LessonsʿAmr ibn Kulthūm: Address to Abā Hind, Tribal Pride and the Mill of War (Verses 23–38)Quiz

The lexical field of hosting is repeated through verses 32–33, but the item supposedly served is an inedible, crushing stone. The incongruity creates verbal irony.

ExpressionLiteral senseContextual effect
الأَضْيَافGuestsAddresses adversaries as guests
القِرَىHospitality/foodCalls a blow a gift
قَرَيْنَاكُمْWe hosted youRepeats the mock courtesy
مِرْدَاةً طَحُونًاA grinding stoneReveals the attack

The root used here for hosting should not be conflated with the root of reading or recitation simply because some transliterations look similar.

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Hospitality words used in martial irony

ʿAmr ibn Kulthūm: Address to Abā Hind, Tribal Pride and the Mill of War (Verses 23–38)

The lexical field of hosting is repeated through verses 32–33, but the item supposedly served is an inedible, crushing stone. The incongruity creates verbal irony.

ExpressionLiteral senseContextual effect
الأَضْيَافGuestsAddresses adversaries as guests
القِرَىHospitality/foodCalls a blow a gift
قَرَيْنَاكُمْWe hosted youRepeats the mock courtesy
مِرْدَاةً طَحُونًاA grinding stoneReveals the attack

The root used here for hosting should not be conflated with the root of reading or recitation simply because some transliterations look similar.