Am I Supposed To Learn Arabic?

Z.J.J   Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:36 am GMT
One of my friends (Chinese), who majored in Arabic (MSA) at university, has been working at a Chinese company in UAE (Dubai) for over 3 years. My major wasn't Arabic, and as yet I've known nothing about it. My 2nd foreign language is either Japanese or Korean (stopped learning it for private reasons), my 3rd may be 1 or 2 of Italian, French, Br.Portuguese and Spanish, and I'm hesitating for a 4th language between Arabic and German (not Russian). Should I choose to learn Arabic if I'm not going to UAE to make a living or do some business with Arabic people. Which kind of Arabic should I start with from scratch? MSA or Gulf Arabic? Frankly, I love German as much as Japanese, Italian, French, or Arabic, and it would be almost impossible for me to give enough attention to both Arabic and German one after another, mainly because it would be a wastage of time and energy to some extent. Would anyone like to give me some advice please? Thanks!
Muhmed   Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:10 am GMT
First modern standard Arabic, then gulf Arabic (better than other dialects).
Muhmed   Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:21 am GMT
zashss   Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:34 am GMT
You aren't 'supposed' to do shit. Do what you want to do, no one 'supposes' anything.
J.C.   Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:47 am GMT
你不应该学习阿拉伯语。你怎么不学习你爱的言语?有的人学在工作必要的言语。但是,有的时候这个选择没有趣。

加油!
Z.J.J   Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:06 am GMT
J.C. Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:47 am GMT

Muito obrigado pelo seu conselho.
J.C.   Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:25 am GMT
"Muito obrigado pelo seu conselho."

De nada!!! Bons estudos!!!
Daniel   Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:42 am GMT
Well, there is a report, "English next" of David Graddol (2006). He is an expert in languages and he says that the next languages system is a "Big four": a new order where English, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic will be the top 4, the most important World languages.

You know English and Chinese. So, if you want, Spanish and Arabic are a good choice.

Other languages, like German and French, will be less spoken and a little less important in the future. If you speak Spanish, you can be understood in Brazil, some American states and some European countries.


You can read it (page 61):

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-research-english-next.pdf
seriously dude   Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:53 am GMT
UUhh?? Hello??? Can someone name me one Arabic speaking country which is not dirt poor?? Or if they're not dirt poor, they are oilocracies who squander their cash on overblown projects which are ostentatious and useless. These countries will never become leaders in anything , innovation is stifled by their religion and culture. Women are oppressed. How can a country compete these days if half their human resources are rendered useless by definition?
Z.J.J   Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:54 am GMT
Daniel Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:42 am GMT
(a new order where English, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic will be the top 4, the most important World languages.
You know English and Chinese. So, if you want, Spanish and Arabic are a good choice.
Other languages, like German and French, will be less spoken and a little less important in the future. If you speak Spanish, you can be understood in Brazil, some American states and some European countries. )

Thank you very much for your useful information. Wish you all the best. 万事如意!
Ali   Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:01 am GMT
in germany they all speak english as a second language and i think you dont have problems with english , in the other hand there is 22 arabic country with a different policy which means that in algeria we speak franch as a second language, in libya they speak italien as a second, in Egypt they speak english as a second
if you spoke english in germany they will understand you
if you spoke english with an arabic maybe he will not understand you well
so the best way is to learn arabic and you should learn classical arabic beause we all use it in news channels, magazines, books ....
i have a lot of chinese friends and they speak it very well
/*-   Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:13 am GMT
Ali, Good point.

Thank you
calid   Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:56 am GMT
Arab is a good choice.

European languages are almost dead.
ssss   Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:00 am GMT
European languages are almost dead

In your dreams!
calid   Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:46 am GMT
why ? In the futur it will be Chinese, Hindi or arabic everywhere.
USA will lose its first place, so who cares ? Europe is already irrevelant.
Stop this white european supremacy. Let's have something elselike asiatic.