Arabic Language Reference Books
Despite the wealth of online dictionaries and grammar resources, every serious student still needs a few good Arabic language reference books to hand.
They add a different path to your learning and they are books to dip into, to browse through and occasionally get lost in!
“Ever greater numbers of people are learning Arabic and/or coming into some kind of contact with the Arab world. Anyone who wishes to learn the language faces a hitherto formidable initial challenge: the alphabet.
The Arabic Alphabet: How to Read and Write It belongs on the desk of every student of the language; in the luggage of every visitor to the Middle East; in the briefcase of business people with Arab clients; and in the back pocket of every employee of British or American companies working in Arab countries.” (Amazon Product Description)
- Excellent introduction to understanding Arabic script
- Suitable for scholars, business people and tourists
- Value Price
The Arabic Alphabet: How to Read & Write It
by Nicholas Awde [Lyle Stuart]
Price: $5.97
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“The most modern of its kind available, this new dictionary is an essential resource for students of Modern Standard Arabic and English alike. It is intended to cover their needs with the most up-to-date entries in handy reference form, and will especially prove to be an invaluable aid in navigating the growing global vocabulary of politics, telecommunications, technology, the Internet, tourism, business and travel. Compact and concise, the dictionary includes more than 16,000 entries in clear, easy-to-read format: the Arabic is provided with romanised transliterations and the English with phonetic pronunciations, while grammatical forms are given for each word in both languages. The selection of current words and expressions and their practical arrangement make this a comprehensive and reliable dictionary that is not only a principal tool for the study of Modern Standard Arabic but also the perfect two-way portal for Arabic and English.” (Amazon Product Description)
“This is an excellent work for general use. It has both Arabic English and English-Arabic in one volume, not always the case. The Arabic script is very clear.
It is fine for intermediate students who are already familiar with Arabic script and grammar. The vocabulary chosen is good for tourists (it is a good size, paperback and light), or speakers of the language brushing up their knowledge. Suitable for general conversation, it contains up-to-date technical vocabulary (eg relating to the internet, computers in general etc). (An Amazon Customer Review)
- Clear print, easy to use
- Up-to-date vocabulary
- Distinction between Singular/plural and present/past could be clearer
Arabic-English/English-Arabic Dictionary
by Nicholas Awde [Bennett & Bloom]
Price: $30.43
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“An exceptionally clear and accessible reference and workbook for anyone who wants to learn Arabic. Easy Arabic Grammar is both a handy grammar reference and a primer/workbook for beginning to intermediate-level students of Arabic. Clear structural explanations and practice activities make it a perfect companion for formal language classes as well as any self-teaching course.” (Amazon Product Description)
“Personally, I learn a new language better if I have a good overall view of the framework of its grammar and syntax. Wightwick and Gaafar have written a quick and dirty primer for those who already have more indepth grammatic references, but need to know how it all fits together without getting buried in 450+ pages over a period of 6 to 12 months.
You’ll need to know your alphabet ( I suggest Awde & Samano’s ‘The Arabic Alphabet’), and serious students cannot rely on this book for their main course of study; however, this book has done more for my progession than any other single book or system. Since I’ve made it through ‘Easy Arabic Grammar’ (which took me all of about 3 weeks, others could probably blow through it in much less time), most of my subsequent studies have consisted of following up on subjects I’ve already been introduced to, instead of learning entirely new concepts.” (An Amazon Customer Review)
- Methodical approach, easy to follow and with good layout
- Good as a companion volume
- Needs more practice exercises
by Jane Wightwick [McGraw-Hill]
Price: $9.01
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“A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic is a comprehensive handbook on the structure of Arabic. Keeping technical terminology to a minimum, it provides a detailed yet accessible overview of Arabic in which the essentials of its phonology, morphology and syntax can be readily looked up and understood. Accompanied by extensive examples, it will prove an invaluable practical guide for supporting students’ textbooks, classroom work or self-study, and will also be a useful resource for scholars and professionals wishing to develop an understanding of the key features of the language.” (Amazon Product Description)
“In 39 crisp chapters covering more than 700 pages Ryding organizes both the grand lines and essential details of Arabic language structure and grammar. This is a highly readable, easily searched linguistic reference. The index really does the job and her list of references alone is a significant academic contribution. Finally, this gem will make life easier for both students of Arabic and researchers. All my thumbs are up for this once in a lifetime linguistic treasure.” (An Amazon Customer Review)
- Complete and extensive
- More suitable for intermediate and advanced students
- Need to be familiar with grammatical terms
- Price
A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic (Reference Grammars)
by Karin C. Ryding [Cambridge University Press]
Price: $44.61
Find out more on Amazon!
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