Last updated 7 months ago.
“If you’re not studying, you’re dead” | Pierrick Jaouen | 9273 Roots #36
What connects a 1960s Egyptian radio program to modern language learning in Vietnam? For linguist Pierrick Jaouen, itโs all part of the journey. Explore his favorite resources, words, and practical advice for mastering Arabic on your own terms.
What connects a bustling street in Saigon, the ancient Khmer script, and the rich dialects of the Levant?
For Pierrick Jaouen, the answer is a lifelong curiosity about the world, especially the languages outside his native Indo-European family. His study of Arabic wasn’t confined to a classroom but intertwined with his travels and life in Southeast Asia.
Join us as we talk with Pierrick about his journey, from his first “Arabic by Radio” book to his love for Greek music and the profound wisdom in an Arabic proverb.
Pierrick Jaouen
ุจูุฑูู ุฌุงููู
The finance professional, who began his Arabic journey with a program on Egyptian national radio
- Date of birth: 1964
- Place of birth: Bordeaux, France
- Place of residence: Paris, France
After a career in the financial field spent in three different Far Eastern Asian countries, Pierrick Jaouen now dedicates his time to Arabic Zoom classes, financial translations, contract work, self-study, travel, experimenting with AI and various other projects. In addition to following Arabic and Turkish written and audiovisual media, he is studying Tagalog, a language he particularly likes.
Interview with Pierrick Jaouen Show
How would you introduce yourself to someone who doesn’t know you?
I am a language enthusiast curious about the linguistics of languages outside my native Indo-European language family and a fan of Arabic and its grammar.
What was your first Arabic grammar book?
ุงูุนุฑุจูุฉ ุจุงูุฑุงุฏูู
A free resource from the National Egyptian Radio many years ago. Thank you, Egypt and Egyptians, for this nice and valuable gift!
ARabic Program: “Arabic by Radio” (ุงูุนุฑุจูุฉ ุจุงูุฑุงุฏูู)
The Egyptian program Arabic by Radio (ุงููุนูุฑูุจููููุฉู ุจูุงูุฑููุงุฏูููู) began broadcasting on February 6, 1966. It established itself as a significant resource for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers around the world, as there was a severe shortage of materials at that time.
- The United Arab Republic Broadcasting Corporation operated the program, which others describe as a service offered by the “Egyptian Administration” (ุงูุฅุฏุงุฑุฉ ุงูู ุตุฑูุฉ).The United Arab Republic – U.A.R. – (ุงูุฌู ููุฑูุฉ ุงูุนุฑุจูุฉ ุงูู ุชุญุฏุฉ) was originally a union of Egypt and Syria. After Syria withdrew in 1961, Egypt retained the name U.A.R. until 1971.
- Initially, the program utilized English as the intermediate language, later expanding to include French in 1969, Turkish around 1984, and West African languages, Urdu, and Swahili in January 1993.
- Its core mission was to teach Arabic worldwide and support children in Arab communities abroad who may not speak the language.
- The program implements a curriculum spanning ten books across three phases, totaling about 150 lessons.
- Materials like the 1973 “ARABIC BY RADIO BOOK TWO – PART ONE” demonstrate the structured approach, listing specific authors for the Arabic original, phonetic transcription, and English translation, as well as the illustrator. Lessons were broadcast on designated weekdays.
I found a YouTube interview about the 50th anniversary of the program, which was in 2016. At least in 2016, they were still broadcasting lessons.
What is your favorite Arabic book (novel, etc.)?
I am not much into novels, even in French. I mainly read online articles on international politics, economics, tech, opinion pieces and notably, readers comments, which provide a lot of additional raw background information to the topic discussed. Oftentimes I start with a keyword of my choosing and I search for related online articles. I also enjoy reading articles about ููู ุงูุชุทุจูู (“counseling” on daily life application of religious texts and rulings).
How much time does a native speaker of English need to master Arabic?
Probably three or four years with a full focus and immersion.
