Learning Arabic

1. Why learning Arabic is important?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrhOmQdBJ74

2. Arabic is...
One of the six official languages of the UN.
Spoken by some 250 million people.
The principal language in 22 countries in
Africa and the Middle East...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R14aXK
H81PI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R14aXK
H81PI Alex

3. …the Language of the
League of Arab States
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL-Bn8aNIVU

4. Arabic is ranked #4 among the most
widely spoken languages in the world.
• Chinese Mandarin 885 million
• Spanish 332
• English 322
• Arabic 235
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vf_Y_o1p3I

5. By 2050, Arabic speakers could
outnumber those in English worldwide!

6. …the Language of Islam
Arabic is the language of Scripture
and prayer for 1.2 billion Muslims
worldwide.
That includes approximately six
million Muslims in the US!

7. …a Language for Christians
Arabic is also the language of Scripture and prayer
for some 30 million Christians in Africa and the
Middle East.

8. …for Arab-Americans
Arabic is the mother tongue of some
three million people of Arab origin living
in the US.

9. …the fastest-growing spoken language of
study at U.S. colleges and universities.

10. A survey of the Modern Language
Association indicated that the number
of students studying Arabic at U.S.
colleges climbed 92.3% - to 10,584 –
between 1998 and 2002. The number
of undergraduate campuses teaching
Arabic jumped 48%, to 233.

11. Arabic Literature
There is a vast
body of Arabic
literature, both
secular and
sacred.

12. In 1988, Egypt’s
Naguib Mahfouz
became the first
Arab-language
author to win the
Nobel Prize for
Literature.

13. Business Interests & International Trade
According to the International Trade
Commission, in 2007 US exports to the
Middle East & North Africa World reached
$55.6 billion!
And US imports reached $102 billion!

14. International Affairs
Diplomatic
relations with
the Arab world
are an
important
aspect of US
foreign policy.

15. From Arabic to Spanish
Arabic words have made their way into
many European languages.
Some 4,000 words in Spanish, mostly
nouns, were borrowed from Arabic
• Aceite, Alfombra, Algodon, Arroz, etc.

16. From Arabic to Spanish to English
From Spanish, many Arabic words passed
into other languages, including English:
• admiral, alcohol, algebra, algorithm, almanac
• candy, chemistry, coffee, cotton, crimson
• magazine, mascara, mattress, mocha
• safari, sequin, sherbet, sofa, syrup
• zenith and zero

17. Arabic Script ‫خ‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ث‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ب‬ ‫أ‬
A number of other languages use or have
used a version of the Arabic script.
These include:
• Persian or Farsi (Iran)
• Pashto (Afghanistan, Iran, India)
• Urdu (India & Pakistan)
• Formerly Turkish

18. The Classification &
History of Arabic

19. The Classification of Arabic
Arabic is a Semitic language
It is related to languages such as:
Akkadian (ancient Mesopotamian language)
Hebrew & Aramaic
Ethiopic

20. Semitic Languages

21. Map of
Semitic
Languages

22. The History of Arabic ‫العربية‬ ‫تاريخ‬
Evidence for written Arabic before the
advent of Islam is quite limited.
The first inscription in a language
recognized as Arabic dates from 328 CE.
Arabic script is probably derived from a
cursive form of Nabataean, which is itself
derived from Aramaic.

23. The Origins of
Arabic Script

24. Some Basic Features of Arabic
An alphabet of 28 letters
Written from right to left
Three long & three short vowels (a, i, u)
Short vowels are not normally written
except in:
The Qur’an, Bible, children’s books,
dictionaries, etc.

25. Root and pattern system ‫درس‬
Most verbs and nouns are derived from
a 3-letter root
For example from the root D R S come:
• Darasa to study
• Darrasa to teach
• Dars lesson, class
• Madrasa school
• Mudarris teacher

26. Varieties of Arabic
Classical, Modern Standard & Colloquial

27. Diglossia
Modern Arabic is characterized by what is
called diglossia.
This means that modern Arabic virtually
comprises two languages:
Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial Arabic.

28. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)
Modern Standard Arabic (“fus-Ha”) is derived
from Classical Arabic and was developed in
the late 19th-early 20th centuries:
To guard the integrity of the Arabic language and
preserve it from foreign influences
To adapt the Arabic language to the needs of
modern times, especially to express modern
political ideas and technological terms
To unite the Arab world under a common
language

29. Modern Standard
Arabic ‫الفصحى‬
MSA is used for:
Print & electronic media
Formal speeches
TV and radio news

30. Colloquial Arabic (CA) ‫العامية‬
CA is the first language of Arabic-speakers.
It’s the everyday dialect.
CA is the ONLY language for many people.

31. Colloquial Arabic “is the mother
tongue of the Arab & remains
throughout his life the primary
medium of interpersonal
relationships.”
-Mary Catherine Bateson,
Arabic Language Handbook (2003)

32. Colloquial Arabic
There are over 30 varieties of CA in 5 groups:
North African (Morocco-Libya)
Egyptian (Egypt & the Sudan)
Levantine (Palestine, Leb., Syr. & Jordan)
Arabian (Saudi Arabia & the Gulf States)
Iraqi

33. They vary tremendously in grammar,
vocabulary & pronunciation, even within
a single country!

34. “How are you?”
In Syria, someone may ask: shlonak?
In Egypt, you will hear: izzayak?
In Morocco: kee deir?

35. Differences may be so great, speakers
from two different Arab countries may
have to resort to MSA or another
language (usually English or French) in
order to communicate.

36. “There can be no doubt that those who
want to have a real command of the
Arabic language in all situations need to
master both varieties.”
– Woidich, Kulla Tamam! (2004)

37. To introduce students to MSA for:
Reading
• signs, books, newspapers, etc.
Writing
• correspondence, completing forms, etc.
Speaking & Listening
• Formal addresses, news broadcasts, etc.

38. Introduce students to Colloquial Arabic
for:
everyday communication & conversation

39. But which colloquial?
Primarily Egyptian Colloquial
Why?
It’s the most widely understood Colloquial
Arabic due to Egyptian TV and movies
broadcast throughout the Arab world.

40. It’s time to begin your journey to the
Arabic-speaking world!

41. Or as we say in Arabic...
Ahlan wa sahlan
“WELCOME!”

42. Stereotypes
“of all the ethnic groups portrayed in Hollywood films, Arab culture
has been the most misunderstood and supplied with the worst
stereotypes":
Scott J. Simon

43. 1-The three B syndrome
Billionaires, bombers, and belly dancers
Perpetuating movies
Iron Eagle( 1986)
Death before dishonor( 1987)
Patriot Games (1982)
Excutive Decision( 1996)
Black Hawk Down (2001)

44. Real Picture
Very few Arabs are rich
Arabs are peace talkers
Belly dancers are only found in one street in Cairo

45. Stereotype -2
Arabs are illiterates

46. Real Picture
51 university in Egypt, 150,000 students.
5 Nobel prizes awarded to Egyptian universities graduates.
there are more than 35,000 researchers of which 31.7% are PhD
holders.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Egyptian_universities
http://www.bibalex.org/cssp/researchs/index.htm

47. Stereotype -3
Arabs live in the middle ages

48. Real Picture
The world's tallest structure is the

49. Real Picture
Dubai sports city

50. Real Picture

51. Real Picture
Saudi arabia

52. Real Picture
Saudi arabia

53. Real Picture
Tunisia

54. Real Picture
Doha, Qatar

55. Real Picture
Qatar

56. Real Picture
Alexandria,Egypt

57. Real Picture
Alexandria,Egypt

58. Real Picture
Cairo, Egypt

59. Questions
? ? ?