Anyway, here is the video:
Like I said, at least the younger ones are really getting into it, especially CJ and Jacob. Asari too though. One kind of funny thing is that Jacob doesn't know all of his English ABCs, but he is learning these, so it is kind of funny. I am sure he will do fine though. I was asking them what one of the letters was and he knew it. If I can do this every day for a few weeks, we will have a good start.
Some things to consider about the Arabic ABCs. The reason I am learning them is because they use a completely different script to write. In addition, they write from right to left. So, if you really want to know how to get around, it is wise to learn the written language. Another fact, the letters have four different ways they can be written, depending on the position they are in, within a word. First letter, last letter, middle position or alone. Arabic only has three vowels, the first letter - alif, and the last two (I haven't gotten to them yet).
The way we are doing this is learning about seven a day, while we learn them we learn the symbol and the name. I am going to get the kids writing them more too. In addition, I have to start incorporating a few simple words. So if you are going to learn along, learn the first seven letters today. Alif, beh, teh, theh, geem, hah and kah. They will be listed on a chart below us. I am going to list all my learning resources so I can use this blog to chart my progress. Kind of there and back again to Egypt.
So this blog is the first resource, I am going to copy a bit verbatim from him, just in case his blog goes down, we will have it. However, I have to give him proper respect. His thing is learning through music, which I think is an excellent idea. I will be living on his site for a while, I suggest you do the same. One other thing to note about Arabic and language in general (although I typically struggle learning them) , language is regional. So don't be put off if a sound of a letter in one source is slightly different than from another. For example, in Egypt, up in Cairo, they pronounce the J sound more in words, in Luxor it is more the G sound. You will get corrected too, but at least you are understood. But it is all part of the experience.
http://egyptianarabiccourse.blogspot.com/2008/03/egyptian-arabic-alphabet.html
ا - alif, as in "Ah" آه which means "ow," like an expression of pain or frustration
ب - ba, as in "Bahebbak" بحبك which means "I love you"
ت - ta, as in "Tani" تاني which means "another" or "again"
ث - ta or sa, as in "Sawani" ثواني which means "seconds" from the same word as "tani." While this letter in Standard Arabic is a "tha," it has merged with the letters "ta" and "siin" now. For old and common words "ta" is more common, and from new, borrowed, or reborrowed wor.ds "sa" is more likely.
ج - giim, as in "Gameel" جميل which means "beautiful." In Egypt, it is usually pronounced as a "ga" as opposed to the Standard Arabic "ja."
ح - Ha (7a), as in "Habibi" حبيبي which means "my darling." This sound does not exist in English, but it is like a regular Ha in English only "harsher." A friend has described it to me as a "phone sex 'h'"
خ - xa (5a or kha), as in "Khudni" خدني which means "take me." This sound is like kinda the ch in Bach from german, the french 'r' in "quatre" or to an English speaker probably sounds like they are about to spit
د - daal, as in "Dunya" دنيا which can mean "the world," "the prevailing environment" or "everyone."
ذ - daal or zaal, as in "Dayeb" ذائب which means "melting" often in love. Like "tha," "dhaal" loses its standard Arabic pronunciation, becoming a "da" sound for old and common words and a "za" sound for newer, borrowed, or reborrowed words from Standard Arabic.
ر - ra, as in "Rooh" روح which means "soul." It is trilled like the Spanish r.
ز - zay, as in "Zaman" زمن which means "time" as in the 4th dimension
س - sin, as in "Sawa" سوا which means "together"
ش - shiin, as in "Shuf" شوف which means "see," "look," or "look at"
ص - Saad, as in "Sabr" صبر which means "patience." The Saad is like an English s but with more rounding of the lips to produce a deeper hiss.
ض - Daad, as in "Da3" ضاع which means "lost" or "wasted." Daad is like the English d in the same relationship as Saad is to s.
ط - Ta (6a), as in "Tayr" طير which means "bird." Ta is in the same relationship with the English T as Daad is with d
ظ - Da or Za, as in "Zalim" ظالم which means "unjust" or "oppressive." This sound is DHa in Standard Arabic, but either becomes a "Za" sound or a "Da" sound in Egyptian.
ع - Ayn (3ayn), as in "3ayni" عيني which means "my eye" (a very common term of endearment in Arabic). 3ayn has no equivalent in English and I don't know how to describe it. Just read and listen for it. For those who know linguistics, its the voiced version of ح
غ - ghayn, as in "Ghali" غالي which means "precious." It's like a ga sound only it's like you're gargling water.
ف - fa, as in "Farah" فرح which means "joy" or "happiness"
ق - qaff (9aff, 2aff), as in "Qalbi" قلبي which means "my heart." Originally this sound is like an English k only deeper in the throat, as if you were choking, but in Egypt it is usually pronounced as a glottal stop like the sound in between Uh and Oh in Uh-Oh. So "Qalbi" becomes "Albi."
ك - kaff (Chaff), as in "Keef" كيف which means "how" east of Egypt.
ل - laam, as in "Leel" ليل which means "night"
م - miim, as in "Majnun" مجنون which means "mad" or "crazy"
ن - nuun, as in "Nar" نار which means "fire"
ه - ha, as in "Hawa" هوى which is one of the many words for love "hawa"
و - waaw, as in "Waheshtini" وحشتيني which is how you tell a girl "I miss you"
ي - ya, as in "Ya habibi" يا حبيبي which means "oh my darling." To address someone like "oh" or "hey" in English, you say "ya" before the name or title you are calling them.
http://www.egyptiancastle.com/main/culture/language/alphabet.htm
Another source with a nice blackboard. If you click on his blackboard you get the sounds of the letters, he uses real player, but it is cool. Remember, start on the top right and move to the left (ie Alif is the line that looks like 1). The board looks cheesy but is as useful as hell. You have to go to his site, linked above to use the sounds. I only copied the image so you could see it first.
I am going to make another post later today about the other thing I learned yesterday. Until then, take it easy and PEACE.
No comments:
Post a Comment