Zeinab Ibrahim
Doha: Zeinab Ibrahim, sociolinguist and professor of Arabic studies at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, (CMU-Q), a Qatar Foundation partner university, believes that an emphasis on Modern Standard Arabic education and new language teaching approaches can revive the language and bring the Arab world together.
“Today, English is a lingua franca, meaning it is the bridge language used in international forums,” said Ibrahim.
As a result, many Arabs are prioritising English language learning over Modern Standard Arabic. “Many families are only being exposed to English content, whether it’s movies, series, or songs, and this is a concerning phenomenon,” Ibrahim said.
“We should realize that the message we’re conveying to our children is that English is the primary language, through which they would eventually acquire the English culture.”
Ibrahim said Arabic is a powerful language with a linguistic reality that is a combination of classical and colloquial. Modern Standard Arabic bridges the gap between Arab communities who speak different dialects.
“We must leverage our dialects to promote Modern Standard Arabic ,” she said.
In fact, Modern Standard Arabic has helped Arab countries connect without turning each dialect into a language in its own right. Classical Arabic is also the language
of Islam, which is common to Islamic countries.
“Thus, Modern Standard Arabic has a strong cultural and political impact. Yet, linguistic theories have emerged over the past decade stipulating that children should be taught the Arabic dialect rather than Modern Standard Arabic.”
Ibrahim believes this approach is incorrect. Ibrahim has touched on this topic in an article she wrote about the “love-fear relationship” Arab students' experience.