In my case, I don’t consider myself to have mastered Arabic, especially the spoken form. I have spent a long time studying it, but it is just a (demanding) hobby for me. I studied on my own and was not immersed in an Arabic-speaking environment for more than a week in Cairo in 2011.
ููุณ ุงูุนุจุฑุฉ ุจุงููุตููุ ุจู ุจุงูู ุณูุฑ
“It is not when reaching your study goal but all along the way to it that learning takes place” (i.e. enjoy your learning journey and don’t be too obsessed by your end goal)
What is your favorite Arabic word?
ู ูุฃูููู
Shelter – a word from a root which is at the same time assimilated, hollow and defective.
Deep dive: The classification of the root ุก-ู-ู
- Assimilated (ุงููููุนููู ุงููู ูุซุงูู – mithฤl): The first radial is a weak letter (ุญูุฑููู ุงูุนููููุฉู). For example: ููุนูุฏู or ููุฌูุฏู. In some treatments, the initial Hamza (ุก) is considered weak because in certain contexts it behaves somewhat like the weak letters ู and ู. However, it should be noted that traditional descriptions of assimilated roots generally refer to those beginning with ู or ู, and not all grammarians agree that the Hamza should be counted as a weak letter in the same sense.
- Hollow (ุงููููุนููู ุงููุฃูุฌููููู – ajwaf): The second radical, ู, is a weak letter. For example: ูุงู ู or ูุงู ู. This causes characteristic vowel shifts, elisions, and other phonological changes in the derived verb forms, which is typical for hollow verbs.
- Defective (ุงููููุนููู ุงููููุงููุตู – nฤqiแนฃ): The third radical, ู, is weak. For example: ุฏูุนุง or ููู ุง. This leads to significant changes in conjugation and declension, which is the hallmark of defective verbs.
While the root exhibits hollow and defective features unambiguously due to its medial (ู) and final (ู) radicals, its initial radical (ุก) is only sometimes interpreted as weak. This interpretation – treating the hamza as a weak letter – leads to viewing the root as simultaneously assimilated, hollow, and defective.
However, many scholars prefer to reserve assimilated for roots that start with ู or ู. As a result, the most widely accepted characteristics of the root ุก-ู-ู are its hollow and defective properties. Nonetheless, its irregular behavior across all three positions makes it a unique and instructive case study for students and linguists of Arabic, demonstrating a broad range of irregular root patterns.
Which Arabic word do you like least?
ุฃุฌูุฏุฉ
“Agenda”: I don’t like this word because it is a foreign word with a fake and deceiving Arabic pattern and I always pronounce it wrongly “ajnada”.
Which Arabic dialect do you like best?
Lebanese Arabic. Partly because I love Arabic pop music, for which Beirut is a major center.
What is your favorite Arabic colloquial word or expression?
“Thank you”-formulas in regional colloquial Arabic:
ุงููู ูุฎูููู and ุงููู ูุนูุดู
The phrase ุงููู ูุฎูููู – May Allah keep you [safe/preserve you] – is common in Egyptian Arabic. It literally means May Allah keep you [safe/preserve you]. It is a warm, courteous way to express gratitude.
In contrast, ุงููู ูุนูุดู is widely used in Tunisian Arabic and also appears in other Maghrebi varieties. It translates roughly as May Allah grant you life infusing the gesture of thanks with a wish for longevity and well-being
Both are simple yet profound, congenial and generous, emotional and poetic, and with a religious dimension. Among the nicest traditional attributes of Arabs (Muslim, and also Christian, Alawite, Druzeโฆ) – whatever their creed might be – and their languageโฆ
What is your favorite Arabic quote or proverb?
This is a hard question as I love Arabic proverbs.
ุงูุฏููููุง ุฏุงุฑู ู ูู ูุฑูู
This world is just an ephemeral place of transit.
ุงูุตููุฏููู ู ูููุฌุงุฉู
Truthfulness is a safe haven.
