Another evidence of E-Arabic use

“Er7ol,” by Libyan Poet Giuma BuklebPosted on May 23, 2011
by mlynxqualey| Leave a comment

Giuma Bukleb
I particularly enjoyed the last stanza of Giuma Bukleb’s “Leave,” translated by Libyan poet and short-story writer Ghazi Gheblawi.

حتى الزغاريد، إن وجدت، التي بشّرت بميلادك
خذها وارحل
ودعنا..
Even the ululations, if they exist, that heralded your birth
Take it all with you and leave,
And let us…

'Revolutionary' Chick Lit, Erotic Theology, and the Future of the Saudi Novel

'Revolutionary' Chick Lit, Erotic Theology, and the Future of the Saudi Novel
mlynxqualey | May 9, 2011 at 10:32 am | Categories: Saudi, women | URL: http://wp.me/pHopc-1vr


Raja Alsanea, often praised/blamed for starting it all with her novel Girls of Riyadh.Anglos have long been charged by a belief in Arab (hyper)sexuality. As Edward Said nods at in his pioneering Orientalism, this is in large part because of Anglo (hyper)reserve about s-e-x. Indeed, we might just as well talk about why Anglo writers can't properly describe sex in their novels, and what they might learn from Saudi women.
This is in part because Saudis, Madawi al-Rasheed argues in The New Significance, have a history of healthy sex talk. Reserved Anglo women would be shocked by the talk of (married) Saudi women, she says, as Saudis "go in for elaborate 'sexual' talk."
However, the sex talk doesn't end there. It also, less healthily, extends to strict religious and government regulations. Al-Rasheed cites an elaborate "erotic theology," through which scholars circulate how-to sex manuals and answer sex questions live on television.
And in the last decade, sex talk has found its way into young women's novels.
Yes, the topic has been titillating for Anglo news editors. But also for Arab readers. According to the Oman Tribune, "London-based Saudi writer Zeinab Hifni’s latest novel Wesadat Le Hubbiki or the 'Pillow for Your Love'...is the talk of the [2011 Muscat International Book] fair."
And why not? The novel, published by Al-Saqi, is one of a number of well-known Saudi women's novels that talk about sex, international travel, and shopping. Are these novels revolutionary or reactionary? Are they good literature or neocapitalist fantasy?
Madawi al-Rasheed quotes novelist Badriya al-Bishr as saying that sexual themes in the new Saudi lit are just...sexual themes. Contemporary Arab literature, al-Bishr said, "is saturated with sexual scenes but critics do not concern themselves with this. Only when Saudi women write about sex, they are singled out."
Saudi reporter Sabria Jawhar wrote about the issue in Arabisto last year:
Female authors like Al Bishr and Al Gohani may never cross gender lines and be embraced for their work as writers and not just women. But that matters less than the fact they are reaching a female Saudi audience who may be inspired to reach beyond domestic life for a larger piece of the pie.
Obviously, we've written about this too much already:
The New Saudi Novel (Again): Rebellious Pamphlet or Artistic Revolution?
The ‘Tyranny of Sex’ in the Saudi Novel
Laila al-Othman: Too Much Sex in New Saudi (Women’s) Lit
Although there's probably no harm in this one:
A Primer on Saudi Lit, Abdulrahman Munif to Present

ARABIZI TEASER

Video about Arabizi

http://vimeo.com/1849133

‘Arabizi is destroying the Arabic language’

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article366743.ece

By RENAD GHANEM | ARAB NEWS

Published: Apr 19, 2011 22:25 Updated: Apr 19, 2011 22:25

JEDDAH: Arabizi, a term that describes a system of writing Arabic in English, is now more popular than ever, especially online.

Parents and teachers are becoming more concerned over the popularity of this new trend. Some see it as a threat to the Arabic language.

A non-English speaker does not need to speak the language to communicate with others in Arabizi. Numbers are also mixed in Arabizi to represent some letters in Arabic, such as 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9.

Most Arab Internet users find this way easier than typing in Arabic. Teachers fear that this will weaken their Arabic language ability or even replace the language in the future. Arabic professional professors from the Arab world consider it a war against the Arabic language to make it disappear in the long run.

Miral Dibawy, a 21-year-old university graduate, is using Arabizi because she finds it easier when typing on the Internet and sending text messages. She also admitted that it has weakened her Arabic language ability when it comes to writing.

