Arabic Language (العربية)

~7 mins

Arabic is a Semitic language, part of the Afro-Asiatic family. A Semitic language is one belonging to a family that includes Hebrew, Aramaic, and Amharic, characterised by roots built from three consonants. The Afro-Asiatic family is a large language group spanning Africa and Asia. The name Arabic comes from 'Arab, originally referring to tribes in the Arabian Peninsula. The word may mean "clear" or "eloquent," showing how Arabs prized eloquent speech and poetry.

1) Arabic belongs to the Semitic language family, sharing features like using roots of three consonants to build meaning. Hebrew, Aramaic, and Amharic work similarly. Hebrew uses the root k-t-v for writing: katav (he wrote), ktav (writing), michtav (letter). Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, uses k-t-b like Arabic: ktav (writing), katva (scribe). Amharic, spoken in Ethiopia, uses s-b-r for breaking: säbbärä (he broke), säbari (brittle). This three-consonant root system (called triliteral roots) is the backbone of Semitic languages — the consonants carry the core meaning, while vowels and prefixes/suffixes modify it to create different word forms. For example, Arabic k-t-b generates over 30 related words, all connected to writing or books.

2) Classical Arabic existed before Islam as the language of poetry and oral tradition. Pre-Islamic poets composed qasīdahs — long odes with strict rhyme and metre — performed at gatherings, where mastery of language was a sign of honour. A qasīdah is a form of Arabic poetry with complex rhyme schemes and metres, often praising tribes, heroes, or lamenting loss. Classical Arabic refers to the standardised literary form used in pre-Islamic poetry and later in the Qur'an.

3) The Qur'an, revealed in the 7th century, fixed Classical Arabic as the sacred language of Islam. Muslims regard its style as miraculous, unmatched by human speech. This gave Arabic prestige across the Islamic world. Early grammarians systematised the language to preserve Qur'anic recitation. Scholars like Sibawayh (8th century) studied nahw (syntax) and ṣarf (morphology), recording rules so learners wouldn't deviate from Qur'anic Arabic. Nahw means the study of sentence structure, while ṣarf refers to how words change form.

4) Arabic spread widely with Islam, becoming the language of government, scholarship, and trade in the Islamic Empire. It blended with local tongues, adding vocabulary and influencing cultures from Spain to Central Asia. During the Islamic Golden Age (8th–13th centuries), Arabic was the world's scientific and intellectual language. Works in medicine, mathematics, and philosophy were written in Arabic. European scholars later translated these into Latin, transmitting knowledge to the West.

5) Words like algebra (from al-jabr, "reunion"), algorithm (from al-Khwārizmī, a mathematician), and alcohol (from al-kuḥl, powdered antimony) came into English through Arabic. Al-jabr literally means "the reunion of broken parts," referring to solving equations. Al-Khwārizmī was a 9th-century Persian mathematician whose name became "algorithm." Al-kuḥl originally meant fine powder, later extended to any refined substance, then specifically to ethyl alcohol.

6) The Arabic script developed from Nabataean writing. It flows right to left, in a connected, cursive form. Each letter changes shape depending on position: beginning, middle, or end. Arabic has 28 letters. Short vowels are not usually written, but diacritical marks (fatḥa, ḍamma, kasra) can show them. Nabataean was the script of an ancient Arab kingdom. Cursive means letters connect in flowing strokes. Diacritical marks are small symbols above or below letters indicating vowel sounds.

7) The root system is central to Arabic. From the root s-l-m come salām (peace), islām (submission), muslim (one who submits), taslīm (greeting). This pattern system allows a single root to generate many meanings. Arabic sounds include unique consonants. Emphatic letters like ṣ and ṭ are pronounced deep in the throat. Letters like 'ayn (ع) and ḥāʾ (ح) have no direct equivalent in English, making them difficult for learners. Emphatic consonants are pronounced with the tongue root pulled back, creating a "heavy" sound.