Remark: The first proverb sometimes occurs in a larger form:
ุงูุฏููููุง ุฏุงุฑู ู
ูู
ูุฑููุ ูุงูุขุฎูุฑูุฉู ุฏุงุฑู ู
ูููุฑูู
(Ad-dunyฤ dฤru mamarrin, wal-ฤkhiratu dฤru maqarrin)
This full proverb translates to: The world is a house of passage, and the Hereafter is the house of permanent settlement.
The saying encapsulates a core concept in Islamic and much of Eastern philosophy: that this worldly life is transient, temporary, and not our final destination. Like a traveler’s lodge or a corridor, it is a place one simply passes through on a journey to somewhere else.
“If you are not studying, you are most probably dead.”
Pierrick Jaouen
What is the best thing that was ever said about the Arabic language?
Probably not the best thing, but a beautiful formula which describes the infinite richness of the Arabic language for which Arabs are legitimately proud:
ุงููููุบูุฉู ุงููุนูุฑูุจููููุฉู ุจูุญูุฑู ูุง ุณุงุญููู ูููู
The Arabic language is an ocean without a shore.
What is the best piece of advice you were ever given?
Teaching is the best way to master what you have learned.
I have been teaching French informally to Arabic-speaking friends, and I try to explain and compare concepts in Arabic.
Which three people would you like to invite for dinner?
Here is my list:
- Hedwig Klein (ููุฏููุบ ููุงูู), a major contributor to the Hans Wehr dictionary, with a twisted and tragic destiny which would warrant a movie.
- Constantin Phaulkon, the Greek adventurer who became a key figure in 17th-century Siam.
- George Coedes, scholar of Sanskrit, ancient Khmer, and Indianized Southeast Asia, with an unparalleled depth of knowledge and understanding for his subject with the resulting major accomplishments.
Who was Hedwig Klein?
Hedwig Klein was a promising German-Jewish Arabist born in 1911 who demonstrated exceptional academic talent from a young age. After enrolling in Islamic and Semitic studies at the University of Hamburg, she completed her doctoral thesis by the midโ1930s. However, the discriminatory policies of the Nazi regime – rooted in antisemitism and enforced through measures such as the Nuremberg Laws – prevented her from receiving her doctorate despite the evident quality of her work. Her scholarly promise and expertise in Arabic were never in doubt; even as Nazi policies stripped her of formal academic recognition, her contributions to Arabic studies continued to resonate among her peers.
During the 1930s, Klein became involved in a significant lexicographical project, whose results later found expression in the renowned Arabisches Wรถrterbuch fรผr die Schriftsprache der Gegenwart (Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic). Although Hans Wehr is best known for his work in developing this dictionary, available records suggest that Hewdwig Klein’s role was vital: she carefully reviewed contemporary Arabic literature, extracted lexical items, and prepared detailed slips of word meanings – for which she received modest compensation.
There are accounts that her meticulous work was highly regarded by the team involved, and that the project was considered valuable not only for scholarly purposes but also for its potential, however troubling, propaganda applications (including plans for an Arabic translation of Mein Kampf to influence audiences in parts of the Arab world). Unfortunately, despite protective efforts by mentors such as Professor Arthur Schaade, Klein’s reprieve was short-lived; she was ultimately deported to Auschwitz in July 1942, where she was murdered.
In a postwar effort to honor her achievements, the University of Hamburg awarded her doctorate posthumously in 1947, and later editions of Wehr’s dictionary (including a 2020 revision) have offered more complete acknowledgment of her significant scholarly contributions as well as the tragic fate she suffered during the Holocaust.
What was the last great meal you had?
Filipino seafood. Filipino food is not so famous, but this seafood platter was the best I ever had!
What is your favorite city?
Saigon, Vietnam: a buzzing city with friendly inhabitants where I spent 6 years of my life. One could probably say the same about Cairo or Beirutโฆ
Which book would you give to a dear friend?
“Breaking the Maya Code” by Michael Coe, which narrates the different attempts and the international competition to unlock the secrets of the Maya script.
