Arabic language

   Arabic is quite a simple foreign language to learn. I know that many of you will knit your eyebrows after such a statement of mine. The point is that you can benefit from its grammatical structure if you would dare studying it; to put it straight, it is based, as other semitic languages – like Hebrew –  on consonantal roots, most of them triliteral. 

   On an arabic dictionary you will not therefore find the words in alphabetical order, but according to their roots, that is, the first form of the third singular person of the perfect tense. In the same list you will also have the other verb forms – mainly up to ten – which are linked togheter in a sort of mathematical variation. 

   For example, Kasara, first form, means to break – here by general agreement translated as infinitive - while the secon form, Kassara, which always represents an increasing of the meaning of the first form, means to smash. 

   Its calligraphy it’s beautiful and hereunder, on some movie posters, you can see a sample in Ruq'ah or Riq'a (Arabic : الرقعة) which is one variety of the Arabic script. One Ruq'ah text sample, with its cursive variation, its translation into English, and transliteration from Arabic, can also be admired after the posters. It comes from the book 'Writing Arabic', by T.F. Mitchell, Oxford University Press, which I bought and found very useful, and which can be found on Amazon or directly at OUP website. I have also added the relevant Mp3, recorded in Cairo in 1980 - while enjoing two scholarships for learning Arabic -  'starring' a copt egyptian friend of mine (of course, I had some muslim egyptians friends too), to whom I had asked the first reading, in order for me to follow better the text in arabic, be in slow mode.

   Egyptian movie poster samples, starring Omar Sharif.  From top left: A'ishah, 1953; Mortal Revenge,  Siraa fil-wadi, 1954; Our Best Days, Ayyamna al-helwa, 1955; Sleepless, La anam, 1958; My Love's Fault, Ghaltet habibi,1958; My Only Love, Hobi al-wahid, 1960. The original posters can be bought at:

  http://www.musicman.com/mp/mp.html  

One sample of 'Writing Arabic: A practical introduction to Ruq’ah script', by T.F. Mitchell

1.

   Ahmad asked a sailor: "Where did your father die?" The sailor answered: "On a ship he was sailing on the sea." "And when did your grandfather die?" "He, too, died on a ship he was sailing on the sea." "And are you not afraid to sail a ship after that?" Then the sailor said:  "Where did your father die?"  "In his bed."  "And your grandfather?" "In his bed." "And are you not afraid to sleep in a bed after that?"