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Rosetta Stone Japanese

Best Resources For Learning Japanese Grammar

Our websit suggest that improve your Japanese by Rosetta Stone Japanese. Of course, Japanese grammar is the backbone of learning Japanese. If you don’t gots grammar, you ain’t gots nothin.   1. Jgram.org Jgram.org is Read More »

Rosetta Stone Japanese

The Best Japanese Textbooks

Our websit suggest that improve your Japanese by Rosetta Stone Japanese. Traditionally, everyone learned from Textbooks. Although a lot of textbooks are getting a bit old, there’s a couple of good ones in here including Read More »

Rosetta Stone Chinese

SIX TIPS FOR LEARNING CHINESE

First,i would like to suggest you a good Chinese learning program:Rosetta Stone Chinese. 1. Be aware of tones   Both Mandarin and Cantonese are tonal languages, which means that speaking the same word with different Read More »

Rosetta Stone Chinese

BEFORE LEARNING CHINESE

1. Decide which language you wish to learn Mandarin is the national language of China and Taiwan, and is the dialect you should choose if traveling to those countries, or if you’re learning Chinese for Read More »

Daily English Reading

Mobile Phone Stores Online Help You Choose The Phone Right For You

Our websit suggest that improve your english by Daily English Reading. One of the best features of mobile phone stores online is the comparison feature. Generally you can compare phones in several ways and we Read More »

Best Resources For Learning Japanese Grammar

August 24, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Rosetta Stone Japanese

Our websit suggest that improve your Japanese by Rosetta Stone Japanese.
Of course, Japanese grammar is the backbone of learning Japanese. If you don’t gots grammar, you ain’t gots nothin.

 

1. Jgram.org

Jgram.org is kind of a wiki dedicated to Japanese grammar. It’s broken up into JLPT levels and it’s easy to find the particular grammar you’re looking for, including example sentences, explanations, and more. The content you’ll find here has been contributed by users of the site, which means things are always being updated with newer (and theoretically better) information.

 

2. Tae Kim’s Guide To Japanese Grammar

When it comes to Japanese grammar, Tae Kim is pretty much the man. His guide to Japanese grammar has been up forever, and is full of great information. I’ve recommended Tae Kim’s guide as an alternate way to learn Japanese, though it’s missing a few things that could make it into a “one-stop-shop” Japanese learning… shop.

 

3. Maggie Sensei

Maggie Sensei, run by Victor of the YouTube channel Gimmeabreakman, is an absolutely great resource for learning Japanese slang, grammar, culture and more. Lots of stuff here that you won’t find anywhere else, all packed into one location. I’d say Maggie Sensei is best for intermediate level students of Japanese, but no matter what level you are you’ll find something useful (and entertaining as well).

 

4. Timwerx.net

Timwerx, I feel, must be Tae Kim from an alternate universe (or Tae Kim is Timwerx from an alternative universe). More Japanese grammar laid out in a pretty-easy-to-follow fashion. My only complaint is that there isn’t more explanation. I think this would be a great resource for those of you looking for a refresher / another explanation on a particular grammar point, rather than someone learning all this grammar for the first time. Still, good stuff can be found here.

 

5. Wikipedia

Wikipedia, as I’m sure you know, is a fountain of knowledge that can’t be plugged. I’ve not only found a ridiculous amount of grammar information here, but also the history of grammar points, links to a ton of examples, and more. Although you won’t find every grammar point, Wikipedia has great explanations on a lot of things, especially the harder-to-understand ones that a lot of people have contributed their knowledge to.

 

6. Evernote

Just like using Evernote for vocabulary, it’s also a great way to compile information and data on the grammar points you’re learning. Just tag your grammar properly, and it’s a great way to keep track of grammar-related information in one searchable space. If you ever forget a grammar point or need to look up some examples, you’ll thank yourself for using Evernote to keep track of it all, even if it’s a hassle to do while you’re studying.

 

7. The Japanese Learning Page

Sort of lacking in explanation of each grammar point, but an absolute great way to review your grammar (or look up something you forgot). Lots of info with examples makes this a decent Japanese grammar experience.

