jadval

Jadval is a term meaning “table” or “chart” in several languages that use the Arabic script, including Persian (Farsi), Urdu, and Arabic. The word is written as جدول in Arabic script and transliterated as jadval or jadwal in Latin script.

Etymology and usage: The term derives from the Arabic root associated with arranging items in rows and columns, and it has broadened to cover various tabulated forms. In Persian and Urdu, jadval encompasses data tables, mathematical grids, schedules, and timetables. It is commonly used for both printed tables and calendar-like schedules in everyday and academic contexts.

Examples: In Persian, the periodic table is called jadval-e tanavobi (جدول تناوبی). In Urdu, the periodic table is often referred to as jadwal-e tanavobi or simply jadwal. Beyond data tables, jadval appears in contexts such as charts, lists, and other tabulated compilations within these languages.

Regional usage and variants: Spelling and usage vary by language and region. In Malay and Indonesian, the word for schedule is jadwal, a closely related form with the same root. Turkish uses cedvel to mean table or chart, reflecting a cognate lineage in the broader Turkic and Islamic linguistic sphere.

Current usage: Today, jadval remains a common term in Persian- and Urdu-speaking communities for both data tables and schedules. In English or other Western languages, it appears mainly as a loanword when referring to these languages or discussing their terminology, rather than as a standard native term.