The Merits of Studying Arabic
The Arabic language is one of the most influential languages in world history. Originating in the Arabian
Peninsula and first attested in written form in the 4th century CE,1 Arabic belongs to the Semitic
language family and is related to Amharic, Aramaic, and Hebrew. The Arabic language has
approximately 300 million native speakers and 420 million total speakers,2 which ranks fifth among all
world languages.3 Moreover, it serves as an/the official language in 26 nations (predominantly in the
Middle East and North Africa) and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.4
Arabic is also the liturgical language of the religion of Islam, and thus it holds extreme significance for
some 1.6 billion Muslims throughout the world.5 The Quran, the holy book of the Islamic faith, was
written in a form of the language known as Classical Arabic, and its script and grammar serve as the
backbone of Modern Standard Arabic. This formal version of the language is used throughout the Arab
world in education, business, government, news broadcasts, newspapers, and literature. There are
numerous distinct dialects of the Arabic language spoken throughout the Middle East and North Africa,
but Modern Standard Arabic serves as a sort of lingua franca among the Arabic-speaking peoples.6
Modern Standard Arabic and the regional dialects in Arabic-speaking countries exist in a linguistic state
known as diglossia (meaning "speaking in two tongues"). As the linguist Andrew Freeman explains,
"diglossic speech communities have a High variety that is very prestigious and a Low variety with no
official status which are in complementary distribution with each other; for instance, the High variety
might be used for literary discourse and the Low variety for ordinary conversation." 7 Modern Standard
Arabic is "the High variety" of the language, and it serves as an official language in most of the countries
of the Middle East and North Africa. As students learn Modern Standard Arabic, they also become wellprepared to learn the unique vocabulary and grammar structures that are immanent in the colloquial
dialects of the Arabic language.
1
James A. Bellamy, "A New Reading of the Namārah Inscription,"Journal of the American Oriental Society 105
(January 1985): 31–51.
2
UNESCO, World Arabic Language, http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-andcelebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-arabic-language-day/, (11 June 2014).
3
Nationalencyklopedin , Världens 100 största språk 2010 [The world's 100 largest languages in 2010],
http://www.ne.se/spr%C3%A5k/v%C3%A4rldens-100-st%C3%B6rsta-spr%C3%A5k-2010, (11 June 2014).
4
The United Nations, UN Official Languages, http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/languages.shtml, (11 June 2014).
5
Pew Research Center, The Future of the Global Muslim Population, http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/thefuture-of-the-global-muslim-population/, (11 June 2014).
6
Nizar Y. Habash, Introduction to Arabic Natural Language Processing, (San Rafael: Morgan & Claypool Publishers,
2010), 2-3.
7
Andrew Freeman, Andrew Freeman's Perspectives on Arabic
Diglossia,http://www.innerbrat.org/Andyf/Articles/Diglossia/digl_96.htm, (11 June 2014).
Why should students consider studying Arabic? A few compelling reasons are outlined below:
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Arabic ranks fifth among world languages in its number of native speakers. In addition to this,
there are millions more throughout the world who speak Arabic as a second language. 3
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There is a high demand (but low supply) of Arabic speakers in the West. Given the extreme
importance of the Middle East in international politics and trade, there will be abundant
opportunities for American speakers of the Arabic language. The ability to speak Arabic can
provide students with unparalleled opportunities in a great variety of potential careers, such as
international business, finance, energy and natural resources, language interpretation,
diplomacy and foreign service, military affairs, and intelligence work.8
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Arabic-speaking peoples have made vital contributions to world history. While Europe was
mired in the period of relative intellectual stagnation know as "the Dark Ages," Arab-Islamic
civilization was thriving in the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. A great deal of learning
from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine cultures was preserved by Arab scholars throughout the
centuries. Moreover, Arab scholars have made innumerable significant contributions of their
own to world civilization in the areas of science, mathematics (algorithm, algebra, and zero are
all words of Arabic origin), medicine, literature, and philosophy.9 Knowledge of the Arabic
language will allow for the exploration of this material in the native language of its authors.
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The study of Arabic will introduce students to an incredibly rich culture distinguished by its
unique literature, art, music, cuisine, and way of life. The student will gain insight into some of
the values central to the Arabic worldview, such as honor, dignity, faith, and hospitality. This
will serve as a fascinating encounter for the student, especially when one considers the limited
familiarity most Americans have with the culture of the Arab world.
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The study of Arabic will promote an increased comprehension of and appreciation for a
society which is often misunderstood. Many depictions of the Arab-speaking world in
American film, television, and news reports tend to be superficial, stereotypical, and sometimes
even false. Students of the Arabic language will acquire a more accurate understanding of the
culture, politics, and religion of the Arab-speaking nations; in doing so, they will develop an
appreciation for the complex, fascinating societies of the Arab-speaking world and will be better
prepared to assist others in developing a deeper cultural understanding.
The University of Texas Arlington, Why Study Arabic? ,http://www.uta.edu/modl/arabic/why.html, (11 June
2014).
9
Vartan Gregorian, Islam: A Mosaic, Not a Monolith, (Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2003), 26–38.