About Arabic Language

LordLink · Feb 7, 2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

1) - you have already admitted your english is not the best - but you conclude its an inferior language???
2) - why did you bother to learn an inferior language?

1) Yes my writing style is not perfect, my vocabulary is limited but I understand English a lot better than I write it.

English is a very new language compared to Arabic, its vocabulary has changed a lot over centuries and it's getting a lot from French.
Arabic has had a great influence on other languages and still have some loanwords in English

Arabic literature began long before the English one and is very rich and of a high quality, the only problem is that you have to learn Arabic in order to read it as it's still even now largely untranslated.

Quote:

A large proportion of Arabic literature before the 20th century is in the form of poetry, and even prose from this period is either filled with snippets of poetry or is in the form of saj or rhymed prose. The themes of the poetry range from high-flown hymns of praise to bitter personal attacks and from religious and mystical ideas to poems on sex and wine. An important feature of the poetry which would be applied to all of the literature was the idea that it must be pleasing to the ear. The poetry and much of the prose was written with the design that it would be spoken aloud and great care was taken to make all writing as mellifluous as possible. Indeed saj originally meant the cooing of a dove.

2) It's very simple, I like English. It has something special especially if you know French. French is a great language but English is more to the point. More importantly, It's now the language of Science, USA got the biggest economical market and research so you simply can't ignore it.

When I talked about superiority, I added I can't be but subjective because Arabic is my native language. On the one hand, if we're talking in term of language then Arabic is superior. On the other hand if we're talking about actual influence and value then English is surely superior. I hope I was clear this time.

Zelig · Feb 7, 2008, 08:11 PM

Unfortunately (maybe, depending on your views), technical merits of language have almost no bearing on their usefulness to know or learn. Technically, Esperanto is a great language, but because of its low number of speakers, there isn't much incentive to learn it.

As the world globalizes, it's increasingly moving towards having only a few major relevant languages.

Native French speaker here, I wouldn't mind picking up another language at some point, probably another European language.

LordLink · Feb 7, 2008, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zelig

Unfortunately (maybe, depending on your views), technical merits of language have almost no bearing on their usefulness to know or learn. Technically, Esperanto is a great language, but because of its low number of speakers, there isn't much incentive to learn it.

As the world globalizes, it's increasingly moving towards having only a few major relevant languages.

Native French speaker here, I wouldn't mind picking up another language at some point, probably another European language.

I suggest you German: very interesting too and should be even more easier for a French/English speaker.

BiGBrOwNPimpsta · Feb 7, 2008, 10:23 PM

wallahi

put a jihad on yo ass!

BlueMak · Feb 7, 2008, 10:33 PM

Meh, everybody should learn ancient greek. :-p

OmegaRED · Feb 7, 2008, 10:36 PM

I don't think you really have a right to say which language is superior in any form over another until you're equally fluent in both. Anyway, it seems to me most multilingual speakers pick their primary language as the best so it's futile to compare them.

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2008, 11:44 PM

And im not sure why he dragged the debate into off-topic - perhaps to avoid debate?

BiGBrOwNPimpsta · Feb 8, 2008, 06:31 PM

i got negged for that comment

oh well ill get propped back up later

OmegaRED · Feb 8, 2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BiGBrOwNPimpsta

i got negged for that comment

oh well ill get propped back up later

You'll get the plus rep from me for the "Wallahi" quote, I had just come from the gym after a bunch of Somali guys were throwing "wallahi ballahi" around like every sentence needed to be sworn to God when I read your post

LordLink · Feb 9, 2008, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

And im not sure why he dragged the debate into off-topic - perhaps to avoid debate?

This was simply off-topic
I don't get why you're upset, it was not suitable to discuss this LANGUAGE matter in a religion thread!!!

LordLink · Feb 9, 2008, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmegaRED

I don't think you really have a right to say which language is superior in any form over another until you're equally fluent in both. Anyway, it seems to me most multilingual speakers pick their primary language as the best so it's futile to compare them.

I thought I was clear about the subject.
It really depends on how you want to understand "superior"

OmegaRED · Feb 9, 2008, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordLink

I thought I was clear about the subject.
It really depends on how you want to understand "superior"

The english language isn't like scripture, you can't just interpret the meaning however you see fit.

I understand English isn't even your 2nd language so it'll be a while before you are fluent in it, maybe at that time it would be fair to judge which is "superior".

Personally, I'm only really fluent in English and on a good day I can understand French Canadian and Female (on a really good day).

Falstaff · Feb 9, 2008, 10:10 PM

debate thread....
btw..
Arabic is fascinating...we had to learn a little at the DLI and I have never used it. but I have heard it quite a bit..LOL.

BlueMak · Feb 10, 2008, 03:12 AM

I always wanted to learn ancient egyptian (tough luck, I know), and Japanese, and russian too!

Maddogg6 · Feb 10, 2008, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordLink

This was simply off-topic
I don't get why you're upset, it was not suitable to discuss this LANGUAGE matter in a religion thread!!!

well - you took my quote from the debate thread - you don't understand this?? (when you could have started a new debate thread - right?)

(and to assume I am upset? - ok but you are wrong on that as well)

Quote:

It really depends on how you want to understand "superior"

exactly right - its a 'debatable' subject, as is anything that is considered subjective.

cozumel · Feb 10, 2008, 07:11 PM

This isn't a debate thread - it's an 'fyi' thread. I think Lordlink was just explaining his difficulties with the English language and the reasons he finds arabic easier, but not as clearly as intended. I suppose you could debate what was intended if you want as that is debateable.

Maddogg6 · Feb 10, 2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cozumel

This isn't a debate thread - it's an 'fyi' thread. I think Lordlink was just explaining his difficulties with the English language and the reasons he finds arabic easier, but not as clearly as intended. I suppose you could debate what was intended if you want as that is debateable.

well, maybe....
The debate religion thread!

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordLink

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

Hmmm - this is not my fault - perhaps you bit off more than you could chew by *choosing* to debate religion in an *english* forum. Sounds like an excuse to me tho.

I don't expect appologies - I expect you to say what you mean, and mean what you say... thats, imho, is not asking too much.

Yeah thanks for insisting on *choosing* and *english* as I'll take your advice and make this post the last.

So I understand what you are saying - I dont think it to be the case.
I mean - would I go to a religion debate forum just after learning Hebrew? no.

LordLink · Feb 11, 2008, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

well - you took my quote from the debate thread - you don't understand this?? (when you could have started a new debate thread - right?)

You were the one behind the idea, so I quoted you because the whole thread is a response to your words, logical - right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

So I understand what you are saying - I dont think it to be the case.
I mean - would I go to a religion debate forum just after learning Hebrew? no.

You're now concentrating all your efferts on my "weakness" in English??!
Come on, I didn't learn English yesterday it's just that I don't don't use it everyday and the religious subjects are not my passion plus it was like me against the world