Ecology of Arabic Language in Southern Saudi Arabia - Case Study Example

Running Head: THE ECOLOGY OF ARABIC LANGUAGE IN SOUTHERN SAUDI ARABIA The ecology of Arabic language in southern Saudi Arabia [Name of the Writer] [Name of the Institution] The ecology of Arabic language in southern Saudi Arabia Introduction In Saudi Arab, Arabic is considered as standard language and other side languages are considered as dialects. To develop a definition for the history and development of Arabic language in Southern Saudi Arabia is considered to be an unattainable task. ( Farah, Samar, 2002, Press) The reason is Arabic Language’s exclusive linguistic position that no one exactly know for sure about the starting point of its conventional stratum as scholars are still argueing if it was derived from a single dialect, or it used to be a combination of different dialects amalgamated into one speech or if it was actually an 'artificial' language which was invented by the ancient grammarians and poets. (Hazer, Dursun, 2003, 216) History of Arabic Language The first well-known territory to use Arabic language as an official language is Lakhmid. Lakhmid is located in the south of Saudi Arab and Trans Jordan. After spreading within this territory Arabic language’s power got spread across the Southern Arab. According to another study, the peninsula could be amongst possible actual homeland of the languages used across Saudi Arabia. (Parry, Marc, 2007, Press) Linguistically, the Peninsula is the cradle of the Arabic language within South, spread across the peninsula with Islamic religion at the time when Islam was beginning to expand during 7th century and this region has still been maintaining tiny groups of Semitic languages speakers that includes Mehri & Shehri, remnants of the language family that used to be spoken in early historical times to the Eastern kingdoms including Sheba & Hadramout, flourished in the south of the Peninsula (modern day Oman and Qatar). Old South Arabian Languages Epigraphic South Arabian, Old South Arabian or Sayhadic is the name which is used for 4 closely connected languages used by population in the southern part of Arabian Peninsula. (Clinton, William, 2000, 23) These four languages are different from the Classical Arab language. In the Semitic populations, those who did not travel towards the north of Arab, a distinctive type of the language flourished which is known as Southwest Semitic. The Ancient Southern Arabs languages along with the four comprehensive dialects are known to be the most ancient representative of the Arabic language type. These four languages are Minaean, Sabaean, Hadramautic and Qatabanian. Along with the Ethiopian Semitic languages (for example the modern day Ge'ez language) and Modern South Arabian languages (do not go down from Ancient South Arabian but from a neighbouring language), they constitute the western division of South Semitic languages. (Edward, Lutz, 1999, 264) Old South Arabian language used to have its own writing system, the South Arabian alphabets share a same origin with other Semitic abiads, known as Proto-Sinaitic alphabet. (Sheikha Mozah, Asma Al Assad, 2007) The advent of Islamic religion virtually mixes with the Old South Arabian, when Classical Arabic language became the lingua franca of this region. Today, Old South Arabian language can be seen in only a few ancient texts and letters. It contributed to local Arabic language dialects of this region in almost the same way that northern afro-Asiatic language has contributed in the Egyptian dialect of the Arabic language. (Parry, Marc, 2007, Press) Classification of Modern South Arabian Languages Today Modern South Arabian languages are used largely by small minority citizens of the Arabian Peninsula (Oman and Yemen). In their studies, several language scholars suggest that, it shouldn’t be mixed with the ancient South Arabian language, that along with Ethiopian Semitic languages constitute the Western branch of South Semitic language.( Edward, Lutz, 1999, 264) Mehri is found to be the widest language for having more than 70,000 speakers within Yemen, more than 50,000 speakers across Oman, and more than 14,000 speakers farther afield because of emigration to Kuwait. Total population for all countries is found to be 135,764 (SIL 2000). This Muslim ethnic population is known as Mara. Another more relatively simple example is Soqotri, have its users on the Socotra island, which is isolated from the Arabic Language pressure on the Yemen’s main land. As found out during the census of 1990 in Yemen, the population of Soqotri Speakers there was 57,000 (includes those who reside on the main land). The total population of speakers for all countries (including emigrants also) is estimated to be 64,000. (Scott, Simon, 2007) Shehri which is mostly called mountain language or Jibbali, has an about 25,000 speakers and is well known as used by the rebels in the time