Introduction
Arabic is usually ranked
among the top six of the world's major languages. As the
language of the
Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, it is also widely used throughout the Muslim world. It
belongs to the Semitic group of languages which also includes Hebrew and Amharic, the main
language of Ethiopia.
There are many Arabic dialects.
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Classical Arabic – the language of the Qur'an –
was originally the dialect of Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia.
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An adapted form of this,
known as Modern Standard Arabic, is used in
books, newspapers, on television and radio, in the mosques, and in conversation between
educated Arabs from different countries (for example at international conferences).
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Local dialects vary
considerably, and a
Moroccan might have difficulty understanding an Iraqi, even though they speak the same
language.
Arabic is not the only language spoken in
Arab countries. The two main minority languages. Several
varieties of Amazigh
are used by the Berbers
of North Africa, while Kurdish
is spoken in parts of Iraq and Syria.
Arabic's exact position in the league
table of world languages varies according to the methodology
used.
The linguists' website, Ethnologue, places
it fourth
in terms of the numbers of people who use it as their first
language. Other
rankings have placed Arabic anywhere between third and
seventh.
One of the difficulties is that it is
almost impossible to compile accurate data. There are also
debates among linguists about how to define
"speakers" of a language, and speakers of
"Arabic" in particular. Many Arabs, for example, are
not proficient in Modern Standard Arabic. The complexities are
discussed further in an
article by George Weber.
Next:
Is Arabic difficult to learn?
Street Arabic
Some words and phrases that should not be used in polite
company, from The Alternative Arabic Dictionary. Two versions, here
(PDF) and here.
Arabic personal names
The components of names - abu, ibn, etc. How they are used and what they mean.
Names of Arabic origin
Arabic place names in Spain, Portugal and the Americas.
Arabic
Language Academy
The idea of maintaining linguistic standards, through an Arab equivalent of
the French Academy, has been around since the 19th century.
Report by ArabicNews.
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