The ARABIC Language (Its Amazing History and Features)

Summary

In this video, Paul from the Lang Focus channel delves into the complexities of the Arabic language. He explains its various forms, including Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and regional dialects. Paul discusses the history, phonology, script, and unique root-and-template system of Arabic. He also highlights the diglossia in Arabic-speaking communities and provides insights on learning Modern Standard Arabic versus dialects. The video aims to help viewers understand and appreciate the intricacies of Arabic, encouraging engagement and discussion about the best form to learn.

Takeaways

• 😀 Arabic is the fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with 293 million native speakers and 422 million speakers in total.
• 😀 Arabic is an official language in 26 countries and one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
• 😀 The language of the Quran, Arabic is also the liturgical language for 1.7 billion Muslims globally.
• 😀 Arabic has many varieties, including Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), and various regional dialects.
• 😀 Classical Arabic is considered by many to be the purest form of Arabic, while MSA is used in modern books, media, and formal situations.
• 😀 Arabic dialects, known as 'Amiya', vary significantly by region and are used in everyday speech.
• 😀 The Arabic script is written from right to left, with letters that change form based on their position in a word.
• 😀 Arabic phonology includes sounds that are challenging for speakers of many other languages, such as emphatic consonants and uvular sounds.
• 😀 Arabic morphology relies on root and template systems, where words are constructed from three or four root letters.
• 😀 Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and regional dialects exhibit diglossia, where MSA is used for formal contexts and dialects for everyday conversation.
• 😀 The Arabic script developed from the Nabataean script, influenced by Aramaic.
• 😀 Learning Modern Standard Arabic can help learners understand various dialects and registers of speech, even if they focus on a specific dialect for communication.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is the Arabic language, its varieties, history, and linguistic features.

How many native speakers of Arabic are there in the world?

There are 293 million native speakers of Arabic in the world.

What are the two main varieties of Arabic mentioned in the video?

The two main varieties of Arabic mentioned are Classical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic.

What is Modern Standard Arabic used for?

Modern Standard Arabic is used for books, media, education, and formal situations.

What is the significance of the Quran in the Arabic language?

The Quran is significant in the Arabic language as it is written in Classical Arabic, which is considered the most perfect form of the language, and serves as the liturgical language for 1.7 billion Muslims worldwide.

What is diglossia in the context of the Arabic language?

Diglossia refers to the use of two distinctly different forms of the Arabic language in parallel for different purposes: Modern Standard Arabic for formal and written communication and colloquial dialects for everyday conversation.

What are some historical influences on different Arabic dialects?

Different Arabic dialects have been influenced by local languages in areas they were spoken, such as Aramaic in the Levant and Mesopotamia, Berber in the Maghreb, and Coptic in Egypt.

How does the Arabic script indicate short vowels?

Short vowels in Arabic are generally not written, but can be indicated using diacritic markings called harakat in important texts like the Quran, poetry, or children's materials.

What are the three cases in Arabic grammar?

The three cases in Arabic grammar are nominative, genitive, and accusative.

What is a root and template system in Arabic morphology?

The root and template system in Arabic morphology involves constructing words from three or four-letter roots inserted into templates with fixed vowel patterns and structural consonants, which help to determine the word's meaning and grammatical category.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Arabic Language

Paul from Lang Focus introduces a video about the Arabic language, detailing its significance, varieties, and historical development. He explains that Arabic is spoken by 293 million native speakers and is an official language in 26 countries. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations and the liturgical language for 1.7 billion Muslims. The video explores the differences between classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and local dialects, highlighting the historical roots and evolution of the language.

05:04

🗣 Evolution of Neo-Arabic Dialects

Paul discusses the emergence of neo-Arabic dialects in the Arab Empire, influenced by pre-Islamic Arabic dialects and local languages. These dialects, influenced by languages like Aramaic, Berber, and Coptic, evolved into modern colloquial dialects. Middle Arabic texts, featuring elements of both classical and colloquial Arabic, show the blending of these influences. The video also touches on language reforms in the early 20th century, leading to Modern Standard Arabic, used for formal and written communication.