 

8. Visualizing Japanese Grammar

Visualizing Japanese Grammar is a site full of flash animations that take you through different lessons in Japanese grammar. It’s a bit old, and the animations can be a bit wonky (with kind of low quality audio), but definitely a good thing to take a look at for any Japanese grammar buff.

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The Best Japanese Textbooks

August 24, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Rosetta Stone Japanese

Our websit suggest that improve your Japanese by Rosetta Stone Japanese.
Traditionally, everyone learned from Textbooks. Although a lot of textbooks are getting a bit old, there’s a couple of good ones in here including (full disclosure) my own.

 

1. TextFugu

 

TextFugu is an online Japanese textbook designed specifically for self-learners of Japanese. As of this post, it’s still in its early stages of development, which means it’s pretty perfect for beginners / complete beginners, though intermediate / advanced learners won’t find much here (yet). What makes TextFugu unique is its focus on all the main issues that self-learners run into. With most resources, quitter-rate is between 80-90%. TextFugu’s much lower quitter-rate is thanks to the interesting content, personal feel, and focus on inspiration / motivation rather than the good ol’ fashioned content shotgun approach.

 

2. Genki’s Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese

 

When it comes to “traditional” textbooks, Genki is pretty darn good. Before TextFugu, this is what I recommended that people use. It does a good overall job of teaching someone Japanese, though the biggest problems usually only appear when you don’t have a teacher (or at least someone better at Japanese) to guide you. Some parts can be confusing and a big complicated, so if you’re planning on teaching yourself Japanese, expect to run into some (fairly minor) problems. Another issue I have with Genki is that the stories are really boring. Personally, not a fan of Mary and her dumb exchange student adventures.

 

3. Japanese For Busy People

 

Japanese For Busy People was a pretty terrible textbook a while back. They have, however, done a good job making things better in the third edition of their book. There’s still a bit lacking (though, hard to beat the $20 price tag…  you get what you pay for), and I think it moves a bit too quickly. Personally, I’d rather it teach me how to make my life less busy and stressful instead of trying to work around my already busy and stressful life. Still, all-in-all, you get quite a bit for the $20 it’ll cost you, which might make it a good deal for some.

 

4. Japanese For Everyone

 

Japanese For Everyone would have ranked higher… if it seemed like people could actually find the audio tapes associated with it. Either you’ll just have to go without the tapes (which is pretty boo boo if you ask me), or you’ll have to special order them from Japan. Either way, it’s not an ideal situation. The book itself is pretty good, and I’d rank it up with Genki… if it had the tapes.

 

5. Yokoso

 

Yokoso is going to be a lot better if used in a classroom. It lacks a lot of examples and isn’t organized too well. With a teacher, though, this textbook isn’t all that bad as long as your teacher fills in the gaps (which is, I’m guessing, why it’s so gappy). If you’re self-learning, I’d stay away from this book. If you’re not self learning, I might choose Genki instead. If you have no choice? Well, Yokoso is the best choice, then.

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SIX TIPS FOR LEARNING CHINESE

August 18, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Rosetta Stone Chinese

First,i would like to suggest you a good Chinese learning program:Rosetta Stone Chinese.
1. Be aware of tones

 

Both Mandarin and Cantonese are tonal languages, which means that speaking the same word with different pitch will give the word different meanings. Mandarin has 4-5 primary tones, and Cantonese has 6-7.

Attempts have been made at Romanization (using of the “abc” alphabet) of Chinese words to assist with language learning. However, if you wish to speak Chinese with proper tones, it is highly recommended that you use an audio-based program and focus your efforts on reproducing the sounds that you hear. Romanized/written Chinese only provides an approximation until you become familiar with the actual sounds. It’s for that reason that I chose to use audio and “natural language” Romanization, rather than a have students learn a complicated pinyin system in my lessons.

 

2. Learn Chinese in phrases rather than memorizing vocabulary lists

 

Building vocabulary by learning phrases that contain vocabulary will help to make your communication understood by context, even if your tones are a bit off at first.

Chinese, like other languages, has many words that have the same/similar meaning but are used in particular contexts. Therefore, most students will find it more efficient to learn vocabulary “in context”, meaning in phrases where the vocabulary is used.

Unlike some other languages (such as French or Spanish), there is absolutely no connection between English and Chinese vocabulary (aside from random coincidence and a handful of English words that younger Chinese have adopted). This makes memorization of individual words more challenging, and less efficient than learning Chinese in phrases.