“I was so addicted to this language when chatting and sending texts to my friends. When it came to my research paper, I was finding it hard to write in Arabic. I had to write it in Arabizi first and then translated it into Arabic,” said Miral.

She confirmed that she tried many times to write in Arabic or English, but she found it was very difficult because she had become dependent on Arabizi.

“When I start writing in Arabic, I found myself committing many mistakes and typos and sometimes had difficulty finding the words I wanted to express my thoughts.” She said that some writers used Arabizi when writing books and Internet blogs.

Dina Jamal, university student, agreed that Arabizi weakens the Arabic language and said she only uses Arabic or English when communicating online.

“I do not care if Arabizi is modern or elegant, all I care about is protecting my mother language,” she said.

She added that it is sad that people ignore Arabic, the best language to express feelings, and use Arabizi instead. She said that it is better to use it sparingly and only online and not make it a language that in the future could replace Arabic.

Ali Nasser is a private company employee who does not think there is a problem using Arabizi. He said that Arabizi is a valid mode of communication inside the company and used when emailing other co-workers.

“For me, it is difficult to express myself in Arabic. I cannot write slang in Arabic because it is difficult, while in Arabizi I can. I do not see any evidence that Arabizi weakens my Arabic. The same could be said about weakening the English language but it is not true. I think people are oversensitive about this issue.”

Taiba Al-Amoudi, a private middle school Arabic teacher, claimed that Arabizi was negatively affecting her students’ command of the language.

“The student started creating words from Arabizi and using it in their daily conversation and this is negatively affect their Arabic language knowledge,” said Al-Amoudi

Hossam Gouda, an Arabic language teacher at a private school in Jeddah, believes that Arabic speakers must use Arabic only, the same rule applying to other languages.

Gouda said that there had been a noticeable decline in the performance of students when it comes to Arabic.

“Using Arabizi has a negative effect on the Arabic language,” he said.

He confirmed that Arabic speakers must protect the language and make it stronger.

“What’s happening is that Arabic speakers are weakening the language by using Arabizi, and destroying it in the process,” he said.

Gouda added that it’s better to use Arabic online for as long as possible to prevent it from disappearing in the long run.

Arabic language day: Qatari style

Arabic language day: Qatari style
Posted in Applied Linguistics,Arabic language,Arabic slang,Arabizi,Linguistic relativity,Sociolinguistics by FFSS on March 16, 2011
Tags: Arabic language, Qatar, Qatar University

Image via Wikipedia
It seems the winter is going slowly and it’s time for those beautiful long walks again, and for those of us who love a challenging walk this is a good time. Though now I’m told the next time I am in Scotland to try the Munro walk, actually I call it a climb, apparently it’s not for the faint hearted so I’ll have a go and see- of course the best part are the breathtaking views. I have three of four posts to put up, of course I could not resist looking at the speeches of Gaddafi and writing about them from a linguist’s point of view (they are quite interesting, and I hope the Libyan people will soon be saved from this situation our prayers are with them).The other one is a review of an unpublished book chapter that I was sent a while ago, and it addresses the effects of the English language on the Arabic language in Gulf schools- anyone interested should read it, well-written, well researched. Thank you and welcome to the new subscribers to the blog, I hope you will get some nice posts in your inbox and that you won’t be disappointed; and thanks to the suggestion that I should blog more often. I will do my best, I can only think of one clichéd excuse ‘there is so much work to do’ and I hate to blog rubbish since I think my readers deserve good things.

Right back to our topic, one that is once again at the heart of Arabizi (Arabizi- How we use Arabic today©2011) the fascination and inquisitiveness into how Arabic native speakers use their language today. Is the suggestion, which often offends natives, that Arabic is dying or being lost by its speakers a true statement or one unfounded? Well to answer that you’ll need to carry out some research but here based on newspaper articles we make an analysis of the state of Arabic language right now, since newspapers reflect some type of reality.

