The further from the present, the greater the uncertainty, thus the greater the need for an elastic interpretation and tolerance. If bukra contains an aspect of temporal complacency, ma'alesh can best be viewed as a normative complacency which very often includes or functions within a temporal framework. Here the sensitivity factor enters in, and the ability to understand what an individual from another culture expects is of tremendous import. Westerners often complain about the ma alesh factor without considering that they are equally guilty of not fulfilling host expectations of their, the Westerners, actions. What is needed, then, is a sense of cross-cultural empathy which can only be cultivated over time.
Tolerance is the key word.
If the expression is thought of in a grammatical sense, the secularized Westerner will be less likely to feel uncomfortable in certain situations. These will also be of some use for students who want to translate the expression more fully, i.e. maintaining a certain degree of dubiety or unfulfilled anticipation. Chudwa, ghadan and other regional expressions and variations are widespread throughout the Arab world. 12 Hall, op. cit., p. 224. The postponement was occasioned by Prime Minister Jallud s unexpected flight to investigate the coup which had occurred in neighboring Niger with which Libya had recently signed a military pact.