10:04

📜 Features of Arabic Script and Phonology

The video delves into the unique features of Arabic script and phonology. Arabic is written from right to left and consists of letters that often join together. The script is an abjad, where each letter represents a consonant, and short vowels are typically not written. Paul explains how diacritic marks can indicate vowel sounds and introduces some challenging consonant sounds in Arabic, such as emphatic consonants. He also discusses the use of vowel patterns and the importance of the script in maintaining the language's pronunciation and meaning.

15:07

🔤 Arabic Morphology and Syntax

Paul explains the morphology and syntax of Arabic, highlighting its root and template system. Arabic words are constructed from three-letter roots inserted into templates with fixed vowel patterns, which help convey meaning and grammatical information. He provides examples of how roots and templates work together to form nouns and verbs, explaining the construction of different tenses and forms. The video also discusses word order in Modern Standard Arabic, which is typically VSO (verb-subject-object), and the use of case endings to indicate grammatical roles in sentences.

💡 Practical Insights into Learning Arabic

Paul offers practical advice on learning Arabic, emphasizing the importance of understanding Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) for reading, writing, and formal communication. He explains the diglossia in Arabic, where MSA is used for formal purposes, and dialects are used for daily conversation. Paul suggests that while learning MSA is essential, focusing on a dialect is crucial for effective communication. He also discusses how native speakers use a 'white dialect' to bridge gaps between different regional dialects and provides insights into the challenges and benefits of learning Arabic.

Keywords

💡Modern Standard Arabic

Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the modern form of literary Arabic used as an official language today, derived from Classical Arabic. It is used in books, media, education, and formal situations but not for everyday speech. In the script, MSA is described as a version of Arabic with adaptations and an expanded vocabulary suitable for contemporary use.

💡Classical Arabic

Classical Arabic is the form of Arabic used in the Quran and early Islamic literature. It is considered by many to be the most perfect form of Arabic, often referred to as 'Al-Fusha,' meaning 'eloquent speech.' The script notes that while Classical Arabic is revered, Modern Standard Arabic has adapted to modern needs while retaining a strong connection to its classical roots.

💡Diglossia

Diglossia refers to the situation where two distinct forms of a language are used under different conditions by the same speakers. In Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic is used for reading, writing, and formal speech, while various colloquial dialects are used for daily conversation. The script highlights how Arabic speakers switch between these forms depending on the context.

💡Colloquial Dialects

Colloquial dialects, or 'Amiya,' are the everyday spoken varieties of Arabic that differ significantly across regions. The script mentions how these dialects can vary even within a single country and are distinct from Modern Standard Arabic, which is not used in daily conversation.

💡Semitic Language

Arabic is classified as a Semitic language, sharing roots with languages like Hebrew, Aramaic, and Phoenician. The script explains that Arabic and these other Semitic languages developed from a common proto-Semitic language, with Arabic forming one branch of Central Semitic.

💡Proto-Semitic

Proto-Semitic is the hypothetical reconstructed language believed to be the common ancestor of all Semitic languages. The script mentions how Arabic and other Semitic languages like Hebrew and Aramaic evolved from this proto-language, with Arabic forming a distinct branch.

💡Nabataean Script

The Nabataean script is an ancient writing system from which the modern Arabic script developed. The script points out that early Arabic inscriptions were written in the Nabataean script, which itself was derived from the Aramaic script.

💡Phonology

Phonology in Arabic includes unique sounds and emphatic consonants that can be challenging for speakers of other languages. The script provides examples like the 'ha' sound in 'khalij' (gulf) and the 'qaf' sound in 'qalam' (pen), illustrating the distinct phonetic features of Arabic.

💡Root and Template System

The root and template system in Arabic involves constructing words from three-letter roots that convey core meanings, which are then inserted into templates with fixed vowel patterns to create different words. The script gives examples like the root 'kha-ra-ja' meaning 'to exit' and the template forming the word 'makhraj' meaning 'exit.'

