7rul-abyadh al-mutawas-set. (Formal 2)

3)- Al-ba7r al-abyadh al-mutawas-set. (common)

REDA TOUBAR


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## levent1938

In Turkish it is called also  "white sea" =Akdeniz, but  I do not know why.


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## كلمات

Meanwhile in 2005...


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## suma

elroy said:


> Are you sure?
> 
> Would you really read it "alba7r*u* *a*l-abyaddu" and not "alba7r*u l*-abyaddu"? If so, I'd be very surprised.



No, I believe he meant the alef with hamzah above it, that one is pronounced, "alba7ru l-*a*byaddu"


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## fdb

levent1938 said:


> In Turkish it is called also  "white sea" =Akdeniz, but  I do not know why.



The terms:

“Black Sea” = Pontos Euxeinos
“White Sea” = Mediterranean Sea

are not used before the 13th century AD and have their roots in Turkic (ultimately Chinese) colour symbolism where

Black = North
White = West

See this: http://archive.org/details/TheNameOfTheBlackSea2007


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## القرطاجني

I don't why it's called white now, but ancient Arabs used to call it "Roman Sea" :
*بحر الروم *


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