Speaking Arabic
Feb 11th 2007, 5:54 am
#1
Bored liberal
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Speaking Arabic
I'm curious to know how many people (Brits esp) have taken time to learn Arabic, even if just for conversational purposes, i.e. not the written language. If you have, is it useful, or would you get more value out of say, tagalog or thai?
Feb 11th 2007, 9:15 am
#2
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Feb 11th 2007, 9:16 am
#3
Soupy twist
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,271
Re: Speaking Arabic
I had a month or so of Arabic lessons with my previous employer, but didn't really learn all that much spoken Arabic apart from counting to ten, the days of the week and being able to say things like "My house is not far away" and ask people what they want to drink 
I'm currently trying to make an effort to get back into speaking the language to at least a basic level, but part of the problem is that just about every Arabic language course teaches classical Arabic, which is understood throughout the Arab world but which virtually nobody speaks in everyday life - everyone speaks the colloquial Arabic of whatever country they come from, and if you speak classical Arabic to them they're likely to find it amusing because it's so flowery and formal... in that respect, colloquial Arabic is a bit like modern English, and classical Arabic is like Shakespearean English.
FWIW, I can read Arabic script and pronounce it reasonably correctly, although I don't understand 99% of what I'm saying. I'd recommend anyone to learn to read Arabic; it's actually much easier than many people seem to think, and there's a real sense of achievement in being able to read signs and things like that. It also impresses the hell out of Middle Easterners, because they don't expect Western expats to know anything about it
I'm currently trying to make an effort to get back into speaking the language to at least a basic level, but part of the problem is that just about every Arabic language course teaches classical Arabic, which is understood throughout the Arab world but which virtually nobody speaks in everyday life - everyone speaks the colloquial Arabic of whatever country they come from, and if you speak classical Arabic to them they're likely to find it amusing because it's so flowery and formal... in that respect, colloquial Arabic is a bit like modern English, and classical Arabic is like Shakespearean English.
FWIW, I can read Arabic script and pronounce it reasonably correctly, although I don't understand 99% of what I'm saying. I'd recommend anyone to learn to read Arabic; it's actually much easier than many people seem to think, and there's a real sense of achievement in being able to read signs and things like that. It also impresses the hell out of Middle Easterners, because they don't expect Western expats to know anything about it
Last edited by Eeyore; Feb 11th 2007 at 9:18 am.
Feb 11th 2007, 9:36 am
#4
Bored liberal
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Re: Speaking Arabic
Very helpful!
Aiza ta'mili hagat wiskha ma'aya?
Feb 11th 2007, 10:00 am
#6
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Re: Speaking Arabic
Badi lahsak manbat sha'er baidi
Feb 11th 2007, 10:06 am
#8
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Feb 11th 2007, 10:29 am
#10
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Feb 11th 2007, 10:33 am
#11
**** it we'll do it live
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Re: Speaking Arabic
Not that i recommend it or condone it but just for informational purposes one could in theory look here if they were so inclined
http://www.torrentspy.com/torrent/24...Eastern_Arabic
http://www.torrentspy.com/torrent/98...uaphone_Arabic
http://www.bittorrent.com/detail.htm...arabic&index=0
http://www.torrentspy.com/torrent/24...Eastern_Arabic
http://www.torrentspy.com/torrent/98...uaphone_Arabic
http://www.bittorrent.com/detail.htm...arabic&index=0
Feb 11th 2007, 10:59 am
#12
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Re: Speaking Arabic
I learned a bit of arabic when I arrived but it has gradually got worse. But I've just started to take it seriously again.
I'm also learning to read and write.
It's not until you learn a bit of arabic that you realise quite how unoriginal the naming conventions of towns, areas etc are in the UAE.
I'm also learning to read and write.
It's not until you learn a bit of arabic that you realise quite how unoriginal the naming conventions of towns, areas etc are in the UAE.
Feb 11th 2007, 11:43 am
#13
Excess Baggage
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Re: Speaking Arabic
I learned a bit of arabic when I arrived but it has gradually got worse. But I've just started to take it seriously again.
I'm also learning to read and write.
It's not until you learn a bit of arabic that you realise quite how unoriginal the naming conventions of towns, areas etc are in the UAE.
I'm also learning to read and write.
It's not until you learn a bit of arabic that you realise quite how unoriginal the naming conventions of towns, areas etc are in the UAE.
Taipei = City in the North
Tainan = City in the South
Taichung = City in the East
Tiachi = not sure about that one.
Feb 11th 2007, 11:52 am
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Speaking Arabic
Just as bad:
Ras Al Khor = head of the creek
Company names:
Emaar = construction
tamweel = mortgage
you get the idea.
Ras Al Khor = head of the creek
Company names:
Emaar = construction
tamweel = mortgage
you get the idea.