💡Diacritics

Diacritics, or 'harakat,' are marks used in Arabic script to indicate short vowel sounds and other pronunciation features. These are typically used in the Quran, poetry, and children's materials to ensure correct pronunciation. The script explains how diacritics can clarify vowel sounds in texts where they are usually omitted.

Highlights

Paul introduces the topic of the Arabic language, noting its wide reach with 293 million native speakers and 422 million total speakers.

Arabic is an official language in 26 countries and one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

The Quran, the holy book of Islam, is written in Arabic, making it the liturgical language for 1.7 billion Muslims worldwide.

There are many varieties of Arabic, with Classical Arabic considered by many to be the most perfect form.

Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the official language used today, based on Classical Arabic but adapted for modern usage.

Arabic speakers use local dialects for everyday speech, which can vary significantly between regions.

Arabic belongs to the Semitic language family, sharing roots with Hebrew, Aramaic, and Phoenician.

The earliest evidence of people referred to as 'Arab' is in an Assyrian inscription from the 8th century BCE.

The earliest inscription unmistakably in Arabic is from the 1st century BCE, found at Ein Avdat.

Arabic script likely developed from the Nabataean script, which derived from the Aramaic script.

Classical Arabic, the language of the Quran, was standardized after the Islamic conquests to accommodate the growing number of Arabic speakers.

Modern Arabic dialects emerged from pre-Islamic Arabic dialects and were influenced by the languages of conquered regions.

Modern Standard Arabic and regional dialects exhibit a state of diglossia, where MSA is used for formal contexts and dialects for everyday communication.

The Arabic script is written from right to left and includes letters that join together, with different forms depending on their position in the word.

Arabic morphology relies on roots and templates, allowing for the construction of words with related meanings and grammatical functions.

Modern Standard Arabic is typically a VSO (verb-subject-object) language, whereas dialects are mainly SVO (subject-verb-object).

Arabic nouns take case endings (nominative, genitive, accusative) to indicate their function in a sentence, though these are often omitted in spoken MSA.

Learning both Modern Standard Arabic and a dialect is recommended to understand different registers of speech and to aid in communication.

Transcripts

Back in 2013 I produced one of the strangest videos on YouTube: a video about Arabic in Japanese with English subtitles

and me teaching an arabic lesson to Japanese viewers at the end. Lots of people were bewildered. Today, I'm going to try again.

Hello everyone, welcome to the Lang Focus channel

and my name is Paul. Today's topic is the

Arabic language or "al Arabiya" as it's called in arabic. Arabic is the fifth most widely spoken language in the world

with 293 million native speakers, and 422 million speakers in total.

It's an official language in 26 countries. That doesn't mean it's the majority language in all of those countries,

but it's one of the official languages.

It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations,

and as the language of the Quran - the holy book of Islam - it is also the liturgical language of

1.7 billion muslims around the world. Most of those people don't speak Arabic

but many have some knowledge of arabic for reading, and for reciting prayers and religious study.

Speaking about Arabic can be confusing, because there are many different varieties of the language.

One of the main varieties is the classical arabic of the Quran.

This is considered by many to be the most perfect form of Arabic, and some say it's the only true Arabic,

because it was the language in which God revealed the quran to Muhammad. Then there's Modern Standard Arabic,

which is the form of Arabic used as an official language today. It's the modern form of literary arabic

which was based on the classical Arabic of the Quran,

but with some adaptations and a greatly expanded vocabulary to make it more suitable for modern times.

It's not exactly the same as classical Arabic,

but both of them are referred to by Arabs as "Al-Fusha", meaning "eloquent speech". Modern Standard Arabic is the language of books, media,

education and formal situations,

but not as the language of everyday speech. For everyday speech, Arabic speakers use their local dialects - or "Amiya" -

Which can differ quite significantly from country to country, and even from one place to another within a single country.

Arabic is a semitic language. Arabic and other Semitic languages like Hebrew,

Aramaic, and Phoenician all developed from the same proto-semitic language. Arabic forms one branch of Central Semitic, while another branch of Central

Semitic includes Hebrew, Aramaic, and Phoenician. Old Arabic.