 

3. Do not put too much emphasis on grammatical rules

 

The complexity of Chinese vocabulary is partially offset by the simplicity of it’s grammatical structure. And in languages full of exceptions-to-rules (especially in Cantonese), you’ll advance more quickly by absorbing a “feeling” for grammatical structure through practice and exposure, rather than intellectual understanding of rules. It’s simply more effective to learn how to speak Chinese in the manner that a child learns to speak and language – by listening and repeating what you hear over and over. Imagine asking a 7 year old if a noun goes before a verb — they probably won’t know, but they will be able to say a sentence correctly.

 

4. Focus on frequent exposure

 

A real key to learning Chinese is repeated exposure to the language. In the beginning, this means listening to your audio programs/lessons as often as possible. Soon you’ll notice your ability to distinguish and reproduce the tones of Chinese becoming more honed, and you’ll speak with proper grammar because it “sounds right”. There is simply no substitute for frequent practice when getting started – you won’t learn these skills from a book. Listen in your car, while you work out, or set aside some time each morning and evening to immerse yourself in the audios. If you have trouble concentrating, you might be better off with a more interactive program like Pimsleurs, Rosetta Stone, or Fluenz.

 

5. Have fun!

 

If you enjoy learning a language, your mind and efforts will be more focused and you’ll learn much faster. A friend of mine took 4 years of Spanish in high school, hated it, and cannot speak a word today. However, she decided to learn French on her own and can speak with conversional fluency after just 6 months! I see the same thing with people who are really motivated to learn Chinese.

If you think it would be enjoyable, join a Chinese language group. But only stick with them if they actively work on practicing Chinese – otherwise you’ll be better off using that time to study on your own. Conversational Chinese classes at community colleges can also be fun (conversational classes tend to be more practical, and are usually attended by students with sincere interest).

With an abundance of Chinese studying overseas, you might try language exchange with ESL students that wish to practice their English, in return for help on your Chinese. If that’s not possible, find some Chinese chat partners online. Skype makes real-time voice chat easy.

Watch movies in Chinese. There are loads of great Mandarin movies from China, and Hong Kong (Cantonese) has one of the largest film industries in the world. Watching movies was my primary method of learning English, and I’ve heard of many students reinforcing their Chinese language efforts in the same way.

Get a tutor! Yes, that’s a shameless plug for myself — but of course you have other choices as well. Any form of one-on-one instruction is usually going to be more effective than a group setting, and more fun if it’s someone that you click with. So if one tutor isn’t working out, try others until you find someone with whom you feel comfortable. Working with a private tutor who gives assignments can also provide some much needed motivation that learning a language requires.

Plan a future trip to China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, and make it your goal to gain a certain level of proficiency by that time.

 

6. Find the learning style that works best for you

 

Although I’d love to say that my Chinese lessons and tutoring are all you’ll ever need, the truth is that different people learn more effectively with different methods. Exposing yourself to multiple programs, a variety of Chinese voices, and even hearing the same phrases spoken with slightly different wording will all help to accelerate your learning efforts.

In general, to really learn Chinese, you’ll want to find programs that provide a good amount of material. Although your local bookstore may have several “learn Chinese fast” programs with 1 or 2 audio CD’s of basic vocabulary, those aren’t going to do much for you. Read reviews on Amazon, but check your local library before spending a lot of money.

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BEFORE LEARNING CHINESE

August 18, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Rosetta Stone Chinese

1. Decide which language you wish to learn

Mandarin is the national language of China and Taiwan, and is the dialect you should choose if traveling to those countries, or if you’re learning Chinese for academic/business purposes. China’s large population makes Mandarin the most spoken language on the planet.

Cantonese is the primary language of Hong Kong and China’s Guangdong province. It is also the most common dialect spoken by Chinese overseas. Choose Cantonese if you’re traveling to Hong Kong, doing business in Guangdong (a major economic region), or if you wish to speak with the majority of Chinese in the US, UK, Australia, or Canada.

Difficulty: Mandarin is more structured and a bit easier to learn, while Cantonese has more tones and an ever-changing variety of slang terms. However, this characteristic also makes Cantonese a rich and enjoyable language to study. While there are similarities between Mandarin and Cantonese (learning one can help with learning the other), attempting to learn both simultaneously would be very confusing and inefficient.

