Where does “مال” come from?

مال (South Levantine Arabic) comes from South Levantine Arabic ما, from Arabic مَا — that; not; what.

مال (South Levantine Arabic): what's up with, what's wrong with

Definitions

  1. what's up with, what's wrong with

Ancestry of “مال”, step by step

مال traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via South Levantine Arabic ما

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1South Levantine Arabicماdon't, didn't used to negate a verbal phrase
2Arabicمَاthat; not; what

via South Levantine Arabic لـ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1South Levantine Arabicلـ
Every word from Arabic مَاEvery word from South Levantine Arabic ما