Browse Tag
Arabist
13 posts
An Arabist (مُسْتَعْرِب) is a scholar or expert specializing in the study of Arabic language, literature, culture, and history – mainly from the West.
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.
“Playing dominos gets you quick with Arabic numbers” | Andrew Cunningham | 9273 Roots #39
Banking expert Andrew Cunningham shares how playing dominos with native Egyptians helped him master Arabic numbers. He discusses his love for the Egyptian dialect, the elegant "Sisters of Kana," and weaving the language into his global career.
“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, it’s all part of the journey. Explore his favorite resources, words, and practical advice for mastering Arabic on your own terms.
“Teaching Arabic is deeply ingrained in my DNA” | Haytham Ibrahim | 9273 Roots #35
His father was a professor of Arabic at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. Haytham Ibrahim is now setting out to revolutionize online Arabic learning. He is the founder of AnyArabic.
“Don’t let anyone tell you Arabic is a difficult language” | Eamonn Gearon | 9273 Roots #34
Historian Eamonn Gearon works to dispel ignorance about the Middle East. He shares his passion for the "purely logical" Arabic language and reveals which historic book, a work of global importance, brought him immense joy to read in its original form.
How the Oxford Arabic Dictionary Was Made: A Conversation with Tressy Arts
Tressy Arts, Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Arabic Dictionary, shares insights into compiling the most up-to-date Arabic dictionary. She discusses translation challenges, including tricky words and cultural nuances, and how human expertise and linguistic data shape dictionary entries.
“Arabic is the ‘endurance sport’ of the world’s languages” | Dominic Herbert | 9273 Roots #32
For triathlete and Cambridge-educated financier Dominic Herbert, learning Arabic is the ultimate endurance sport. He discusses his 30-year journey, from falling for the script in Pakistan to full immersion in Cairo and Beirut, and how the language transformed his career.
“Being a lexicographer is a lifelong sentence” | Jan Hoogland | 9273 Roots #31
He's the Dutch Arabist whose work forms the core of the legendary Oxford Arabic Dictionary. Jan Hoogland shares the inside story of its creation, his decades-long passion for Morocco and its Darija dialect, and why a single word's entry with 47 collocations is his absolute favorite.
“My Russian teacher insisted we read texts aloud for 10 minutes every day” | Daniel Falk | 9273 Roots #19
He's a professional Arabic-German conference interpreter with a PhD from Leipzig University. Dr. Daniel Falk shares the challenges of his job, his love for Levantine and Gulf Arabic, and the single best piece of advice he ever received for mastering a language's flow.
“I expect to serve in the Arab world so this feels like a wise investment of my time” | Ulric Shannon | 9273 Roots #11
He's the Canadian ambassador to Egypt who has served across the Middle East. Ulric Shannon discusses why studying Arabic is a "wise investment," his experience at Middlebury College, and his love for the complex literature of Taha Hussein and the "swagger" of the Lebanese dialect.
