EducationToday

Demystifying Arabic Grammar: The best way to Study Arabic on a Tight Schedule (Half 2)

This text is Half 2 of my Demystifying Arabic Grammar Collection. Learn Half 1 TIMES earlier than beginning.

In case you would have advised me that the important thing to studying Arabic on a decent schedule was to first perceive Arabic grammar, I would not have believed you.

As a result of in case you’re a long-time Marhabtain reader, you already know that I didn’t be taught Arabic fluently by studying grammar.

I watched TV exhibits, listened to the radio, jammed out to music, and made Anki playing cards alongside the best way.

I deliberately rejected studying any little bit of Arabic grammar, as a result of it jogged my memory of my days in Arabic class feeling confused, not studying to talk, and general making no progress.

So additionally, in case you would have advised me that in any case of this, that The can be the one preaching about studying grammar, I actually wouldn’t have believed you.

However issues change. Particularly, my schedule.

For the reason that first wave of the pandemic got here to shut round Summer time 2021, the world beginning opening up once more, and laying all of its calls for on my shoulders (and doubtless yours too!). Then I stop my job, moved to a brand new state, and began a brand new and far more demanding occupation.

I dream of the times once I might simply spend 5 hours watching Arabic television exhibits and studying articles, to not point out the limitless hours of passive immersion all through the day. Now, if I get 2 hours of lively uninterrupted immersion per day, I really feel like I should throw myself a celebration.

Final summer season, as my free time dissolved, I felt my Arabic expertise dissolving proper together with it. All of the hundreds of hours, the training, the vitality, slipping beneath my fingers.

At first, it was good to have a break from the every day studying schedule. However after a number of months of minimal effort, I might see how my expertise have been stalling, and in the end going backward.

I had to choose: Make excuses for why I simply couldn’t be taught Arabic anymore or discover a answer.

As we speak’s article is all about that answer.

That is what you will be taught immediately:

  • The logic of Arabic, and why grammar is the important thing to this course of
  • How studying Arabic effectively can velocity your language acquisition 10x

Life compelled me to determine how you can be taught Arabic on a decent schedule. And actually, I am higher off for it, and you can be too.

Act 1: The One Idea You Must Perceive (Notice: In case you do something, reread this part till it hits.)

Bear in mind this tree I confirmed you in Part 1 of this sequence? (When you have not seen this earlier than, return to Half 1 TIMES and browse the article.)

Bear in mind how I advised you that simply by understanding one root, you would be taught 40+ different phrases instantly? And that the branches of this tree represented all of these phrases?

And keep in mind on the end of Part 1I advised you that in Half 2 of this sequence, I’d clarify to you how one root might immediately turn into 40+ phrases?

Now, let me present you precisely how the 40+ phrases are shaped.

Have a look at this chart under. Learn it from proper to left. You do not want to know or perceive something that it’s saying. Simply observe. What do you discover?

(In case you’ve ever taken a proper Arabic class, you have in all probability seen this chart earlier than. And it in all probability intimated the hell out of you and scared you off of studying grammar. Or was that simply me?)

Do you see how every of the phrases in each column has the letters act written in them, and in that order?

Now, change verb with data. What do you see?

This is the key: This chart is the tree I simply confirmed you, however in desk kind.

This is one other secret: You could possibly change act on the chart with science and you’ll be creating nearly all of the phrases you see within the branches of the tree.

This is the final secret: You could possibly change verb with any 3-letter root and you’ll be creating nearly all phrases related to that root.

So here is the takeaway: So long as you perceive this chart, and so long as you’ve got a 3-letter root in entrance of you, you’ve got entry to an infinite quantity of phrases.

This is one other view of what I imply.

Act 2: 5 Examples of How this Idea Works in Motion

So now, let me present you 5 examples (to be transient) of how this chart represents the totally different branches of the tree. Bear in mind to interchange verb with data.

Instance 1.

Instance 2.

Instance 3.

Instance 4.

Instance 5.

Act 3: The Final One Factor You Must Know Is This…

In case you stroll away understanding something, right here it’s: This chart represents Arabic. This chart is Arabic.

And much more importantly, this chart demonstrates the logic of Arabic.

This chart demonstrates precisely how nearly each phrase you have ever heard spoken or learn in Arabic is written and pronounced.