I came across the post below on a Qatari newspaper on the 4th of March 2011, titled: ‘Qatar University holds Arabic language day’. Then it occurred to me that I never quite grasp why it’s important to celebrate one’s language and mark a special day for it, if one uses it every day in all communication?! But then, thinking this idea over and in looking closely at the context, and my own personal experience in travelling extensively in the region- it dawned upon me: the Arabic is never really spoken in public. It does not behave like the official languages in other parts of the world. Arabic in Qatar although the official language, in actual fact is only spoken by a minority, the majority speak English, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Indonesian and I think Thai (I don’t know the exact distributions). The schools do not cater to promote proficiency in the teaching of Arabic, and English is becoming ever more popular as a medium of instruction (I will discuss this in the next few posts when reviewing the book chapter I mentioned above). So the result is that the language is in danger of being lost or shifted or…whatever one wishes to label this process- but one fact is real that it is not as stable as a functioning official language should be, hence the worry. Hence the special language festivals and days to mark and reinforce the importance of the language, I cannot say that this is aimed at the non-native speakers for there is also an absence of well organised institutes that teach Arabic as a second language. And the factors go on and on, I will stop now and let you read the short article pasted without editing and at the bottom some of my thoughts on it:

———————————————————– enjoy!

Qatar University holds Arabic Language Day

DOHA: Qatar University (QU) College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) held its third Arabic Language Day celebration this week, under the theme ‘My Language and the Other.’

The programme included an exhibition of students’ work highlighting excerpts from Dr Al Bastian’s widely-acclaimed publications, poetry recitation, and discussions on issues of Arab and Islamic communities.

QU VP and Chief Academic Officer Dr Sheikha bint Jabor Al Thani gave the opening address in the presence of Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, guest and founder of the Abdul Aziz Al Babtain Prize for Poetic Creativity Dr Abdul Aziz Al Babtain, members of QU leadership, Supreme Council of Education representatives, CAS Dean and faculty, staff, and students.

Dr Al Thani stressed the importance of promoting and celebrating the Arabic language and highlighted QU’s role in doing so.

“This event encourages communication and interaction with other languages and cultures. Our language is deep-rooted in genuine values and sentiments and is the best channel to showcase our ancient and vibrant heritage. It is everyone’s responsibility to honour our language and we have to exert every effort to develop and preserve it,” she said.

She outlined the many programmes that QU offers especially the Arabic for Non-Native Speakers (ANNS) programme which attracts international students, promotes Arab and Islamic culture, and boosts social and cultural openness.

Minister Al Kuwari pointed out the role the ministry plays to promote Arabic and Islamic language and culture.

He thanked QU for its participation in the activities celebrating Doha as the Capital of Arab Culture 2010.

CAS Dean Dr Kassim Shaaban noted that Arabic Language Day was acknowledged by the Arabic Language, Education, Culture, and Science Organisation (ALECSO) to be celebrated throughout the Arab world. He referred to some of the current challenges the language faces in competition with other languages and dialects.

“This however had the effect of increased awareness and interest in the Arabic language in terms of culture, science, and religion,” he said.

——————————-end

I often talk of the nature of language being more than just words and that seems to be a strong motivation for holding these days/events. Language allows people to understand the culture of the other, for it holds the key to the belief, customs, culture and even way of thinking for the speakers. If the language is lost the culture is lost and it’s as simple as that, I think the more I come across these types of writings the more I am convinced of that fact: language is more than mere words. At least the Qataris are trying to pre-empt the ‘death’ of their language and by default the death of their customs and culture. I am still on this journey of discovery and I hope one day I will understand the reality of language and its indispensible nature for the human being. Please share your views as always thanks for reading!

————

Sources:

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/144591-qatar-university-holds-arabic-language-day.

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The power of words: What the ‘revolution’ in Egypt illustrates
Posted in Applied Linguistics,Arabic slang,Arabizi,Linguistic relativity,Linguistics,Sociolinguistics,Some writings by FFSS on February 10, 2011
Tags: Applied Linguistics, Egypt, Egyptians

Image by StartAgain via Flickr
It has been a while since I jotted something down for the blog, wishing you all a wonderful new year both Gregorian or Chinese and I pray that peace comes to all peoples of the earth and that we all live our lives happily. I have a few topics to write about over the next few weeks, today I am revisiting one of my favourite topics (still trying to understand it in its true meaning) the power of language or more precisely the power of words.

As a linguist there is always that need to understand the power of words or the power of how people use language in all spheres of their life, and inevitably the effect of those words. One of the topics I have discussed on this blog time and time again is the fact that language is more than mere words and that these words have far reaching meanings and implications this was done most notably through the ever recurring ‘Sapir-Whorf hypothesis’ posts. In looking at the current events in Egypt (that at times are hard to watch because of the unbelievable violence, and the hurt of looking at such a beautiful country fall apart) one thing is clear language clearly plays a major role.

