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Arabic vs Russian

Okay, just wondering about personal opinion here.

What do you think is a more useful language and more helpful to study? Obviously both have their bonuses in learning them (as does any foreign language!) but do you think that either one is much more useful than the other?

I'd be interested to hear from anyone studying either (or both!) :smile:

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Reply 1

Nasher and Basher

Arabic, most companies and businesses are going to the middle east. Russian could be more vital in the future as its econmoy grows under its new leadership etc. But I will go with Arabic.

Reply 2

Thud

Russian is pretty good fun, has really good literature, (for me at least) I'm more likely to go there because I don't like getting stoned.

Reply 3

Nasserqa

"Helpful" would depend on what you want to do with it really. If you're talking in terms of Money, for some reason I think you can make alot of Money working in the Arabian Gulf (here) rather than Russia. That is an assumption anyways.

Reply 4

Hashshashin

Thud

Russian is pretty good fun, has really good literature, (for me at least) I'm more likely to go there because I don't like getting stoned.

I spent a good 7 seconds wondering how I missed the Middle East becoming a drug-fueled hippy state, before I worked out what you really meant. :biggrin:

Reply 5

Anatheme

Happy I don't have to choose between them ^^.
Plus speaking fluently French and English is a great bonus !

However, I hear that the UN was looking for people speaking Russian, and I think Russian is increasing pretty fast. Plus, it depends on what you want to do with this language ?

Reply 6

paddy

Arabic is a tricky one, there are so many different variations. I mean there's the Arabic they speak in Egypt, the Arabic they speak in Lebanon etc etc.
Russian is pretty standard in comparison. Plus the Russian economy is growing massively at the moment.
Personally I would vote Russian :smile:

Reply 7

no1mohsin

I'd say Russian too but i'm very biased. Equally, I've always quite liked the sound of Arabic and wanted to learn it but it's worth bearing in mind that only something like 5% of Russians can speak English...

Reply 8

Nasserqa

paddy

That difference is accent. There is no difference between the Arabic language in different countries.

Your statement above is equivilant to: "There are many different variations to English. I mean there's English they speak in Plymouth, the English they speak in Carlisle, the English they speak in Texas.. etc." This is wrong.

Reply 9

Anatheme

Well, then where is the point publishing books to learn different kind of Arabic ?

From Wikipédia :

"Colloquial" or "dialectal" Arabic refers to the many national or regional varieties derived from Classical Arabic, spoken across North Africa and the Middle East, which constitute the everyday spoken language. These sometimes differ enough to be mutually incomprehensible. These dialects are typically unwritten, although a certain amount of literature (particularly plays and poetry) exists in many of them. They are often used to varying degrees in informal spoken media, such as soap operas and talk shows. Literary Arabic or classical Arabic is the official language of all Arab countries and is the only form of Arabic taught in schools at all stages.

It's like American English and British English or French French and Quebec French...
There are the same at the beginning, but there are differences.

Reply 10

Nasserqa

Hello,
The word "These" I assume refers to the sentence before it "Everyday spoken language". Get an Arab-African News-Paper, Midddle-Eastern News Paper, Egyption News Paper, they all use the same language, in grammar, vocabulary, etc.

Literary Arabic or classical Arabic is the official language of all Arab countries and is the only form of Arabic taught in schools at all stages.

If anyone sticks to this 'classic arabic', they will do fine.

Edit: Who published books learning different 'kind' of Arabic?

Assimil, lol

Nasserqa

And you know why? Because it's MODERN STANDARD ARABIC. And if I'm correct, then it is almost NEVER used in day-to-day conversation.
The difference between the dialects is FAR more pronounced than the difference between American English and British English. I for one can perfectly understand American English :rolleyes:

MSA is widely known yes, but it is almost exclusively used for writing only. It is only spoken in the media - you will not find two people talking in MSA on the street.

Please don't talk about things you don't know.

Reply 13

MaxBruegger

Paddy, you are correct in saying all of the media throughout the Middle East uses Modern Standard Arabic, whether it be in newspapers, radio or television broadcasts. However, as a direct consequence of this the highly educated Arabs in the regions can and do speak modern standard arabic as the huge importance of the media within both their nations and the international community necessitates this. As you also highlight MSA is the dominating force in the arts, poetry being almost always written in MSA, along with plays, songs etc

But as you said the common man on the street would not know MSA and would speak his regional dialect which as you highlight changes significantly throughout the arab world. My Syrian friends can understand a little of some similar dialects but there is a huge schism between Middle Eastern Arabic and North African Arabic, being virtually different languages.

Reply 14

Yuko

Thud

Russian is pretty good fun, has really good literature, (for me at least) I'm more likely to go there because I don't like getting stoned.

how ignorant

Reply 15

Thud

Yuko

how ignorant

You're right they never stone women in Arabic-speaking countries. :rolleyes:

Reply 16

paddy

Thud

You're right they never stone women in Arabic-speaking countries. :rolleyes:

Am I the only one who read the original "getting stoned" as getting high?
Now it makes more sense.

Kudos Thud on a remark that was both humorous and indicative of the plight of women in the Arab world.

Reply 17

paddy

MaxBruegger

Um, thanks for affirming what I said I suppose.

Personally I would equate speaking only MSA as being an English speaker amongst a group of Italian businessmen who know English. They'll talk business to you in English but come break time it's Italian they'll be speaking at the water cooler.