Now, if what I wrote, didn’t cease you in your tracks, I have to scroll again as much as Part 2 and have a look at them once more earlier than closing out this tab in your pc.

What I am attempting to elucidate right here may probably not be hitting you but, as a result of English isn’t designed on this manner.

There isn’t any chart in English that you would give a non-native speaker and say, “Right here, this chart will present you the way each phrase in English is written or pronounced. It’ll take a while to grasp this chart since you should not have it in your language, however when you do, you’ll perceive how our entire language works. It is simply… that… easy. ”

English isn’t constructed upon this logic.

That is why when my Arabic instructor confirmed me this chart years in the past, I didn’t perceive its significance. I didn’t perceive that she had simply proven me the important thing to answering all of my questions: How do you say this? How do you spell this? What does this imply?

Prior to now, I regarded this chart as simply one more reason why Arabic was so laborious and unattainable to be taught. I didn’t understand that this chart, and whoever designed it, was attempting to indicate that Arabic was simple, scarily simple.

I wish to deal with a number of complaints you might need about studying this chart:

Criticism 1. Uchechi, however that chart is in Fusha! I believed Marhabtain focuses on Ammiya. Ammiya and fusha are two totally different languages!

Actually, I hope we will all be a part of fingers in killing this debate as soon as and for all. Spoken Arabic is derived from Fusha. They’re totally different, and but one in the identical.

I consider the them as fraternal twins – they arrive from the identical supply, however they don’t share the very same DNA.

I do know this can be a laborious tablet for Arabic learners to swallow (I rejected the thought for YEARS myself, belief me), as a result of it provides one other layer of problem to the language. However the reality is the reality.

And if we have a look at Arabic with open eyes and open understanding, we’d find yourself changing into grateful for Fusha. * gasp *

And see that solely Fusha, with its deeply engrained grammatical patterns, might have helped Arabic develop right into a language that’s so extremely logical and environment friendly.

Criticism 2. However, Uchechi, this chart doesn’t take note of for the best way phrases like – [insert random irregular verb] or [loaner word] or [slang term] – are constructed! What about these?

No, this chart doesn’t account for each doable phrase you will come throughout in Arabic.

However as an alternative of being discouraged, give it some thought one other manner.

What if I advised you that 90% of Spoken Arabic was based mostly on the construction proven on this chart. And even 80%? Or simply 70%?

That is nonetheless nearly all of the language.

Sure, in case you go to Beirut proper now, relying on who you are speaking to, you would hear them communicate Arabic, English, and French in the identical sentence. But when the Arabic they communicate (which is the language you are attempting to be taught) is at the least 80% based mostly off the construction of this chart, why hassle your self with the irregularities of the remaining 20%?

Criticism 3. However, Uchechi, do I really want to do that to turn into fluent? This looks like quite a bit to tackle, on prime of every little thing else I am doing.

No, you do not want to be taught this in any respect.

I used to be in a position to attain conversational fluency in Arabic with out understanding grammar in any respect. By way of immersion, I started to intuit the logic that this chart places forth so clearly. And I do credit score these hundreds of hours I spent inefficiently studying, as the explanation for why the grammar appears fascinating and extra pure to me.

However now that I do know what I do know, I understand that I might have realized 10x as many phrases 10x as quick, and that this methodology of studying is strictly what I would like with my tight schedule.

Ultimate Act: So What Do You Do Subsequent?

Within the subsequent grammar articles I write, I might be breaking down this chart, column by column from a Levantine Arabic perspective, and present you how you can be taught Ammiya is a straightforward, logical, and intuitive manner. By the tip of this sequence, you’ll perceive how you can kind all of the branches of the Levantine Arabic tree, and turn into extra assured in your vocabulary acquisition skills.

In closing, it is okay if you don’t get the entire image but or perceive why it will change your entire method to studying Arabic.

However I’ve the sense that one thing is clicking for you proper now.

You are asking your self: Are you telling me that Arabic is that this… easy? Are you telling me…?

Sure, that is precisely what I am saying.

That is why understanding this chart has been such a breakthrough for me.

And that is why over the course of the subsequent few months, I will clarify this chart column by column from a Levantine Arabic perspective, and present you how you can be taught Ammiya is a straightforward, logical, and intuitive manner.

In brief, you deserve a bit extra free time in your life. I do know I do…

Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button