Numerous Semitic languages related to Arabic were spoken in Arabia between the 13th and 10th century CE,

but they don't have features that would classify them as Arabic. The earliest evidence of people referred to as "Arab", is in an Assyrian

inscription from the Eighth Century Bce. But, it just mentions the Arabs.

It doesn't give any examples of their language. From the 6th century BCE to the 4th century CE

we have inscriptions

showing evidence of an early form of Arabic. Some of those inscriptions are written in that early form of Arabic, and others are written in

Aramaic, but show some influence from Arabic. Those inscriptions consist mostly of proper names, so they don't give us an awful lot of

information about what the language was like. The earliest inscription that is

unmistakably Arabic is from the 1st

Century BCE, and was found at Ein Avdat. It's an Aramaic inscription,

but it contains three lines of Arabic.

Another inscription was discovered at An-Namaara,

120 kilometers southeast of Damascus, dating back to 329 CE.

The language of this inscription is nearly identical to classical Arabic as we know it, even though these inscriptions are

unmistakably written in Arabic,

They are not written in the Arabic script, but rather the Nabataean script, which derived from the Aramaic script.

But there are also inscriptions from the 4th and 5th century CE that are written in a script that's more like Arabic.

It's generally thought that the Arabic script developed from the Nabataean Script, and these inscriptions might be written in a script

that's somewhere between those two.

Classical Arabic

Before the beginning of Islam, there were numerous dialects of Arabic spoken around the peninsula,

but there was also a common literary language

used among the different tribes for poetry, a koine, which was a compromise between the various dialects.

The pieces of Poetry written in this literary koine are the earliest examples of classical Arabic.

The Quran was written in the 7th century

when muslims believe that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel, and then it was written down over a

23-year period. At the time the quran was written, there were seven dialects of classical Arabic, the Quran was written in all of them.

But the Quraishi version became the standard upon which the text of today's quran is based. The differences are in pronunciation,

not in vocabulary or grammar.

The Arabic of the Quran is similar to that of the pre-Islamic

classical Arabic poetry, but not exactly. Beginning during the life of Muhammad, and

continuing into the eighth century, the Islamic conquests spread the Arabic language into new faraway lands.

After the Islamic conquests,

there was an important need to standardize the language, because vast numbers of people were beginning to speak it.

The script was made more

practical, new vocabulary was created, and the grammar and style of prose was standardized.

Neo-Arabic and Middle Arabic

While classical Arabic was being standardized as a written language,

local dialects of Arabic also emerged in the cities of the Arab Empire.

These dialects did not descend directly from classical Arabic,

but rather from pre-islamic Arabic dialects or from a single Arabic "koine",

which was the common language of conquering Arab armies.

These new dialects were also

influenced by the original languages of areas that were conquered.

The dialects of the Levant and

Mesopotamia were influenced by Aramaic. The

dialects of the Maghreb were influenced by Berber. The dialects of Egypt were influenced by

Coptic, and so on. The early centuries of these newly-emerging dialects are referred to as neo-Arabic. Even though classical Arabic was

standardised, not everybody could write it perfectly. Writing that contains features of both classical Arabic and neo-Arabic or

dialects, is referred to as middle Arabic. "Middle" doesn't refer to a time period But rather these texts were somewhere in the middle between

classical and colloquial.

Modern Arabic

Over the centuries the neo arabic dialect continued to evolve into [the] modern

colloquial dialects of today,

but literary arabic remained relatively constant because the arabic of the quran was always seen as the ideal

Arabic to imitate and this probably had a conservative effect on the dialects limiting them from changing too much after

Napoleon entered Egypt in 1798 the Arab World entered a period of greater contact with the West the influx of new

Western concepts required the arabic language to be updated in the early 20th century

regional academies of the Arabic-language began a process of language reform focused Mainly on

Expanding and updating the languages vocabulary these updates culminated in what is now known as modern Standard arabic?

