SOME people feel that language at a certain level may obstruct communication instead of facilitating it. It may fail to express what you mean when you think you are expressing your deepest thoughts and emotions. While this might hold some truth in the realm of literature, one should avoid taking it too seriously in everyday life. As things stand, the ability to communicate — or the inability to do so — may make or break our fortunes.
The matter assumes paramount importance when we choose to live and work in a land where our language is not spoken. I can understand the concerns of the British government when they stipulate proficiency in English as a criterion for foreigners wanting British citizenship. Analysts believe that lack of basic language skills among immigrants could have been a major factor in the race riots that shook parts of England this summer. Now, I am not a crusader for the English language but I do feel that immigrants should learn the language of their host country. Acquisition of the language is not only important because it helps you understand the local culture, norms and social mores and, at the same time, it also helps you to give an account of your own culture.
It was with such thoughts as these that I embarked upon learning Arabic. King Saud University and Al-Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University, both in Riyadh, provide well-structured evening courses in Arabic for non-Arabic speakers. Students are mainly drawn from embassies and diplomatic missions. Of course, there are others attending the courses as well. I must admit that I had some advantage over the others because, as an Urdu speaker, I already knew the script and also because Urdu contains many words which come from Arabic.
Learning a language is not an easy task and Arabic is no different in this respect. The grammar with its articles, particles, prepositions, conjugations and syntax leaves beginners scratching their heads. If it’s not “inna and its sisters” that have stumped you, be sure that you cannot escape “kaana and its sisters.” Fortunately, Arabic grammar is based on a highly systematic and consistent set of rules. In English, if there are rules there are always exceptions. Plus, there is often little logic to English spellings. It is in this area that Arabic provides some relief, provided you can overcome the “hamzas” which are another problem in themselves.
After burning the midnight oil for a year or so, I had not exactly become a scholar but I did start to get the hang of the language. The biggest advantage was being able to understand the prayers I read. With some effort, I could even understand a few verses from the Holy Qur’an. I understood why Marmaduke Pickthall notes in his introduction to the translation of the Holy Qur’an that Arabs often weep when its verses are read aloud. In addition, I could read business letters fairly easily. The course definitely improved my interpersonal communication skills in the workplace. It’s no secret that Arabs respect a foreigner who can communicate in Arabic.
In the Kingdom, people from many countries live and work — many of them for years at a time. Those from Arab countries have an advantage in already knowing Arabic and will agree that they have an easier time when dealing with Saudis. As for non-Arabs, it does us little credit when we denigrate and make a mess out of Arabic when we try to speak it.
Ignorance of Arabic might be excusable for those expatriates who have neither the education nor the means to learn the language but I cannot understand why so many doctors, engineers, managers and other corporate sector people neglect the acquisition of this vital skill. Is it because they secretly nurse a superiority complex? Or is it that a situation never arises where there they need to speak Arabic? Whatever the reasons, I feel the least we could do is to learn some Arabic. The Arabs are justly proud of their language and perhaps if we learned a bit of it, we might be able to overcome some barriers and reach a deeper understanding of one another.