Word
أوضح المخطط البياني أن سدس السكان أطفال.
Meaning
The chart clarified that a sixth of the population are children.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of أوضح المخطط البياني أن سدس السكان أطفال.
الal
the
طفلtifl
child
أنanna
that (conjunction)
ساكنsâkin
resident / living
Questions & Answers about أوضح المخطط البياني أن سدس السكان أطفال.
How is the word for "a sixth" formed here, and what is its plural?
The word is سدس (sudus). It follows the فُعْل (fu'l) pattern, which is the standard way to create fractions from one-fifth to one-tenth. It derives from the root for "six", س د س (s-d-s), just like the number ستة (sitta). If the chart showed "two sixths" or more, you would use the plural pattern أفعال (af'al) to get أسداس (asdas).
Why does the fraction سدس (sudus) end with a fatha (accusative case) in this sentence?
It is in the accusative case (mansub) and takes a fatha—pronounced سدسَ (sudusa)—because it is the subject of the particle أن (anna, meaning "that"). Remember that أن and its "sisters" always force the noun immediately following them into the accusative case.
Why isn't there an Arabic word for "of" in the phrase "a sixth of the population"?
Arabic typically expresses "a fraction of something" using an Idafa (possessive construction), rather than using a preposition like من (min). In the phrase سدس السكان (sudusa s-sukkān), the fraction acts as the first part of the Idafa, meaning it drops any "al-" or nunation (tanwin), and the following word, السكان (the population), takes the genitive case (majrur).
What is the literal breakdown of the term المخطط البياني (the chart)?
The word مخطط (mukhaṭṭaṭ) means a "layout", "plan", or "diagram". بياني (bayānī) is an adjective meaning "graphic" or "explanatory" (from the root for clarity or statement). Together, they form the standard phrase for "chart" or "graph".