Dubbed as a revolution, we know that all revolutions whether intentionally organised or spontaneously supported and joined by people, have or move on what is termed as ‘slogans’. Slogans have a few characteristics: they are usually short this ensures that remembering them will not be hard, and depending on the language of the so called slogans they might rhyme, a further aid in helping people remember them. They are words that are repeated again and again to reinforce the feelings and stance(s) of the ‘protesters’ (not sure if that’s the right word- words can be sensitive! If they are called protesters or revolutionists what are the implications??) Slogans were very prominent in the French, Grenadian, Chinese and Russian revolutions, simple words to move the emotions the simple people who wanted more justice in their lives as they saw it at the time (See: The Power of words- Literacy and Revolution in South China 1949-95, by Glen Peterson, 1997). There were three common Bolshevik slogans during the 1917 revolution: 1. Factories for the workers, land for the peasants. 2. All power to the soviets. 3. Bread, and freedom! Short and easy to remember and I am sure even in non-technology days, these words spread fast because of the power of words.

In Egypt they have new simple slogans created at every step through this uprising of theirs, everyday new slogans appear and sometimes more than one in a day. What is amazing is that once it is uttered in Cairo, you find it is also uttered in Alexandria, Suez, Luxor, London, Washington, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Belgium, Beirut, Amman (I could go on) and even Japan –all in the same Arabic words, in the same tune and vigour. Is that the power of words or what? When looking at these people outside Egypt chanting these slogans one can see their seriousness and earnestness in repeating those words, perhaps it’s the association they attach to the words?! This is something that has intrigued me for days and caused me to write this post, how the whole world has viewed the unfolding of events in Egypt in an unprecedented manner, and at the centre of it all language plays a major and central role (maybe for a linguist that’s the case and for a politics student it isn’t?). It’s almost as if those outside Egypt in their solidarity marches feel as the people feel in Cairo, any new slogan they repeat it, translate it and spread it. This reminds me of the basis of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) in which language, its repetition and what one associates with those words can help transform a person’s life for the better (maybe a topic for another post).

We cannot ignore the role of technology in all this, it is through the satellite TV stations that (live news coverage) people see the slogans or hear them chanted that they can then re-chant them. I do not think there has been anything like this in the history of popular uprising, revolutions or whatever one wishes to call them, where the words and aspirations of a people uttered in one corner of the earth are reiterated across the globe in the same tune, style and sincerity. I am not a historian (though history interests me) but I cannot remember of ever reading anywhere how the slogans of one group were reiterated and reverberated across the world in this way. In addition to the spoken slogans and the mimicking of those, there is also the power of the written words. Over the past fourteen days some pictures usually with a man or woman or child holding a banner with a message have become iconic in representing the events in Egypt. These same words are then take and re-written across the world by supporters of the people in Egypt, the power we are talking about here is doubly strong: speech and words. This was a short note on how I see language plays a major role or rather a powerful role in events such as these and that what is happening in Egypt is unprecedented on many fronts and one of those is the use of language (intentional or unintentional).

I don’t know how things will end in Egypt (though tonight we are hearing different things?) but I hope that peace and security will be restored in Egypt and that the wonderful kind-hearted Egyptian people will be at peace soon- Allah yahmeeki ya Masr wa yahmee sha3b Masr (May God protect Egypt and its people). Please share your views on this post as always I look forward to them, I am open to suggestions or ideas, and if I have not replied to any recent messages I apologise will do so soon.

Enjoy!

——–

Sources: Peterson, G (1997) ‘The Power of words- Literacy and Revolution in South China 1949-95’.

Wiki-answers: For Russian and French revolution information (slogans).