 

2. Decide whether you wish to learn how to read/write Chinese

Chinese characters are not based on phonetics (sounds), so learning how to write does not help you learn how to speak. For travel purposes, learning a handful of Chinese characters will help you to read signs and menus in Chinese, but there is no reason to get too serious about writing if travel is your only objective. Most of the sign/menu characters can be extracted from a simple guidebook.

Many people enjoy learning how to write Chinese characters (calligraphy) solely as a beautiful art form.

 

3. If you do want to learn Chinese characters, choose the appropriate system

Simplified Chinese characters are used in China and Singapore. Traditional characters are used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and will also be seen on most Chinese menus and newspapers found overseas (US, UK, Australia, Canada, etc).

Character simplification was part of Mao Zedong’s pre-Cultural Revolution in 1960′s China, which explains why Hong Kong and Taiwan continue using traditional characters. Because the simplified system is based on the traditional one, many characters are actually exactly the same in both systems.
After all,i would like to suggest you a good Chinese learning program:Rosetta Stone Chinese.

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Mobile Phone Stores Online Help You Choose The Phone Right For You

August 17, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Daily English Reading

Our websit suggest that improve your english by Daily English Reading.
One of the best features of mobile phone stores online is the comparison feature. Generally you can compare phones in several ways and we will look at a few of those ways in this article.

 

Phone Features: This is perfect if you are looking for a phone which is small or light weight. The mobile phone stores are all battling against each other in order to give you the best service so this feature is fairly standard at most phone shops online. It allows you to select a few phones and look at them side by side so you can compare the specs of each one. The comparison charts are also helpful if you are looking for a particular capability such as video calling or a large megapixel camera with very large screen. You can also find out how much internal memory each one has.

 

Phone Cost: Another fantastic point of been able to compare the phones is you can easily pick one to perfectly suit your budget at phone shops in the UK. Contract phones are rather varied in their prices and they also vary in the length of time you are required to sign the contract for.

 

Free Gifts: For those who are more interested in the goodies and freebies that come with some mobile contract deals you can start your search by choosing the gift of your choice and then the comparison charts will list a range of phone featuring that freebie.

 

The internet mobile phone stores have made comparison shopping possible and it has changed the way most people buy products. Been able to sit at home and get all the details and information you need about a phone has made the whole process much more convenient and quicker. Online mobile phone stores often have cheaper prices than high street stores as well as they run internet only special price online offers.

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Best Wine Guide – Tips On Knowing The Best Wine

August 17, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Daily English Reading

Our websit suggest that improve your english by Daily English Reading

A lot of people enjoy drinking wine due to its relaxation, wonderful meal companion, and most of all health benefits to the body. Prior to choosing which type of wine or brand to buy, there are certain thing you need to consider. This is to ensure that you are purchasing the best bottle of wine available. Below are factors to consider before buying any bottle of wines.

Quality            Majority of the wines in the market are mass produced hence affordable for majority of the consumers. While looking for a bottle of wine to buy, make sure to check the brand or type. For instance, sparkling wine is normally called champagne. As you may be aware that champagne is a name of a region in France where quality sparkling wines are produced. Therefore, a very good sparkling wines normally don’t have champagne as their labels. As a result of this, it is important to check the description on the wines before buying.

Taste                 Beginners to wine normally take to sweet wine. Nevertheless, as you get use to the taste of the wines, you should also try different types too. First of all, you consider the wine’s color. This is because white and red wine has different tastes, and a rose wine has a totally different taste. Besides this, most of the wines can be partnered with most meals. To be able to find your favorite wine, you need to try them all because wines has many different tastes.

Terroir            Debates has been going on for years about this, a lot of wine consumers still presume that wine’s terroir determine its quality. Simply because terroir is define as the soil and the environment where the grapes are grown. So many people has the notion that wine’s from famous terroir produced a more quality wines compare to other places. If you want the best of the wines, make sure they come from terroir that are well-known.

Personalize   Visit your local wine shop and ask the owner about wine types that you may like. As you try different types, make a list of the wines that you find interesting. In this way, you will have your own criteria and before you know it, you’ll be an expert when it comes to your own tastes buds.

