Aims

This course aims at analysing the fundamental structures of Arabic language by showing the main features of semitic logic. It forms the first part of an initiation to the literary Classical Arabic.

Main themes

By learning to read and write and by acquiring the first grammatical mechanisms, the student is enabled to appreciate the structure of the literary classical Arabic, a semitic language with a consonantal writing. The first texts to be studied are all vocalised. The course is usually followed by the second year course GLOR 2857 (Classical Arabic, second part), or by third and four year courses such as GLOR 2823 (Classical Arabic, Superior Level), to be attended, together with exercises, for two years.

Content and teaching methods

The course forms the first part of an initiation to the literary classical Arabic. It may be followed by a series of courses given at the Institute of Modern Languages, which all focus on the study of Modern Arabic as it is spoken nowadays, whether literary or dialectal, or else by courses of higher level of literary (and written) Arabic or even by a course of Middle Arabic (i.e. medieval non-literary Arabic): see abstracts for courses GLOR 1807 and GLOR 2824.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisite: none.
Evaluation: oral examination on the contents of the course.
Teaching materials: the course is a free adaptation of the learning method "Teach Yourself Arabic" (J. Smart). Sheets of exercises are regularly distributed.

Other credits in programs