of the rebellion of Dhofar province of Oman, used to share its boundary with the State of Yemen during 1960s and also in 1970s. Bathari language has almost 200 speakers. Harsusi language with 1,000–2,000 speakers in Oman and Hobyót language had about one hundred speakers in Oman. All these languages are nowadays widely taken as a distinct branch of Semitic Language and not as descendants of the Ancient South Arabian language. (Farah, Samar, 2002, Press) These languages are well-known for having noticeable archaic Semitic properties, particularly in the phonology system as these possess the qualities of Proto Semitic. In addition, the prominent divergences amongst the old/classical form, commonly called Middle Arabic and today’s scores of different dialects, which has been used in the area which extends from Syria to the Yemen and from Morocco to Iraq, the Government language of good 22 countries, with a sturdy presence in languages and territories far from the boundaries, making an attempt in 'putting things in order' futile and hopeless to failure. (Parry, Marc, 2007, Press) The brief historical sketch of the development of Arabic language focused the importance of the premature acquaintances between other cultures and Arab, the position of Arabs, their language and culture in European scholarship, particularly in fields of philosophy and medicine; the turn down in the favor of Europe in Arabs and the revival of the interest which was followed by Napoleon's invasion in the Middle East. (Hazer, Dursun, 2003, 223) When one looks at the position of Arabic language in the Semitic group and its links towards the Hermitic languages, it highlights the fact that when Arabic retained a huge number of the properties of so-called Proto-Semitic, it could assist the scholars to comprehend most of the phenomena and the processes which other Semitic languages had undergone. (Seymour-Jorn, Caroline, 2004) Also, it emphasizes the reality that the phonetic system of Arabic language, its syntax, morphology, and specially its wealthy lexicon, was used by a lot of commentators from the Middle Ages in order to enhance one’s understanding of antique texts, for example the ancient and modern Testaments, and the progress of the Near East. (Sheikha Mozah, Asma, 2007) Early stages of Arabic Language Looking at the initial phases of Arabic language, gives an epigrammatic explanation of the exterior of the Arabs on the point of history, and their nomadic life until the expansion of a deskbound society for a number of them. (Farah, Samar, 2002, Press) The major distinguishing features of the ancient southern and northern 'Arabics', contain some of the various kinds of old Arabic preceding old Arabic language, everything known to us by inscriptions occurs predominantly all around the Arab Peninsula, Syria and Mesopotamia. The position of Arabic in the pre-Islamic period The position of Arabic language in the pre- Islamic period, defines Arabic as a impressive language of pre-Islamic verses, and points out 8 phonologic expressions for being the chief difference between Eastern and Western (Higazi) dialects of pre Islamic Arabic language. Some instances of the syntax. morphology and lexis of Arabic language should also be discussed, that leads to a conclusion that though the Muslim’s Holy Qur'an mostly reflect the Eastern use its inflexible system of i'rab shows its well-established idiom that looks like the language of a poetry, not like one definite dialect, especially the one that is not able to depend on the bedouins as informant about the usage of the Arabic language in Arabia prior to and after the arrival of Islam. (Clinton, William, 2000, 36) The expansion of conventional Arabic language reflects the condition of Arabic language in that Muslim Religion Empire. The scenario obtained is this that the transparency of the Arabic language, as showed by the Holy Qur'an and verses, was at risk because of the contact and conquest with some other cultures and languages, thus the efforts were put by the early grammarians and the rulers in order to protect the Arabic language through the course of standardization. (Clayton, Mark, 2001) This progression was not resistant through mistakes, as the strictness of the syntax of the conventional stratum, a variety of dialects, the overseas languages used by the occupied population and the unpredictability of the bedouin informants has all posed challenging obstacles. Finally, though ancient Arabic language had the superior hand but middle Arabic language rose as a mode of communication, gratitude to the application of dialects. The structure of classical Arabic in the linguistic tradition. Studies reveal that, the procedures of the work performed by the Arabic language grammarians and the different schools, phonology and the various treatises on morphology, and syntax, and to a low level the lexicon, not like in the tradition of Greek grammatical