There are many things to enjoy when drinking wine, just make sure that you dont drink too much at a time. Although most wines don’t contain great amounts of alcohol, it is best to drink it in moderation. However, the best thing about wine is that it is far more enjoyable than the other alcoholic drinks. So join the club and start drinking wine!~Pop into your neighborhood wine store ask for your favorite wine, but though, as you taste different kind of wines, take note of the wines that interest you. Hence you will be able narrow down your choice of wines and their characteristics and in so doing, become an expert in wine tasting in no time.

 

Without doubt, there is a lot to enjoy when drinking wine, but don’t over drink. Most of the wines has less alcohol in them, even at that, you should exercise caution when drinking. Nevertheless, wine is still far more enjoyable than any other alcoholic drinks. So my friend, join the wine club and start enjoying yourself.

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What Is More Dangerous- Snowboarding or Skiing in the French Alps?

August 17, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Daily English Reading

With both types of activities, an adventurous medley of holidays is featured from one day trips to weeklong events to trips of even greater duration. It is simply a matter of choosing the length of stay that you have time to enjoy. Nonetheless, one consideration that all skiers and snowboarders must take into consideration is that these sports carry with them a bit of danger. Without the proper precautions in place, an injury or even death can occur. However, neither activity is inherently more dangerous than the other.
Preparing for the Fun: Equipment
The most important facet when it comes to safety whilst skiing or snowboarding is preparedness. The skier or snowboarder needs to be properly prepared for his adventure in order to avoid injury. Not only does this mean having the proper equipment, but it also means fitting this equipment properly. Otherwise, the equipment does not provide safe conditions for the user. Instead of providing safe conditions, poorly fitted equipment slips about or cuts off mobility or circulation.
One of the most important pieces of equipment is a helmet. Concussions and skull fractures occasionally happen when people are having fun on the slopes. Having a helmet that fits snugly and securely can offer protection against these injuries.
Preparing for the Fun: Physical Fitness
Skiers and snowboarders need to participate in their activity at the proper level for their experience and their fitness level. Novices in either sport should stick to the courses that have been designed for beginners. Typically that means staying on the bunny slopes.
In addition to that aspect, all individuals engaging in either one of these activities should do a bit of training for the experience prior to turning up on the slopes. Getting physically fit ahead of time can be as simple as incorporating a bit of weekly exercise into one’s routine. It simply is not enough to arrive at the slopes after years of physical inactivity and think that one is going to be able to complete a few stretches before sliding down slopes and slopes of snow.
Preparing for the Fun: Get a Bit of Knowledge
For novices, reading up on skiing or snowboarding can be quite useful. Not only can this strategy assist the learner in knowing what to do once she arrives at the slopes, but it can also help to alleviate any stress associated with trying a new activity that carries with it a small element of danger.
Another option for learning how to ski or snowboard is taking lessons. Most resorts provide lessons for a small fee. The trainers are well versed in the sport and should be able to answer most questions related to the experience, providing beginners with useful information.

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Recommended Hotels in Baguio City

August 17, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Baguio City

Baguio City is situated in the northern part of Luzon, Philippines. In fact, this city is considered as highly urbanized and is also known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines and the City of Pines. Different industries allow Baguio City to be prosperous, but it is known for its main industry which is tourism. During summer season, it is believed that the population in Baguio doubles due to the presence of local and international tourists. And that is the reason why the sales of hotels also rise up during this season. Both local and international tourists check in different hotels, which is what we are discussing. We would like to mention some recommended hotels in Baguio City,

 

The Philippines is indeed very proud of Baguio City because its main attractions do not stop in historical places. Instead, even hotels in this city are also considered as tourist attractions. Let us name some that will surely entice readers to take a vacation in this beautiful city located in the Philippines.

 

Camp John Hay Manor Hotel used to be a recreational facility of Americans before it was transformed into a resort that is described as world-class. Among the feature of this Baguio hotel are a mini golf course, a picnic area, a skating rink, and a golf course. To accommodate visitors, 177 units were built which all consist of modern amenities that would result to a comfortable stay of visitors. Aside from the cozy interiors and architecture being offered by Camp John Hay, the entire Philippines is proud to say that this Baguio hotel offers spectacular views of mount Cordillera.

