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Guest Article
23 posts
Fresh perspectives. We invite fellow learners, teachers, and linguists to share their unique insights and personal methods for mastering Arabic.
What’s the difference between نَزَّلَ and أَنْزَلَ?
Why does the Quran use two different verbs for divine revelation? Classical scholars argue the subtle grammatical shift between nazzala (نَزَّلَ) and 'anzala (أَنْزَلَ) hides a profound difference: gradual delivery versus a sudden, complete whole.
The Truth About Emphatic Consonants in Arabic: Are They Really That Different?
While textbooks insist on the precise articulation of ṣād (ص), ḍād (ض), ṭāʾ (ط), and ẓāʾ (ظ), spoken Arabic tells a different story. Through vivid anecdotes of his respected teacher at the University of Exeter, guest author Andrew Cunningham explores how these rigid rules may soften in everyday conversation.
Inside the Arabic Language Academy’s Race to Finish Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabeer
Reflecting on his visit to Cairo's Arabic Language Academy, Ambassador Ulric Shannon shares new insights on المعجم الكبير. He breaks down their 90-year progress, the threat of dictionary piracy, and why this lexicon is trapped in print.
How The Exorcist Possessed My Arabic Lesson
"We thought our Arabic instructor had gone crazy!" But showing the opening scenes of The Exorcist (1973) turned out to be the perfect lesson. Discover how the film's "real" Arabic numerals, the call to prayer in Iraq, and William Peter Blatty's Lebanese roots provided an unexpected and engaging entry point for beginner Arabic students.
Why Arabic is the Master Key to Learning Swahili, Farsi, Hebrew & More
Ever noticed the echoes of Arabic in Swahili or Farsi? For the aspiring polyglot, Arabic provides a massive head start. In this guest article, Dr. Roger Anderson explores the fascinating and often surprising lexical ties to Swahili, Indonesian, Hebrew, and Farsi, showing how the 'master key' works.
At-Takallum: Why This Arabic Learning Series Works for Me
Tired of traditional, grammar-heavy Arabic textbooks? Guest author Paul Ammann reviews the At-Takallum series, detailing the modern, communicative method that finally "clicked" for him and why it might be the right choice for your learning journey.
How to Use NotebookLM to Study Arabic
Google's NotebookLM can help you move from intermediate to advanced Arabic skills, writes Christoph Weyer in a guest post. He uses AI tools to improve his skills through video summaries and generated vocabulary lists.
Create an Arabic Language Bot With ChatGPT and Anki
AI offers new ways to engage in Arabic learning. In this guest article, Paul Ammann explains how to combine Anki with ChatGPT to create a bot that increases engagement and motivation in Arabic learning.
Beyond Flashcards: How Ceramics Can Help Students Learn the Arabic Alphabet
Learning the Arabic alphabet can be tough. One Arabic teacher found a unique solution: combining Arabic script with ceramics! Students got to paint their own mugs with Arabic names, making learning engaging and memorable. This article shares the journey, challenges, and success of this interdisciplinary approach.
SATTS: The Forgotten U.S. Military System for Transliterating Arabic in the Cold War
When Arabic characters couldn't be displayed, SATTS (Standard Arabic Technical Transliteration System) offered a solution. Reginald Hefner takes a historical look at this pre-digital military system, explaining how it allowed Arabic to be read and written in Latin characters without pronunciation cues, and its role during the Cold War era.