Diglossia Arabic is well known for its state of diglossia

Arabic speakers used two distinctly different

Forms of the language in parallel for different purposes modern Standard Arabic is not learned by anyone as a native language

But it's used in reading and writing in Media on children's TV shows and in formal speeches while the colloquial dialects are used almost universally

For daily conversation as I mentioned [before] there's quite a lot of variation amongst arabic dialects

how well two speakers

Understand each other depends on the geographic distance of their dialects as well as exposure many arabic speakers have told me that

Speakers of the Middle Eastern dialects really have no trouble understanding each other and that the main trouble comes in understanding the Maghrebi dialect

Especially Moroccan but these days with the spread of cable TV and the internet people are being exposed to a wider range of dialects on

a more regular basis which helps people understand different dialects more and of course there's also alpha Ska Modern Standard Arabic when speakers of

significantly different dialects communicate with each other they can switch [to] Modern Standard arabic

Or they can adjust their speech to make it more formal and literary and similar to Modern Standard arabic

But not exactly another common way [for] native speakers to bridge the dialect gap is to use something called the white

Dialect which is a more formal version of dialectal speech that uses features that are common to most of the different dialects

But it leaves out features that are limited to specific dialects

this is essentially a modern arabic coin a sowhat's arabic like

Let's take a look at some features of Arabic focusing on Modern Standard Arabic

the Script the Arabic Script is written from right to left and

Consists of letters that imitate handwriting most letters join to the letter that comes after them however [a] few letters remain disjoint

the letters that join have two forms one short form at the beginning or in the middle of words and

Another long form at the end of words or when the letter is by itself

The Arabic Script is an abjad meaning that each letter represents a consonant

And that short vowels are not really and that long vowels and diphthongs can be ambiguous

How can we read Arabic without vowels well can you read this?

Here the short vowels are not written and the others seem somewhat incomplete

But we have a hint about what the vowels are this is kind of like reading arabic

But arabic has more predictable vowel patterns than English so it's easier to guess

also

Arabic can be written with [hodduk] [ad] which are extra diacritic markings that indicate the short vowel sounds

These are generally only used in texts that are really important to pronounce perfectly like the quran or poetry or children's materials

Phonology, Arabic has a number of consonant sounds which are surprising or challenging for speakers of many other languages for example?

ha as in the word

Salines meaning golf

Then there's pause as in the word column pen this is like a [que] but pronounced further back in your throat

Then there's the letter ha like in the word par meaning hot

Wine some say [that] this is similar to the french r sound for example the word orifice meaning room

Arabic also has a number of in phatak consonants for example. There's scene

Which is like the regular s sound in English, but there is also [saab]

Which is an emphatic s as in the word [fuzzy] meaning small also notice the [sign] in the middle

To make this sound you have to keep your tongue close to the roof of your mouth if you want to try it

Position your mouth as though you are going to say a k and hold that position

Then make an s sound instead go ahead try it saw saw

There are three other emphatic consonants - an emphatic tall dog and Zhou?

Morphology

Arabic words are mostly constructed from three-letter roots or sometimes for and these letters are then inserted into templates

Consisting of a fixed vowel pattern and some structural

continents

if you know the root letters you can identify the core meaning of the word and

If you know the template you know what type of word it is

Let's take the root ha ha

[Jean] which means to go out or to exit and let's put it into this template we get the word maharaj

Which is the noun meaning exit like a door you exit through to?

This template indicates a place where the action of the route is done if we use the route [Dala] kah

Lam which means to come in we get led the hunt which means entrance

If we use the route cast that bear we get elected

meaning office

these kinds of recurring templates help you to know how to pronounce words even when the short vowels are not written if you see the

letter Meme followed by three route letters altogether with no long vowels you can guess [that] the word is in this template and

Pronounce it with too short a vowels

Verbs in Arabic are part of the same system of roots and templates the templates tell us the 10th

Person Gender and number of the verb and the Route Provides us the core meaning again

Let's take the route ha ha Jean and pop it into this template here

And we get hat Azzam, and we know what this means it's the past tense third [person] masculine singular conjugation

He exited

How does I mean Adam, [Edessa]?

