The interjections are called by the Arabs sounds or tones. Some of those most commonly in use are: ah, oh, ah!, alas!, woe!, ho!, up!, come!, stop!, hush!, silence!, lo!, bravo!, fie!, come here!, far away!, bring here!
-from The Interjections, Wright’s Grammar of the Arabic Language
Around the campfire, I never once interjected into KhairAllah’s camel story recitations with an Ah or a more emphatic Ah!, which in Wright’s Arabic would have sounded like Aa and Awwah. But the Arabic of the Semitic heartland is spoken a long way from Dar al-Kababish, and if KhairAllah had heard me interject with a Waahan! or Aahan!, he would have thought it just more khawaja babble. On the other hand, Stop!, Alas!, and Hush! he may have heard from any one of his drovers because when tired and cranky on the trail that is how we all felt. Woe is me!, Fie on you!, Far Away is Egypt!, said we. Shut Up and Ride!, said he, in the imperative.