work, were given to the lexicographers in order to handle. (Hazer, Dursun, 2007, 226) More details of Middle Arabic The unclear exercise of the word to mean either a branch of Arabic language that occurs in between modem and classical, or a combination of classic Arabic and different dialects, are being demonstrated by the researchers along with the phenomena connected to the term which are referred to, in the linguistic writing as 'hyper-corrections' and 'pseudocorrections'. (Scott Simon, 2007) The most salient reality that concerns with the Middle Arabic is, no doubt, its cultural trait, for being the part vernaculars of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities, along with their widespread features on the one side, and their diversity on the other side. Arabic dialects Study Several examples for isoglosses have been discussed by the researchers, and also various differences among rural and urban, sedentary and bedoiun and 'geopolitical' dialects. Researchers have shown finding trouble in production of a unified branch, therefore, the result was revealed that 'any effort towards the branching of various dialects is arbitrary'. (Munn, Mary Mansoor, 1999, 3) A splitting up of five major groups which has the dialects of the Mesopotamian, the Arabian peninsula, the Egyptian, the Syro Lebanese and the Maghrebi. The emergence of Modem Standard Arabic Language The coming out of Modem typical Arabic Language reflects that ancient Arabic has undergone, the modernization, a progression which continues till today and will resume continuing in the future too. Researches suggest that a major role in doing so is performed by the media and Arabic Language Academies too. (Edward, Lutz, 1999, 264) Foreign caciques and the procedures of their Arabicization show the way to the ending that Arabic language, as an alive language, follows the similar trends of the past when using derived words or when borrow from its individual well-off classical stock. Bilingualism and diglossia of Arabic language Present-day Arabic has been divided into five levels, up from the towering Arabic language downward to the idiomatic of the illiterate. This classification is applicable more or less for all the Arabic speaking countries, while the situation of their practice relies mostly on the situations and the surroundings of the writer or speaker. (Farah, Samar, 2002, Press) at this point too one possibly will find massive difficulties due to the heterogeneous character of the nature of Arabic language used in the different areas. Attempts of searching for the acceptable solutions are all the time made by governments and other language related bodies in the Arab world, that, unfortunately, are not always doing well, mostly because the absence of co-operation and the co-ordination Domain of Use of Arabic Language Arabic language as a member of speech family performs its function in any required situation accordingly. Arabic language is used as personal, educational, professional, occupational and publically by the Arab population in whole of Saudi Arabia. Verbal Use of Arabic Arabic is also used as a verbal medium of expression, it is used in all sort of situations ranges from a lecture to a radio newscast or any other formal official address to any international conference. Oral use of Arabic can be modified in several degrees, depending upon such factors according to the nature of an occasion, the framework of the audience, the speaker's organization of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) etc. Modern standard Arabic is a global form of Arabic being taught in schools throughout the Arab world; it is different from the dialectal/ colloquial form of Arabic, of which there are different varieties for different community and it differs according to the region and different types of social factors like socio-economic status and religion, etc. (Scott Simon, 2007)Arabic language’s dialects are being used by people for all formal or non-formal situations like all of the usual day to day actions, at work, within houses, and on various social occasions, etc. Arabic used by the minority Singling out the Maltese case or the class of Arabic language which is used by several multi racial populations or very small sized ethnic groups surrounded by the other language speakers, such as Anatolians, Cypriot Maronites, Afgans, and Uzbekistanis and also various African countries that make use of a pidgin/creol Arabic language. (Wisconsin, 2004, 121) Writing Tradition Today Standard Arabic I language is seen as formal Arabic language which is spoken and written in the present day Arab world. Arabic in its written form, it is now used for almost absolutely in any printed publication form, everywhere in the world; for instance Arabic is the immediate descendent of the Arabic of the Qur’an, the verses of Pre-Islamic Arab, and the classical literature of Golden Age, the main difference being in