Haneefa Risty
what are the differences between arabic fushkha and arabic 'ammiyah?
Mar 24, 2013 11:07 PM
Answers · 5
1
It's a diglossia thing. Technically, nobody (or almost nobody; you never know!) speaks Fus-ha natively. It is a made up language based on Classical Arabic as found in Islamic texts. However, it is considered more prestigious than any of the spoken forms, and because of this, is the official language of all the Arab nations, and is used in education, literature, speeches, newcasts, etc. It is much more grammatically conservative than the dialects and much more resistant to calques and loan words. The dialects (3ammiyah) have no official status, but they are the native languages of the peoples. They are spoken on the streets, at work, in schools (even if theoretically the language of instruction should be MSA), in music, in movies, on TV, etc. When someone says they speak Arabic natively, they are referring to one of the dialects, not to fus-ha, which is a second language to us just as it is to you, it's just easier for us to learn because we already speak a closely related language. The dialects can be said to have easier grammar and vocabulary, but alas, material out there to learn dialect is relatively scarce. Also, assuming you are learning Arabic for religious purposes, it would do you much better to learn MSA, which is a lot closer to Classical Arabic. Not enough that you would understand the Koran word for word, mind you, but enough to get you started. If you are learning Arabic for business or personal pleasure, then the most-spoken dialects (Egyptian/Levant) are your best bet.
March 25, 2013
Graciously, many people have practiced speaking MSA so that they can help me learn to understand news broadcasts. I am very thankful to all to have or will help me.
March 26, 2013
Fusha is the formal standard of the Arabic language. Ammeya is the dialect of the language & it changes from a place to another...
March 25, 2013
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