learn arabic

انا مذتن لو

Yearterday I enrolled on the Introduction to Arabic Language and Culture course at the local university, starting April.

Given that I already know a bit about both I shouldn’t feel too intimidated, although it is Standard Arabic as opposed to the version of Gulf Arabic I’ve picked up so far.

Nevertheless, I’m hoping that I don’t get bored or antsy and stick it out. In the meantime, I’m looking to go on holiday to Morocco to keep it uppermost in my mind.

I went on to base security gate duty for the first time in ages today & was able to try out my Arabic for the first time since the course. I wasn’t able to remember any of the new phrases that I learnt, but I was able to understand more of what was said to me by the incoming local workers.

I’m a little annoyed with my self for not being quick witted enough to respond to “Shakoo makoo?” (loosely speaking, “how’s the news?”) by saying “kulshee zayn” (“everything’s okay”)

Next time.

My 5-day course starts next week. My head is going to spin.

Must remember to do homework this time, unlike failed language classes in the past.

My name is now down for a Basic Patrol Arabic course, hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

By the way, in Gulf Arabic (that which is spoken in southern Iraq) you say “how are you” by saying:

• ‘Shlownak’ if to a man
• ‘Shlownich’ to a woman
• ‘Shlownkum’ to a group of people

The more astute of you will notice the suffixes -ak, -ich and -kum are the ones that dictate gender (or something).

I wanted to learn arabic so I could communicate better with the people out here in Iraq, but at the minute all we are doing is forcing them off the road when doing convoy protection :-(

The last thing I learned was “itfah rijlak”, which is “open your legs” – this is for use when searching people, I assure you – which isn’t going to get me invited to dinner anywhere in the Arab world sometime soon.

Current obligations mean that I have to learn a basic amount for what I will term my “summer job”.

So far I can say things like “hello” and “goodbye”, good morning and afternoon (and their replies) and ask how people are.

I can also tell them to open the door and ask where the bomb is, but hopefully I won’t need to use them too much.

In any case, I want to learn enough so that someday I can go on an archaelogical tour of Jordan and Syria and not rely on others to do the talking for me.