its lexicon and style. Grammar and Comparison of Arabic Language with other Languages As compare to other languages Arabic Language is no doubted considered to be a complex language with some irregular plurals. Grammatically, use of verb in Arabic language is considered to be quite simpler than other languages. (Wisconsin, 2004, 110) Comparing Arabic with other languages concludes Arabic Language to be simpler than German which is another complex language, and then Greek and Polish which are considered to be the most difficult languages. Institutional Support Arabic language is being supported by its users, government and also by its institutional factor. It’s being taught in academic institutions ranging from primary schools to Universities all over the world. (Hazer, Dursun, 2003, 227) This language is fortunate because of its religious factor, it is only promoted by all Muslim communities but gets support from all over the world. It has got support from educational establishment and media across the world. Attitudes of Users towards Arabic This language being is spoken by above one hundred and sixty million of population, in the area extends from the Arabian Gulf towards the east up to the Atlantic Ocean within the west. Arabic is the language of religion Islam, and surely far more than six hundred million people’s population in the world use Arabic Language as an important spiritual component in their everyday lives. Although it is used an official language in Saudi Arab and other Middle East countries but this language is respected by whole Muslim world. It is also spoken by a lot of the 3 million population of Arab origin who live in the United Kingdom, Canada and United States of America. Although, Arabic is famous for being very difficult, but considered to be extremely rewarding from religious point of view in Islam, also a rewarding language to understand and learn for professional purposes, if someone wants to enjoy a rich cultural or traditional exchange with this huge Arabic population of the world and academic scholarship. Place of Arabic as a world language, Typology and Future The effect of the Arabic language on other different languages for example Persian, Swahili, some of the Indian languages, Turkish, Indonesian, Malay and various other languages which are used by the Muslims all around the world is inevitable. (Munn, Mary Manor, 1999, 5) An explanation for this influence, despite the fact that on a much less significant scale, is the consequence of commercial links between the other communities and the Arabs that started at a very premature stage. Seeing population’s interest in learning and knowing Arabic language one can easily say ‘The future of Arabic language promises to be brilliant and significant’ (Clinton, William, 2000, 41) Arabic is known as a language of intellectuals and qualified people. (Farah, Samar, 2002, Press) The Arabic linguistics field is flourishing greatly nowadays as it is very much enriched by the exterior of inclusive studies of varieties of Arabic language on the one side and, on the other side, by such endeavors as those who have been trying to relate some linguistic theories of extensively renowned Western world scholars. (Parry, Marc, 2007, Press) References Clayton, Mark. Learning Arabic is a long-term investment. Christian Science Monitor, 10/2/2001, Vol. 93 Issue 216, p15 Clinton, William J. Written Responses to Questions Submitted by the Arabic-Language Newspaper Al Heat. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, 8/21/2000, Vol. 36 Issue, p 18-55 Edward, Lutz. The Arabic Language. Welt des Islams, Jul 1999, Vol. Issue 2, p264 Farah, Samar. So you'd like to learn Arabic. Got a decade or so? Christian Science Monitor, 1/17/2002, Press H.H. Sheikha Mozah, Asma Al Assad Visit Arabic Language Academy Preview Arabia 2000, 03/25/2007 Hazer, Dursun. (Turkish)Preview / A Study On Expounding Works in Arabic Language During the Period of Ottoman Empire in the Light of Şeyh-zâde's 'Şerh-i Kavâ'idi'l-İ'râb.'. (English) Ekev Academic Review, Spring 2003, Vol. 7 Issue 15, p211-228 Munn, Mary Mansoor. Lessons from an Arabic aunt on fortitude and grace. Christian Science Monitor, 1999, Vol. 88 1-5 Parry, Marc. Arabic language classes gain new popularity Times Union (Albany, NY), 10/15/2007 Press Scott Simon. Syria Sees Influx of Arabic Language Students Weekend Edition Saturday (NPR), 04/12/2007 Seymour-Jorn, Caroline. Arabic language learning among Arab immigrants in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: a study of attitudes and motivations. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, Apr 2004, p109-122 THE ARABIC LANGUAGE.Preview By: Shivtiel, Avihai. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Nov2004, Vol. 31 Issue 2, p269-271 Written Responses to Questions Submitted by the Arabic-Language Newspaper Al Hayat, August 10, 2000 American Reference Library, 01/01/2001 Read More