Arabic

Safaitic script with a figure of a camel on a red sandstone fragment, from es-Safa, currently housed in the British Museum

File:Arabic Swadesh list 1-100.webm

Epitaph Imru-l-Qays Louvre AO4083

Flag of the Arab League

Flag of Hejaz 1917

Arabic is a Central Semitic language that first emerged in the Iron Age northwestern Arabia and is now the lingua franca of the Arab world. It is named after the Arabs, a term initially used to describe peoples living in the area bounded by Mesopotamia in the east and the Anti-Lebanon mountains in the west, in northwestern Arabia, and in the Sinai Peninsula. Arabic is classified as a macrolanguage comprising 30 modern varieties, including its standard form, Modern Standard Arabic, which is derived from Classical Arabic. As the liturgical language of Islam, Arabic is considered a sacred language by 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, and it has influenced many other languages in the Islamic world.

History

The history of Arabic is divided into three periods: Pre-Islamic Arabic or Old Arabic, Classical Arabic, and Modern Standard Arabic. Pre-Islamic Arabic refers to the Arabic language before the emergence of Islam in the 7th century. Classical Arabic, the language of the Qur'an, was standardized during the early Islamic centuries. Modern Standard Arabic, which evolved from Classical Arabic, serves as the formal language of administration, education, and media across the Arab world today.

Dialects

Arabic dialects vary widely across the Arab world. These dialects are primarily spoken and often differ significantly from Modern Standard Arabic in terms of phonology, morphology, syntax, and vocabulary. Major dialect groups include Egyptian Arabic, Levantine Arabic, Gulf Arabic, Maghrebi Arabic, and Mesopotamian Arabic. Despite the differences, speakers of different dialects can often communicate through the shared use of Modern Standard Arabic.

Writing System

The Arabic script is an abjad, where each letter represents a consonant and not the vowels. The writing system is right-to-left and includes 28 letters. Vowels can be indicated by diacritical marks placed above or below the consonants, though they are often omitted in writing. The Arabic script has been adapted for use in other languages, such as Persian, Pashto, Urdu, and Kurdish.

Influence on Other Languages

Arabic has had a significant influence on many other languages throughout history, particularly in the fields of science, mathematics, philosophy, and art. During the Golden Age of Islam, many classical works in these fields were written in Arabic, and the Arabic language was a major vehicle for the transmission of knowledge from the ancient world to the Renaissance. Words of Arabic origin have entered many languages, including English, through various channels, such as trade, science, and cultural exchange.

Cultural Significance

Arabic holds a central place in the culture and identity of the Arab world. It is the language of literature, poetry, history, and media. Arabic calligraphy is a revered art form, used in both religious and secular contexts. The language's role in Islam also adds to its significance, as the Qur'an is considered the literal word of God as revealed in Arabic, making the language a key part of Islamic practice and theology.

Modern Use

Today, Arabic is a critical language globally, recognized as one of the six official languages of the United Nations. It is spoken by more than 420 million people as a first language and serves as a lingua franca in the Arab world. The spread of Arabic and its culture is also facilitated by global migration and the digital revolution, making it a language of growing importance in the 21st century.