Regarded as one of the most difficult languages to learn for native
English speakers by the U.S. State Department, Arabic is gaining
both prominence and importance in America. Recent world events have
brought more and more Americans and other English speakers into
contact with Arabic-speaking populations, and governments and
businesses are increasingly aware of the importance of basic Arabic
language skills. Arabic for Dummies provides you with a
painless and fun way to start communicating in Arabic.
Why should you learn Arabic? Well, besides the fact that over
200 million people in more than 22 nations use it to communicate,
there are tons of reasons to get up to speed this 1, 400 year old
language, including:
* Nearly all of the Middle-East speaks Arabic or one of its
dialects
* Basic Arabic skills are extremely useful for anyone traveling
to, doing business in, or serving in the Middle East
* It is the language in which the Koran is written
* There is a rich, centuries-old literary tradition in
Arabic
Arabic For Dummies presents the language in the classic,
laid-back For Dummies style. Taking a relaxed approach to this
difficult language, it’s packed with practice dialogues and
communication tips that will have you talking the talk in no time.
You’ll get the scoop on:
* The Arabic alphabet, pronunciation, basic grammar, and the
rules of transliteration
* The history of the language and information on classical Arabic
and its dialects
* How to make small talk and make yourself understood when
dining, shopping, or traveling around town
* How to communicate on the phone and in business
conversations
* Handy words and phrases for dealing with money, directions,
hotels, transportation, and emergencies
* Arabic culture and etiquette, including ten things you should
never do in Arabic countries
The book also includes an Arabic-English dictionary, verb
tables, and an audio CD with dialogues from the book to help you
perfect your pronunciation. Written by a native Arabic speaker who
helped start a year-round Arabic department at Middlebury College,
Arabic For Dummies is just what you need to start making
yourself understood in Arabic.
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are
not included as part of e Book file.
Innehållsförteckning
Introduction.
Part I: Getting Started.
Chapter 1: You Already Know a Little Arabic.
Chapter 2: The Nitty-Gritty: Basic Arabic Grammar.
Chapter 3: ’as-salaamu ’alaykum!: Greetings and
Introductions.
Part II: Arabic in Action.
Chapter 4: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk.
Chapter 5: This Is Delicious! Eating In and Dining Out.
Chapter 6: Going Shopping.
Chapter 7: Around Town.
Chapter 8: Enjoying Yourself: Recreation.
Chapter 9: Talking on the Phone.
Chapter 10: At the Office and Around the House.
Part III: Arabic on the Go.
Chapter 11: Money, Money, Money.
Chapter 12: Asking for Directions.
Chapter 13: Staying at a Hotel.
Chapter 14: Getting from Here to There: Transportation.
Chapter 15: Planning a Trip.
Chapter 16: Handling an Emergency.
Part IV: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 17: Ten Ways to Pick Up Arabic Quickly.
Chapter 18: Ten Things You Should Never Do in an Arab
Country.
Chapter 19: Ten Favorite Arabic Expressions.
Chapter 20: Ten Great Arabic Proverbs.
Part V: Appendixes.
Appendix A: Verb Tables.
Appendix B: Arabic-English Mini-Dictionary.
Appendix C: Answer Key.
Appendix D: About the CD.
Index.
Om författaren
Amine Bouchentouf is a native English, Arabic, and French
speaker born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco. Amine has been
teaching Arabic and lecturing about relations between America and
the Arab world in his spare time for over 4 years and has offered
classes and seminars for students at Middlebury College, the
Council on Foreign Relations, and various schools across the United
States. He runs and maintains the Web site www.al-baab.com
(which means ’gateway’ in Arabic).
Amine graduated from Middlebury College and has always been
interested in promoting better relations between the West and the
Middle East through dialogue and mutual understanding. Amine
published his first book, Arabic: A Complete Course (Random
House), soon after graduating college in order to help Americans
understand Arabic language and culture. He has written Arabic
For Dummies in an attempt to reach an even wider audience with
the aim of fostering better relations through education.
He holds a degree in Economics from Middlebury and has extensive
experience in the arena of international investing. He is a
registered investment advisor and is a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers. Amine is currently working on
his third book, Investing in Commodities For Dummies (Wiley
Publishing).
Amine is an avid traveler and has visited over 15 countries across
the Middle East, Europe, and North and South America. Aside from
his interest in languages, business, and travel, Amine enjoys
biking, rollerblading, playing guitar, chess, and golf. He lives in
New York City.