Ġaħan

Maltese

Etymology

From Arabic جُحَا (juḥā). The final -n is probably paragogic. Cognate with Sicilian Giufà.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒa.ħan/

Proper noun

Ġaħan m

  1. (folklore) A character in Maltese folktales, a “wise fool”, equivalent to the Arabic Joha, Ladino Djoha and Sicilian Giufà, similar also to the Turko-Persian Molla Nasreddin, the Jewish Hershel of Ostropol, the German Till Eulenspiegel, etc.

Derived terms

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