The three translation suggestions above are pronounced:

AMEERA SHA’RUHA AHMAR
AMEERA THAT SHA’RIN AHMAR
AMEERA HAMRA’ ASH-SHA’R

Grammar Note: Inflection will follow syntax, which is defined in the context of a full sentence.

Which of these three suggestions, or which of the eight excellent translations suggested provided by Boushra and Raghad, will fit your particular context?

To explain what context means, it may be helpful to look at the following examples:

1. When I was in Denmark, I saw a red-haired princess serving at a soup kitchen.

2. Do you remember the trial of the red-haired princess?

3. How is my beautiful red-haired princess doing today?

4. Don’t you start acting up like a red-haired princess now!

5. “The Red-Haired Princess” was published in 1919.


By knowing your source sentence, we can resolve some important textual issues such as these:

1. Will your phrase require a definite article (as Boushra thought likely), or will it not require any (as Raghad’s suggestions and mine imply)? The need for a definite article depends on the source sentence and the target language.

2. Will the word “princess” be modified by a possessive, as in example 3 above?


Context means more than just the sentence, or the flow of words. It is often helpful to know:

1. The intended tone: matter of fact, admiring, contemptuous, etc.

2. The intentionality: Is this phrase literally true, an affectionate exaggeration, a metaphor, a joke, a double-entendre, etc.

3. Will this sentence be written or spoken? There are two questions here:

- A. Do you want the translation in standard written Arabic, suitable for a formal style, or in the vernacular? If you want it in the vernacular, what is your target dialect: Moroccan? Sudanese? Yemeni? Iraqi?

- B. Do you want the translation written out in Arabic script, or do you want it in Latin script because you just want to know how it is pronounced? Or do you need both?

4. What is the social context? Will this be privately communicated to one individual in a casual manner, or will this be part of a literary or artistic work addressed to the general public? This will, for instance, rule out (or rule in) high literary expressions.

I hope that one of the suggestions provided will fit your context, and that you have a sure way of identifying it.


Fuad