This means he exited the school

Now put the root into this template how let's do this means I exited this Suffix here indicates past tense first person singular

[are] still me get elected?

this means I exited the office if

We put it into this template [yeah], so it means he exits. This is the present tense template

[yes], what was only elected this means he exits the office

Resumed means they exit saya who's una Manera [negative] this means

They will exit the office the sentence is in [the] future tense to change the present tense to the future tense

You simply add the suffix [sap] to the beginning of the present tense template sap is used for near future and a separate particle

[sofa] is used for the more distant future arabic has no other verb tenses only past and present and future

Which uses the present tense conjugation?

This semitic system of roots and templates is really quite intuitive once you get used to it

and it's quite ingenious if you ask me word order Modern Standard arabic is a

Vso language by default as opposed to arabic dialects which are Mainly Svo

Yet [looser] Roger Lavinia the means the man is studying arabic. Here's the verb the subject and the object

These are the definite article al but before certain letters the [lam] or the L sound assimilates to the following letter

So Al dajjal becomes [our] [rajala]

This is the basic word order

But Svo is also possible in a sentence with a pronoun

Vso is not possible for example and a sofa a druce Al arabiya this means

I will study arabic in the future you can't say south a drisana [Al] [arabiya]

You can either say it with the pronoun first or with no pronoun just sofa, [Drusilla], Ravinia

Because the verb conjugation tells us that this is the first person singular so we don't need the pronoun

Cases one aspect of Standard Arabic is cases there [are] three cases in Arabic nominative genitive?

And accusative and nouns take special endings to show their function in the sentence

Let's take the word [Khattab] which means book in nominative. It's [t] Tableau in generative

it's Keypad be in accusative it [kitada], Al

[Khattab] [we'll] Valdez ooh this means the excellent book the noun key tab is in the nominative and the adjective is also

Inflected to agree with the noun and an upper al-Khattab and this means I am reading a book

Here key tab is in the accusative, and it's indefinite the end sound at the end here indicates that it's indefinite

What if' will get a b this means the author of the book here key tab is in the genitive case?

These case endings are not used at the end of a sentence

But only when the word is followed by something the form at the end of a sentence without a case ending is called the puzzle

form

These case endings are often not [used] in Modern Standard Arabic

They're generally only used in prepared texts or prepared speeches two more sentences

- Louie all except this means I usually don't work on Saturday word-for-word

it's usually no I work day the

Saturday that is the negation particle used for the present tense

Armen is the verb for work and its root is ein. Meme lem and this is the first person singular present tense

young and [acept] [Irani] Dafa so together they mean the day of Saturday Yadava is a

construction of two nouns side by side to show possession

Fun fact the word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat which is related to this arabic word Sabbath

Seth would say you're a tienen victim this means. I'll drive my car to the office word for word. ['it's] will

I drive my car to the office remember saw is added to the present tense verb to form the future food

Contains the verb off wow Dal and this is the first person singular present tense conjugation?

saya Fe is the word Saya with a possessive suffix meaning my at the end and when a Suffix is added the letter hat

becomes @ @

Allah is a preposition showing direction the L here or the lamb is the definite article. [L]

but the a sound or the aleph assimilates [to] the preceding long a as

You can see arabic is a fascinating language with lots of interesting features from its script to its

Phonology to its root and template system

It's a language that often seems intimidating to learners

But that's partly because modern standard arabic materials are aimed at reading and writing and grammar rather than on

communication materials for learning Arabic dialects tend to be more fun and communicative

The question that's asked over and over and over is what form of arabic should I learn a dialect or modern Standard arabic?

in my opinion

It's important to learn some modern Standard Arabic either before you start to learn a dialect or at the same time

But if you know some modern standard arabic it will help you to make sense of different dialects that you encounter and it will help

You to understand different registers [of] speech even when [people] are speaking in their dialects, but if your main goal is communications

then I don't think it's necessary to learn to speak Modern Standard Arabic at a high level [and]

That brings me to the question of the day [two] native speakers of Arabic and to learners of Arabic alike

What do you think which form of arabic is the best to learn Modern Standard Arabic or a dialect?

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