ليلى عند الطبيب تتحدث عن مشكلتها مع زوجها

What does “جوز” (gōz) mean in Egyptian Arabic?

In Egypt, “my husband” is جوزي (gōzi). It’s the Standard Arabic زوج (zawj) with its first and last consonants swapped, a flip linguists call metathesis. Both mean husband, but day to day Egyptians say gōz and leave zawj for forms and the news. Gōz also means “a pair”: جوز جزمة is a pair of shoes.

Leila introduces herself at the doctor’s in short, clear sentences: اسمي ليلى (“my name is Leila”), عندي ٢٨ سنة (“I’m 28”), أنا متجوّزة (“I’m married”, from the same flipped root), ساكنة في مدينة نصر (“I live in Nasr City”), بشتغل مدرّسة (“I work as a teacher”). Then the reason for the visit: عندي مشكلة مع جوزي, “I have a problem with my husband.”