# Egyptian: intaSaf



## Josh_

I thought that the meaning of this word in Egyptian colloquial was interesting: intaSaf (*إنتصف* )-- to do the right thing (as an exception).  

Example:  biyukhrug kull yoom ma3a aShaabu bass imbaariH intaSaf wa-2a3ad fil-beet ma3a il-3iyaal.
*بيخرج كل يوم مع أصحابه بسّ إمبارح إنتصف وقعد في البيت مع العيال
*He goes out everyday with his friends, but yesterday he did the right thing (for once) and stayed home with the children.

I was just curious if this is how the word is used in Egyptian Arabic.


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## Heba

Hi Josh

I do not think that intasaf means do the right thing. I never use it in this sense and never heard anybody here using it in this sense either.

Intasaf is Standard , it is rarely or never used in colloquail Egyptian Arabic. It means reached the half f its shape or the middle of it, like the moon for example:
انتصف القمر  
(that is when it becomes a cresent)
انتصف الليل في القاهرة
It is midnight in Cairo

Perhaps you mean the word إتنصف which is widely used to mean ''has been treated right'' or '' was given his right''. But it does not fit into your example either.


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## zooz

how about "*اتأصف*" ?


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## Heba

zooz said:
			
		

> how about "*اتأصف*" ?


 
It does not mean ''to do the right thing either'' (at least in colloquial Egyptian Arabic). It refers to a pencil or a nail when it gets broken


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## zooz

that's what I meant. in the example, she's angry of her husband and complaining about him. synonym "*اتنيل*". we use it2asaf in syria.


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## cherine

LOL, nice comparison Zooz.

Josh, maybe you can say : بس امبارح نصفنا وأعد فى البيت
i.e. was fair with us and stayed home.
Did you hear the example you gave, or is it you who made it ? because it really isn't correct, as Heba said.


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## Josh_

cherine said:
			
		

> Did you hear the example you gave, or is it you who made it ? because it really isn't correct, as Heba said.


I just made it up. I never heard this word in usage, but saw it, with this definition, in an Egyptian Arabic dictionary.


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## cherine

So either the dictionary has some sort of mistake, or it's you who understood something. 
Can you please tell us what's said in the dictionary ?


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## Josh_

I actually used the exact definition given in the dictionary (A Dictionary of Egyptian Arabic by Martin Hinds and El-Said Badawi), that is "to do the right thing (as an exception). They even give an example -- intaSafit wi-ghasalit wishshaha (*إنتصفت وغسلت وشها* ) with the translation of "for once she's washed her face!"


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## cherine

This is odd !!
Well, it must be an expression either not used at all, or only used in certain places/social classes.
So I'll recommend you not to use it to avoid being un-understood 

On a second thought, it could be a "deformation" of i*tn*asaf : doing oneself justice or favor. Hence, in your example : she did herself a favor and washed her face.

Just maybe, I'm not sure.
And still stay you better not use it


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## Josh_

zooz said:
			
		

> how about "*اتأصف*" ?


I've never heard that verb before.  I looked in all my dictionaries but can't find it.  The root is just *ء - ص - ف *, right? Is it a fairly common verb or only found in certain dailects?


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## cherine

I think you will not find it because it's a 3ammeyya pronounciation of the verb of which the root is ق  - ص - ف , it's clear from the interpretation of Heba in post #4


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## Josh_

cherine said:
			
		

> I think you will not find it because it's a 3ammeyya pronounciation of the verb of which the root is ق - ص - ف , it's clear from the interpretation of Heba in post #4


Of course. I should have known that. And from that root comes qaSSaafa (2aSSaafa) -- nail clippers. Having it written with an alif in Arabic script through me off. When I write 3ammiyya in Arabic I usually stick to conventional spellings, for example 2aa3id قاعد . As a result I was not expecting that. Thank you Cherine.



> ... doing oneself justice or favor. Hence, in your example : she did herself a favor and washed her face.


By the way, this reminded me of another word I have been curious about. I will open a new thread.


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## zooz

after re-reading your english phrase "He goes out everyday .." I think there might be a chance this dictionary is a mess. the phrase might be like ,in standard, "*يخرج كل يوم مع أصدقائه ولكن البارحة كان منصفاً وبقي في المنزل مع الأولاد*" in the sence of being fair or righful. anyway I'm out of ideas.

personally, josh, I don't think you can rely on those dictionaries. in the colloquial, sadly, there're no constants, rules, grammer...etc. it's the *jungle*.


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## elroy

zooz said:


> that's what I meant. in the example, she's angry of her husband and complaining about him. synonym "*اتنيل*". we use it2asaf in syria.





cherine said:


> LOL, nice comparison Zooz.


 I don't get it.  Could you explain?  What does اتنيل mean?


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## إسكندراني

I think I heard this expression before, it's not 'high-class' but is a way of saying 'came to his right mind' (swap intaSaf in place of 3a2al).


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