Breaking the Maya Code
Michael Coe’s classic inside story of one of the major intellectual breakthroughs of our tim
View on Amazon
*We use affiliate links and may earn a commission.
What is your all-time favorite movie?
I donโt usually watch movies, but once I switched my TV on, a fascinating movie from which I couldn’t take my eyes off. I later learned that it was called The Pianist.
What is the story of The Pianist
The Pianist is a 2002 biographical drama directed by Roman Polanski and starring Adrien Brody as Wลadysลaw Szpilman, a renowned Polish-Jewish pianist.
Accolades for the film include three Academy Awards for Best Director (Polanski), Best Actor (Brody), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ronald Harwood), and it has earned an impressive IMDb rating of 8.5/10, solidifying its status as a masterful depiction of survival and the enduring power of art in the face of inhumanity.
The film follows Szpilman’s harrowing survival during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw in World War II, vividly portraying how he endures the brutal realities of life in the Warsaw Ghetto and the devastation wrought by the Holocaust. Based on Szpilmanโs memoir – The Pianist, published in 1946 – the film provides a deeply personal account of human resilience amid extraordinary adversity.
What music do you listen to?
Greek folk and variety music, it brings sun and joy. Note that some Greek songs have Arabic covers.
When were you happiest?
When I backpacked in Southeast Asia for almost a year. I am still there in my head. And generally, when I realize “I have cracked” a language I set myself to learn, Tagalog most recently.
What is your greatest fear?
Failing to learn a language I have chosen to study, which nearly happened with Arabic.
I stopped studying it for over a decade, but the advent of internet-connected mobile phones in the early 2000s made it possible to access Arabic material on oneโs mobile phone, and this rekindled my interest in mastering this language.
While in Hanoi, Vietnam, I searched for an Arabic WAP news site, and that then magic moment reignited my commitment to Arabic, which continues to this day. Longer story short, without advances in technology, especially the internet, note apps and online dictionaries, it is likely that I would have failed in my Arabic remote studies.
What is your life motto?
If you are not studying, you are most probably dead.
Note: I apologize that Southeast Asia appears several times in this story, but in my mind there is a logic to it: I believe in refreshing one’s mind by traveling, physically or intellectually, away from one’s current environment.
Therefore, while in Vietnam, I studied Arabic (alongside the local language), and had I been living in the Middle East, I would have then turned my attention to the Far East and studied Tagalog, one of the most fascinating Southeast Asian languages. When I visited Cairo, the incongruous sight of the Khmer palace of Baron Empain made me feel like I had encountered another kindred contrarian spirit sharing my philosophy.
Pierrick Jaouen, thank you for your time.
CALL FOR SUGGESTIONS: Who should we interview soon?
Do you know an interesting person who has a special relationship with the Arabic language? Then tell us why we should interview this person!
People who were also interviewed:
- “Arabic is dead โ and yet it keeps living” | Karina Karatamakova | 9273 Roots #40
- “Playing dominos gets you quick with Arabic numbers” | Andrew Cunningham | 9273 Roots #39
- “View Arabic as an identity you’re adopting” | Sherif Elmetwally | 9273 Roots #38
- “That sense of purpose, however small, is what makes me feel most alive” | Wan Amirul Asyraf | 9273 Roots #37
- “If you’re not studying, you’re dead” | Pierrick Jaouen | 9273 Roots #36
Wanna cite this article?
Driรner, G. (2025, July 18). “If you’re not studying, you’re dead” | Pierrick Jaouen | 9273 Roots #36. Arabic for Nerds. https://arabic-for-nerds.com/interviews/9273-roots/interview-pierrick-jaouen/
Published: July 18, 2025
Please check the citation before use, especially if your style guide has local requirements.
Publication ISSN: 3055-1730
Join the discussion: Sign in with social media for instant commenting, or register with email (comments require approval):
Pierrick is a great person and an enthusiastic student. He is one of the most highly motivated people I have met and I enjoyed studying Arabic with him in the same course.