8) Calligraphy became a sacred art form. Because Islamic art often avoided human figures in religious contexts, writing the Qur'an beautifully became the highest art. Kufic script is angular and geometric, while Naskh is round and clear. Calligraphy means "beautiful writing" and in Islamic culture became a major art form. Kufic script originated in the city of Kufa and features angular, geometric letters. Naskh script is more cursive and readable, commonly used for books and documents.

9) Arabic literature includes poetry, prose, and stories. One Thousand and One Nights (Alf Layla wa-Layla) is a famous collection of tales that spread globally. Philosophers like al-Fārābī and Ibn Rushd wrote influential works in Arabic. One Thousand and One Nights is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. Al-Fārābī was a 10th-century philosopher known for political philosophy. Ibn Rushd (Averroes) was a 12th-century Andalusian philosopher who influenced European thought.

10) Diglossia describes the split between formal Arabic and everyday dialects. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), based on Classical Arabic, is used for education, media, and writing, while people speak regional dialects in daily life. Diglossia means a situation where two varieties of the same language are used in different contexts — one "high" (formal) and one "low" (informal). MSA is the standardised form taught in schools and used in formal writing, while dialects are the natural spoken varieties that differ by region.

11) Dialects are very diverse. Egyptian Arabic, influenced by cinema, is widely understood. Levantine Arabic (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan) is soft and melodic. Gulf Arabic reflects Bedouin roots. Maghrebi Arabic (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) mixes Berber, French, and Spanish. Levantine refers to the Eastern Mediterranean region. Bedouin culture refers to nomadic Arab tribes. Maghrebi means "western" in Arabic, referring to North Africa. Berber languages are indigenous to North Africa.

12) Sudanese Arabic is spoken by millions in Sudan and South Sudan. It is influenced by Nubian, Beja, and other African languages, as well as Egyptian and Gulf varieties. For example, Sudanese use zōl to mean "person" — a word unique to Sudanese Arabic. Sudanese Arabic pronunciation is distinct. Qāf (ق), pronounced as "g" in Egypt, often becomes a hard "g" in Sudan as well. Vowel length and rhythm differ, giving Sudanese Arabic a slower, softer cadence compared to Egyptian Arabic.

13) Sudanese vocabulary reflects cultural life. Words like tamaam (fine/okay) are common, and unique greetings exist: keif? (how are you?), al-ḥamdulillāh (praise be to God). Sudanese often repeat zata for emphasis, showing local creativity in expression. Sudanese Arabic also carries heavy African influence. Many words for food, farming, and local customs come from Nubian and other indigenous languages, making it a bridge between Arab and African identities. Al-ḥamdulillāh is a standard Islamic expression of gratitude used across the Muslim world.

14) In total, Arabic has around 300 million native speakers. It is the official language of 22 countries in the Arab League and one of the six official languages of the United Nations. English and French borrow many Arabic words: sofa (from ṣuffa, bench), magazine (from makhzan, storehouse), sugar (from sukkar), coffee (from qahwa), safari (from safar, journey). The Arab League is an organisation of Arabic-speaking countries formed in 1945. The UN has six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

15) Arabic grammar is rich. Verbs conjugate by person, gender, and number. Example: kataba (he wrote), katabat (she wrote), katabtu (I wrote), katabnā (we wrote). It even has a dual form for exactly two: kitābān (two books). Word order in Arabic is often Verb–Subject–Object: kataba al-walad al-kitāb = "wrote the boy the book" → "The boy wrote the book." But flexibility exists, depending on emphasis. Conjugation means changing verb forms to show who performs the action. The dual form is a grammatical number for exactly two items, rare in world languages.

16) Arabic has gendered nouns. Masculine and feminine forms exist: walad (boy), bint (girl). Plurals are complex, with "sound plurals" (regular endings) and "broken plurals" (internal vowel changes). Example: kitāb (book) → kutub (books). Gendered nouns means every noun is classified as masculine or feminine, affecting grammar. Sound plurals add standard endings like -īn or -āt. Broken plurals change the internal vowel pattern of the word, making them unpredictable and requiring memorisation.

