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The Evolution of an Arabic Course: how a US military Arabic course went around the world
In the 20th century, Arabic language material was scarce. During the Vietnam War, Reginald Hefner, had access to a language lab of the US military - and later discovered, how the Military's Arabic material was used by publishers around the world. He shares some reminiscences and anecdotes in this guest article.
How well can you identify Arabic roots?
Some letters can lead you in the wrong direction when trying to figure out the Arabic root. Some tricky examples.
Social Media & Palestine: Dotless Arabic outsmarts algorithms
Social media platforms deleted Palestinian content - now people use dotless Arabic to bypass that. Here is how to write Arabic without dots
Did the first mosques in Islam have minarets?
Answer: Probably not. The minaret today is one of the most important and prominent symbols of Islam. But in the very beginning, this was different.
The “Knight’s Tour” – how an ancient Arab solved an intriguing chess puzzle
The Knight's Tour problem is a famous mathematical chess puzzle. The first solution provided an Arab philosopher in the 9th century from present-day Iraq.
How to learn Arabic calligraphy – an introduction (part 1)
Arabic calligraphy is an exceptional art. Many Arabic students want to learn it - however, it is a long journey.
Why is Arabic called a Semitic language?
The term Semitic Language was invented by a German scholar in 1781: August Ludwig von Schlözer.
Why does the Arabic broken plural have a crucial role in the classification of Arabic?
The Arabic broken plural has the effect that scholars still debate how to properly classify the several branches of Semitic languages.
Who wrote the first Arabic dictionary?
Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi (الخليل بن أحمد الفراهيدي), a grammarian who was born in 718 (100 AH) in present-day Oman.
What role did the Bedouins play in creating Arabic grammar?
What role did the Bedouins play in creating Arabic grammar? A big one. There are many anecdotes about scholars who went deep into the desert to find Bedouins who could answer their questions about Arabic grammar.