W10

amazingly.

etisalat means 'calls'
wasel (as in wasel card) means 'communicate'

and of course we all know

burj means tower, so the names burj dubai, burj al arab, and now stunningly 'Al Burj' must have taken countless committees, focus groups and millions of dirhams.

Autonomy

so if one were so inclined - which of these would be most useful to learn with?

We had 2 lessons - didn't seem as hard tp learn as I feared, but gave up due to being terminally lazy. Need to rememdy that trait...

So - any thoughts on the best as everyone seems to indicate classical arabic is not the way to go...

uk4uae

OK IMHO, Classic Arabic is not the way for me, I can speak fluently "local" arabic but when it comes to classic I dont have a clue, Imagine my DD fails in Arabic at school as they teach classic and she has no idea, if only they would test her on "local" we would be laughing.

uk4uae

PS - jammy where did you learn your Arabic ???? its a little off track to be honest

Jammy_Dodgers

Have lived in the region on and off for years, Saudi,Bahrain,here.

I take it that being married to a local that you speak arabic quite well.

Is there a big difference orally between classical and local ??

W10

There's a big difference between classical arabic and every other dialect!!

Jammy_Dodgers

have you learnt much arabic W10??

uk4uae

Yup being married to a local helps although it is a bit mixed up as some speak Saudi arabic, others local and the other bit Ajami so it is hard but yes I do speak Arabic fluently.

Orally classic I find is difficult - local is more CH on the beginning rather than K, basicly it is softer

W10

Not as much as I should. I was getting quite good but then I let it slip and a lot of it has gone. Back on track now (Learning levantine) and giving reading and writing a crack now.

Ana etaalam...

Ana ehke bas schwey, ana efham ahktar

Jammy_Dodgers

Thats the lebanese dialect yes ??

uk4uae

He speaks little but understands a lot !

EEEEK I hate Lebanese Arabic

W10

It's one of the easier ones to learn.

It also has the best swearing.

uk4uae

Nah I can beat you hands down on that one in both local and ajami

W10

I am your humble student.

But in favour of Lebanese - any language in which the opening insults are all based around people's mothers, sisters, prostitutes, asses, spitting and ****ing thereof...has to have something going for it, no?

julieaddison

Hi all moving out in August and hunny and I both would like to learn how to speak Arabic, hubby braver he wants to read and write.. My son speaks fluent Spanish and has said due to our age we would find it extremelly difficult. What do you all think? Julie