17) Modern Standard Arabic unifies the Arab world in news, education, and literature, but most Arabs find it formal. Daily conversations are always in dialects, which differ so much that Moroccans and Iraqis may struggle to understand each other. Arabic dialects are evolving quickly. In Sudan and Egypt, English words like kompyūtar (computer) and mūbāyl (mobile phone) are used, adapted to Arabic sound patterns. Code-switching means alternating between languages or dialects within the same conversation.

18) Arabic poetry remains central to culture. From pre-Islamic odes to modern free verse, it expresses identity, politics, and love. Mahmoud Darwish used poetry to give voice to Palestinian struggle. In Sudan, poets like Mahjoub Sharif wrote about freedom and justice. Arabic calligraphy continues as a modern art, not just religious. Artists blend Arabic script into logos, paintings, and architecture, making writing itself a visual symbol. Mahmoud Darwish was a Palestinian poet considered the national poet of Palestine. Free verse poetry doesn't follow traditional rhyme or metre patterns.

19) The Arabic number system we use today (0–9) originated in India but spread through Arabic scholarship into Europe, which is why we call them Arabic numerals. Arabic has conservative and innovative sides. The Qur'an preserves its 7th-century form unchanged, while dialects constantly innovate with slang, mixing Arabic with English, French, Turkish, and African languages. Arabic numerals are actually Hindu-Arabic numerals, developed in India but transmitted to Europe through Arabic mathematical texts. Conservative means preserving traditional forms, while innovative means creating new forms.

20) Arabic is often seen as difficult by learners, but its logic makes sense once patterns are understood. Example: root d-r-s relates to study: dirāsah (study), mudarris (teacher), madrasah (school). Arabic phonology (sound system) influences how speakers learn English. For example, Sudanese and Egyptians may pronounce p as b ("bizza" for pizza) because Arabic lacks a p sound. Phonology is the study of sound systems in languages. When a language lacks certain sounds, speakers often substitute the closest available sound.

21) Arabic proverbs carry wisdom. Example: al-ṣabr mafātiḥ al-faraj — "Patience is the key to relief." In Sudanese Arabic, proverbs often mix humour with wisdom, reflecting social life. Sudanese Arabic is unique for its rhythm and vocabulary, but it remains mutually intelligible with other dialects. Many Sudanese also code-switch, shifting between colloquial Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and sometimes English depending on context. Proverbs are traditional sayings expressing common truths or advice. Mutually intelligible means speakers of different varieties can understand each other.

22) Arabic education today balances MSA with dialect. Schools teach MSA, but at home children learn dialect first. This duality creates strong awareness of language levels. Arabic dialects may one day diverge into separate languages, like Latin into French, Spanish, and Italian. But religion, media, and identity continue to pull them together under a shared "Arabic" umbrella. Language divergence occurs when dialects become so different they're no longer mutually intelligible. Latin was the ancestor of Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian).

23) Arabic is the language of Islamic ritual worldwide. Even non-Arabs learn Qur'anic verses for prayer. This has spread Arabic terms — like salām (peace), ḥalāl (permissible), ḥarām (forbidden) — into global languages. Arabic's influence is visible in Africa. In Sudan, Chad, Mali, and Niger, Arabic is a lingua franca — a bridge language — between people of many ethnic groups. A lingua franca is a language used for communication between speakers of different native languages. Ḥalāl means permissible under Islamic law, while ḥarām means forbidden.

24) Arabic today is both ancient and modern. It is the unchanged language of the Qur'an, the creative medium of millions of poets and singers, and the evolving dialects of daily life. In Sudanese streets, Egyptian films, Moroccan cafés, and Gulf skyscrapers, Arabic adapts, survives, and thrives. The language bridges 1,400 years of history whilst constantly renewing itself through the creativity of its speakers, from classical poetry to modern rap, from ancient manuscripts to social media posts.

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