Arabic language

Arabic language is a Central Semitic language that first emerged in 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.

History

The history of the Arabic language can be divided into three stages: Old Arabic, Classical Arabic, and Modern Standard Arabic. Old Arabic represents the earliest documented stage of Arabic, which was spoken in the Arabian Peninsula from the 1st to the 4th century CE. Classical Arabic, also known as Quranic Arabic, is the language of the Quran, the holy book of Islam. Modern Standard Arabic is the language used in present day Arab world for formal and official purposes.

Dialects

Arabic is a diglossic language, which means it has many different dialects. These dialects are typically classified into three categories: colloquial, Modern Standard Arabic, and Classical Arabic. Colloquial Arabic includes numerous spoken dialects, some of which are mutually unintelligible. Modern Standard Arabic is the standard and written form of Arabic used in most present-day contexts. Classical Arabic, the language of the Quran, is used primarily in religious contexts.

Grammar

Arabic grammar (nahw) is centered around a single concept: the root. Most Arabic words are derived from a three-letter (trilateral) root. The root communicates the basic meaning of the word, while patterns of vowels and consonants around the root change the precise meaning.

Writing system

The Arabic script evolved from the Nabataean alphabet in the 4th century. It is written from right to left in a cursive style and includes 28 letters. Most letters have contextual letterforms.

Influence on other languages

The Arabic language has influenced many languages around the globe throughout its history; some of the most influenced languages are Persian, Turkish, Spanish, Urdu, Kurdish, Bosnian, Kazakh, Bengali, Hindi, Malay, Maldivian, Indonesian, Pashto, Punjabi, Tagalog, Sindhi, and Hausa, and some languages in parts of Africa.

See also

• Arabic literature
• Arabic phonology
• Arabic influence on the Spanish language
• Varieties of Arabic
• Arabic verbs
• Arabic nouns and adjectives