Lessons from a Year Living in Jordan

Overview

Most important suggestion from my studies: focus on the duality of the language, ةالعامی as well as الفصحى

The situations in which each should be used

How it affects the mission of US military and other government forces

What can be done about it Conclusion: what can be taken from this

My story

Studied 2 years of Arabic at USAFA prior to living in the Middle East

Travelled and studied for 6 weeks in Summer ‘09 with USAFA language immersion program in Amman, Jordan

Returned to study Arabic independently of USAFA with CIEE September ‘09-May ‘10

Surprise: inability to communicate until I learned the colloquial dialect

When to speak as a local, when to speak properly

LOCAL CONTEXT PROPER CONTEXT Dealing with the average

person in ME society When trying to win

“hearts and minds” of the populace

When speaking to someone of high educational or royal status

What can be done about it?

-Picture courtesy of Google Images

The Takeaway

Most importantly, infuse some form of colloquial Arabic into the curriculum

The presence of colloquial Arabic is more important than the particular dialects

Some are more feasible to teach than others due to available teachers and immersion locations