A camel’s walking pace, Taraqa. Trot (camel), Tabbaq. Canter (camel), Qarrab. Gallop (camel), Ghar. Balk (camel), Harran. Couch a camel, Nazzal. Cameleer’s command to couch (Kordofan), Kh-Kh-Kh. Cameleer’s command to couch (Darfur), Sh-Sh-Sh.
-taken from Sudan Arabic, Hillelson, and personal experience
I suppose that a beginning rider is better off knowing how to couch than to rouse his camel. And to walk and trot before he canters and gallops. But I was always amazed when we crossed trails with a Darfuri dabouka and its men susurrated their mounts. I wished mine took its orders to couch itself in the same manner, being sh-sh-sh’d instead of kh-kh-kh’d to the ground, a veritable camel’s Tower of Babel, to say nothing about the conversation that ensued around the tea fire between the Americans and the Fur drovers, with KhairAllah performing the cultural translation. Ismak kareem, What is your generous name? I would ask them. Who are they? they would ask KhairAllah, glancing at us. Slowly the answers emerged, while the camels waited patiently to resume the trail at a walk.