 

Another hotel that the Philippines is proud of is Microtel Inn – Suites. Views of the Benguet mountains may be seen from Microtel Inn – Suites as it is situated 5,000 feet above sea level. The staff in Microtel Inn – Suites is very accommodating, the bed is comfortable, and the amenities are excellent. Microtel Inn – Suites is also recommended for coffee-lovers because this Baguio hotel offers unlimited delicious coffee.

 

Another highly recommended hotel is El Cielito Inn, exactly located in 50 North Drive, Baguio City, Philippines. Rooms being offered in El Cielito Inn total to thirty which are in different sizes, such as suite rooms, deluxe, and standard. All rooms, regardless of the size, feature telephones, bathrooms, and a comfortable stay. The restaurant of El Cielito Inn is called The Voyager and it offers different kinds of dishes from snacks to dinners. El Cielito Inn also offers services for functions such as meetings or family gatherings. It features a multi-purpose hall that has a capacity of 125 pax.

 

These are just three hotels in Baguio that allow the Philippines to be proud of.

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Goal Setting – 6 simple but effective steps to get what you want when you want it

August 17, 2011   daily reading   No comments
Daily English Reading

What goals have you set for yourself for this next year? How determined are you to achieve them?
Did you know that 70% of people who set new years resolutions will have abandoned them by the 3rd week of January and of the 30% that don, 90% of them will have given up by June? Which percentage bracket are you in?

SO，what can you do now to ensure that you arrive at the end of the year, in the top 5% of those that do follow through and achieve what they set out to achieve at the beginning of the year?

Follow my top tips for setting and achieving goals and notice the difference when you see yourself still on track as the months go by.
This is a great exercise to encourage your staff to work on their goals too. If they have goals and you are helping them to achieve them, then they are more likely to help you to achieve your companys goals.

Step One      Always write your goals down on paper. It is proven that you are 70% more likely to achieve your goal if it is written down.

Step Two     Use my SPADE criteria when setting your goals:

S  stands for specific. Be as specific as you can. If your goal is to earn more money, then exactly how much? If you earned an extra  you would be earning more so your subconscious needs to know exactly how much more.

P  is for present and positive tense. Write your goal as if it was happening now. The reason for this is that your subconscious mind cant determine between what is real and what is made up. By writing your goal as though your are there now activates your RAS (reticular activating system) which means you will be focused on the goal and you conscious mind will look for ways to facilitate it happening. Always write in the positive so dont write what you dont want, write what you do want. Our brain can not process negatives. If I was to say to you, dont think of a blue elephant, what are you thinking of? Even if you were determined not to think about it, you would have to at least think about it to tell yourself not to think about it!

A  is for achievable, you dont want to set yourself up for failiure.

D  is for date, When are you going to achieve this by? This tells your subconscious mind that you are serious about this goal.

E  is for emotional evidence. You need an end step so that you know that you have got your goal and put some feelings into it. This is one of the most important aspect in goal setting. We are feeling driven animals. Whatever we do we do either to create a feeling or to avoid one.

Remembering to write in the positive, put some emotional evidence as a conclusion to the goal. Imagine that you are there now and ask yourself questions such as:

How do I feel?

What does this really mean?

What does this allow me to do/be/have now that I have achieved this?

Step Three   Now you have your goal you need to chunk it down into manageable milestones and diarise them. This will stop you from feeling overwhealmed and allows you to focus on one thing at a time. Remember the saying, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Step Four     Read your goals every day and visualise yourself there. Imagine that its happening now. Remember, you get what you focus on so focus on what you want to be happening.
Step Five     Take action. Ask yourself everyday, what can I do to get me closer to my goal. what I am doing now moving me closer or further from my goal?

Step Six        ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

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10 great reasons to start learning Arabic

August 17, 2011   daily reading   No comments

Why learn Arabic?
Are you considering learning Arabic? But you are not sure why it might be beneficial? In addition to the reasons why everyone should learn a language, here are 10 solid reasons why Arabic might be an excellent choice for you.

