Comments on: Language: the food of understanding http://chronikler.com Byte-sized muse and views Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:01:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andrew http://chronikler.com/europe/multiculturalism/learning-arabic/comment-page-1/#comment-142 Andrew Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:42:23 +0000 http://chronikler.com/?page_id=1149#comment-142 It is certainly tough... I'm still struggling with the pronunciation. Grammar I fear will be an even bigger hurdle. But, as you say, being able to communicate, even at a rudimentary level, makes the effort worth it. The same goes for any language. It is certainly tough… I’m still struggling with the pronunciation. Grammar I fear will be an even bigger hurdle. But, as you say, being able to communicate, even at a rudimentary level, makes the effort worth it. The same goes for any language.

]]> By: apprentice arabist http://chronikler.com/europe/multiculturalism/learning-arabic/comment-page-1/#comment-141 apprentice arabist Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:28:52 +0000 http://chronikler.com/?page_id=1149#comment-141 Agreed, more people need to learn Arabic. Don't see it happening, though. It's such a tricky language for us Anglophones to pick up. Once you've got past the script, there's the convoluted grammar in which the slightest change of inflection can spell trouble with a capital T. Ohh, almost forgot, you alos have to choose which of the dozens of dialects you want to learn. Don't let me dishearten you from the start, but no matter how many years you spend learning the lingo, you'll always sound like a "khawaga", as they call us expats in Egypt. But keep on trying. I find, halting as it is, my Arabic has helped me get a whole different perspective on life here because I can communicate with more than the educated elite. Agreed, more people need to learn Arabic. Don’t see it happening, though. It’s such a tricky language for us Anglophones to pick up. Once you’ve got past the script, there’s the convoluted grammar in which the slightest change of inflection can spell trouble with a capital T.

Ohh, almost forgot, you alos have to choose which of the dozens of dialects you want to learn.

Don’t let me dishearten you from the start, but no matter how many years you spend learning the lingo, you’ll always sound like a “khawaga”, as they call us expats in Egypt.

But keep on trying. I find, halting as it is, my Arabic has helped me get a whole different perspective on life here because I can communicate with more than the educated elite.

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