Interesting Facts About Arabic Language

Arabic is one of the most in demand language across the globe. Here are some of the most interesting facts about Arabic language!

1. One of the most read language

Arabic is the language of the Quran and most Muslims can read the language to an extent. Arabic is the liturgical language of 1.7 billion Muslims and is spoken by more than a 400 million people from around the globe. Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world and is the official language of 26 countries! It is also one of the six official languages recognized by the United Nations.

2. All Arabic Words come from a root word

The Arabic words follow a system where a root word is manipulated to convey a range of different meanings. So the same root word k-t-b meaning write can be manipulated to Aktubu meaning ‘I write’, Taktubu meaning ‘You write’, Kaatib meaning ‘writer’, Maktoob meaning ‘written’, Maktaba meaning ‘library’. The grammatical rules dictate the change in meaning and the language becomes very easy once you understand the structure, and get used to it!

3. Arabic Script follows an abjad

In contrast to the English script, the Arabic alphabet or Arabic abjad is written from right to left and has 28 letters. Unlike English though, the Arabic letters are written differently depending on where there position in the word is – initial, medial or final. So, you would need to learn the letters and also learn how the shape changes in different parts of the word in order to read Arabic.

4. There are two Arabic (at least)

Most languages change over a period of time, and most people can’t even read something that was written a few centuries ago. Most languages also have a formal and informal language that is used depending on the situation. When it comes to Arabic, it also has two versions – The classical Arabic that has remain unchanged for at least 1500 years, and the Modern Arabic that is very different from the classical Arabic. The classical Arabic is the language of the Quran, while the modern Arabic is the language that is used in official documents, books, newspapers and Television news. But even the Modern Arabic is not used in daily life situations and various dialects are spoken by the people. For a new speaker, each dialect would sound too different, and in some cases someone who has learned the classical or Modern Arabic would not be able to understand a word of the local dialects!

5. Egyptian Movie and Television Industry

If you are wondering about the most appropriate dialect you should learn to communicate with the rest of the world, the the Egyptian dialect is one of the most commonly understood dialect in the Arab World. Egypt is the most populous Arab country, and produces three quarters of the Films in the Arab World. Its Television industry coupled with the popularity of its Films in the Arab world makes it one of the most understood dialect of the Arab World! If you are thinking of learning Arabic, then you can learn the Egyptian dialect, the Classical Arabic or the Modern Standard Arabic at SAIOI. I hope you liked the interesting facts about Arabic.