1. Arabic is the 5th most commonly spoken native language in the world.
Arabic is the official language of over 20 countries and there are well over 300 million native speakers of the language. These speakers are largely concentrated in the Middle East, but there are minority groups of native speakers throughout the world. It is also an official language of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Conference, and the African Union.
2. Arabic is the liturgical language of Islam.
In addition to the millions of native speakers, many more millions know Arabic as a foreign language, since as the language of the Qu’ran, it is understood by Muslims throughout the world.
3. There is a high demand and low supply of Arabic-speakers in the Western world.
Relatively few Westerners ever venture to learn Arabic. With the growing importance of the Middle East in international affairs, there is thus an extreme shortage of workers in the West who are versed in Arabic language and culture. Those who study Arabic can find careers in a variety of fields: journalism, business and industry, education, finance and banking, translation and interpretation, consulting, foreign service and intelligence, and many others. Only 1 % of the United States 12,000 FBI agents have any knowledge of Arabic at all, and this includes those who know only a few words.
4. There are financial incentives for learning Arabic.
The US government has designated Arabic as a language of strategic importance. The National Strategic Language Initiative instituted in 2006 promotes the learning of Arabic (and other languages deemed critical) among Americans through numerous scholarships and supported learning opportunities. These include support for language courses from beginning to advanced levels, study abroad programs, intensive instruction opportunities, teacher exchanges, and professional development.
5. Arabic-speaking nations are a fast growing market for trade.
Initiatives to integrate the Arab world into the global economy are opening up numerous potential nw business opportunities. The Arab region with its rapidly growing population provides a huge export market for goods and services. With a GDP of over 600 billion dollars annually, the region also has much to offer the world market. In order to do business effectively, one must understand the language and culture of the people with whom one hopes to negotiate and conduct trade.
6. Arabic-speaking peoples have made significant contributions to world civilization.
While Europe was experiencing the relative intellectual stagnation of the Middle Ages, the Arab-Islamic civilization was at its zenith. Arabs contributed a great deal to the advancement of science, medicine, and philosophy. Much learning from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine cultures was preserved for the world through the Arab libraries. Arabs have also made significant contributions in such areas as literature, mathematics, navigation, astrology, and architecture. A knowledge of Arabic enables the exploration of this vast body of knowledge in their original language.
7. The Arab-speaking world has a rich cultural heritage.
The Arab world has its own unique art, music, literature, cuisine, and way of life. Westerners know about belly dance, perhaps have read 1001 Nights, and may have tried some some popular Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus or falafel, but Western exposure to the Arab way of life is generally limited. In exploring the Arabic world, you will learn to appreciate its distinct cultural products and practices and you will come to understand some of the values important to the Arabic people, such as honor, dignity, and hospitality.
8. Knowing Arabic can promote intercultural understanding.
In addition to having limited exposure to real Arabic culture, Westerners are presented with one-dimensional negative stereotypes of Arabic-speaking peoples through the news media, Hollywood films, and other sources. At the same time, events in the Middle East affect our daily lives. Reliance on such false and superficial images can lead to mistrust and miscommunication, to an inability to cooperate, negotiate, and compromise, and perhaps even to military confrontation. Those who learn Arabic gain deeper insights into the cultural, political, and religious values that motivate people in those cultures. People who know Arabic can negotiate the cultural and linguistic gap between nations, assist in solving and avoiding intercultural conflict, and help businesses successfully engage in international trade.
9. Arabic influence is evident in many other languages.
The export of concepts, products, and cultural practices from Arabic-speaking peoples is evident in the vocabulary that Arabic has lent other languages. Algebra was invented by Arab mathematicians in medieval times. Such staple products as coffee and cotton came from the Arab world, as well as jasmine, lemon, and lime. Other Arabic loanwords appearing in English denote such diverse things as henna, macrame, lute, mattress, gerbil, sorbet, safari and muslin. The influence of Arabic culture is apparent not only in the English language. Numerous Arabic contributions are also discernible in Persian, Turkish, Kurdish, Spanish, Swahili, Urdu, and other languages.
10. The Unites States has an Arab-American minority.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2002 census, there are 1.2 million people of Arab heritage residing in the United States. Though a relatively small population, their numbers are quickly growing; people of Arab ancestry in the U.S. increased by about 40% during the 1990s. Intercultural understanding begins at home. Even just a basic knowledge of the Arabic language and culture can improve understanding and acceptance of this often misunderstood and misrepresented group of Americans.

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