xellug

Uncertain. Seemingly from Maghrebi Arabic ⁧شَلُوق⁩ (šalūq, “southeastern wind, scirocco”), whence also—perhaps through Romance influence—Maltese xlokk (“scirocco”). The Arabic word itself is said to be of Berber origin and this may explain the final -g (as there does not appear to be any case of Arabic q becoming g in Maltese). The sense “left” then from “east” as the left side when facing the sun at noon. Here the question poses itself whether there is any relation between ⁧شَلُوق⁩ (šalūq) and native Arabic ⁧شَرْق⁩ (šarq, “east”). Furthermore it must be noted that Arabic has ⁧شِمال⁩ (šimāl, “left”) from ⁧شَمال⁩ (šamāl, “north”), thus based on the position at sunrise rather than noon.

• IPA^(key): /ʃɛlˈluːk/

xellug m

1. left side, the left

   Antonym: lemin