difer
Maltese
Etymology
From Arabic ظُفْر (ẓufr). The unexpected imala may be connected to an irregular development in some roots with final /r/, compare deher and sider.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdɪ.fɛr/
Usage notes
- Difer and saba’ (“finger, toe”) are the only non-paired body parts in which the original dual is used with a plural sense. With difer, the dual is the normal choice, whereas the form dwiefer most often implies long or false nails. Only in very restricted contexts can the dual form still mean “two nails”. Only the dual form is possible with personal suffixes.
Inflection
| Inflected forms | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal-pronoun- including forms |
singular | plural | |
| m | f | ||
| 1st person | difri | difirna | |
| 2nd person | difrek | difirkom | |
| 3rd person | difru | difirha | difirhom |
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