Arabic
Mrs. Ebtisam Jaberemail: Ebtisam_Jaber@sarasota.k12.fl.us
Beginning Arabic
Class room: First and Second period: Room 9 in the new building.
أهلاوسهلا
Ahlan wa Sahlan
Hello and Welcome
The Sarasota Military Academy
Al-Arabiyah Level One
Ahlan Wa Sahlan generally means welcome, relax you are family, many prefer to greet others with As-Salaamu Walaikum or peace be upon you. So relax and take a moment to better understand the benefits and fun that could come from your decision to embark on a splendid journey into the rich, multifarious world of the Arabic language.
Arabic is an ancient Semitic language that is spoken by over 280 million native speakers and over 250 million non-native speakers worldwide. Arabic is the official language of more than 20 countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
What’s in it for me? Why Arabic?
The Arabic Language Al-Loughah Al-Arabiah
Many people in the Unites States speak Arabic at home with their families and many speak Arabic at work within their careers. Countless civilians and enlisted soldiers are fluent in the Arabic language, and almost all areas of the United States government such as the Defense department, the Justice Department, and the U.S Military, along with numerous other agencies employ fluent speakers of Arabic. It is the intention of this course to introduce you to a wonderful and ancient language with the hope that it will enable you to undertake a remarkable journey of your own, a journey not only to learn a language but a journey to better communicate and understand the many friends and allies of our great Nation. It is quite inevitable that any language you learn will indeed better equip you with a priceless tool; the tool of effective communication, an invaluable tool, essential in the effort to make our world a more cooperative and much safer place.
As a hawk flieth not high with one wing, even so a man reacheth not to excellence with one tongue.
--- Roger Ascham
Where it stands, Is it popular?
As is the case with many other languages, Arabic ranks among the top that are very important for careers, international business and political affairs and is sixth in the world league table of languages!
The U.S Department of Education -- What are “critical-need languages?”
Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, and the Indic, Turkic, and Persian language families.
http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/nsli/nsli-faq.pdf
Initiative of the intended program “Foreign language skills are essential to engaging foreign governments and peoples, especially in critical world regions, to promote understanding, convey respect for other cultures, and encourage reform. These skills are also fundamental to the economic competitiveness and security interests of the nation.”
http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/nsli/about.html
President Obama said, “If you have the understanding of a foreign language, that is a powerful tool to get a job, you are so much more employable.”
In Europe and elsewhere the language initiative is the same:
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France said this as he addressed the French national assembly: “We must invest in the Arabic language (because) to teach it symbolizes a moment of exchange, of openness and of tolerance, (and it) brings with it one of the oldest and most prestigious civilizations of the world.” http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/3591
What else?
Arabic is fun, beautiful and mentally challenging.
The calligraphic script is considered an art form and has a mysterious beauty to its shape and movement. Here are some wonderful examples!
Poetry and its calligraphic beauty was also an important part of early Arab life and still thrives today. Here is one example of a middle ages era poem!
Artists from around the world are now using the beauty of the Arabic script to create fascinating works of art!
As you learn you too can become a poet and artist of the age old language of Arabic!
Links