Here is a sample of eArabic in music

LIsten to the Yamani Rap music on youtube




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TY1cf7JCjA&feature=player_embedded#at=48

An Article I read and liked

الجابري والاعراب نظرة ورأي



رباح حسن الزيدان
الحوار المتمدن - العدد: 3313 - 2011 / 3 / 22
المحور: الفلسفة ,علم النفس , وعلم الاجتماع
راسلوا الكاتب-ة مباشرة حول الموضوع


الأعتداد بالعقل ليس ببعيد عن العرب بأنفسهم المتأثرة بالبيئة المقفرة التي أحاطت بهم .
فلا يوجد أمام العربي سوى الصحراء والسماء التي تدفعه الى النظر والتفكر .
يقول أبن المقفع عن العرب بأنهم : "اهل بلدٍ قفرٍ ووحشة من الأنس , أحتاج كل منهم في وحدته الى فكره ونظره وعقله" . وهو انما قال ذلك ليدل به على ان العرب لهم الأفضلية على الأمم .
فهم لا ينقلون العلم عن أحد , انما يعتمدون جميعاً على ومضات بصائرهم , أي أن العربي لا يحيا في الاشياء بل يحيا معها . وهو في أنفصاله هذا عن الأشياء , تراه يلحظها ويدون صفاتها كما يرصد الصانع عدته , لا كما يؤاخي الصديق صديقه .
لذلك كان الاعرابي هو صانع العالم عند الجابري . فالعربي يحب لغته الى درجة التقديس , ويعتبر السلطة التي لها عليه تعبيراً ليس فقط عن قوتها بل عن قوته هو أيظاً .
وتتحدد هوية العربي بفصاحته أيظاً وليس بمجرد العقل . ومن الناحية التاريخية , فأت أول عمل علمي منظم مارسه العقل العربي هو جمع اللغة العربية ووضع قواعد لها .
وقد جُمعت مادتها في عصر التدوين من أفواه الأعراب الذين بقوا الى ذلك العصر منعزلين لم يتعكر صفو لسانهم بالاختلاط بسكان المدن والحضر .
لذا فأن لسان العرب لابن منظور وهو أضخم موسوعة في اللغة العربية , لا ينقل الينا على ضخامة حجمه , اسماء الاشياء الطبيعية والصناعية ولا المفاهيم النظرية , وانواع المصطلحات التي عرضها عصره , القرن السابع والثامن للهجرة .
ذلك أن الثمانين الف مادة لغوية التي يضمها قاموس ابن منظور لا تخرج عن دائرة حياة ذلك الأعرابي الذي كان بطل عصر التدوين . ويحدثنا التاريخ ان بعض الاعراب قد أحترفوا بيع بضاعتهم من الكلام , وان بعضهم الاخر رحلوا الى البصرة أو الكوفة للاقامة فيها كرواة للغة .
من كل ذلك يميز الجابري صفتين للغة العربية : لا تاريخيتها وطبيعتها الحسية . تعني الاولى ان اللغة العربية تعلو على التاريخ ولا تستجيب لمتطلبات التطور . اما الثانية , فأن جمع اللغة من الاعراب دون غيرهم , معناه جعل عالم هذه اللغة محدوداً بحدود عالم أولئك الاعراب . ولما كان هؤلاء يحيون حياة الفطرة والطبع , أي يحيون حياة حسية أبتدائية , فلقد كان لا بد من ان ينعكس ذلك على تفكيرهم وبالتالي على اللغة التي جمعت منهم وقيست بمقاييسهم . ويقول الجابري ان الكلمات العربية ذات أصول في الطبيعة وان مبدأ الصحة فيها قد تعين من قبل الفطرة لا من قبل العرف والعادة .
وكما ان الاعرابي هو صانع العالم العربي ومصدر اللغة الفصيحة , فإنه ايظاً مصدر العقل العربي في التأمل والنظر . فالاعرابي حر ولا يقبل السلطة من غيره , واصبح العقل حراً يتقيد بالحقائق التي يكتشفها ويعدّها مطلقة . وقد ساعدت البيئة البدوية المفتوحة على الارض والسماء على هذا الاطلاق بسبب تهيئتها للظروف الملائمة للتأمل الفكري .
ويرى الجابري أن ما يميز العقل بوصفه عقل الثقافة العربية الاسلامية هو أن العلاقات داخله تتمحور حول ثلاث اقطاب : الله , الانسان , الطبيعة .
والطبيعة هي التي تقوم بدور المعين للعقل البشري على أكتشاف الله وتبين حقيقته . ففي الثقافة العربية الاسلامية يطلب من العقل أن يتأمل الطبيعة ليتوصل الى خالقها : الله .
وهناك في الثقافة اليونانية الاوروبية يتخذ العقل من الله وسيلة لفهم الطبيعة أو على الأقل ضامناً لصحة فهمه لها .