So at the end of last month, I heard someone say that Arabic is an easy language. Easier than Malay & English, becos apparently, writing an M is abit of a stretch when compared to writing a qof, and then when writing a word, arabic letters have to be connected but roman letters don't have to. So Arabic is simpler.
What?
I don't know if it's because I've been brought up in a society where romanised letters are everywhere and that her social upbringing was in the Arabian culture, but quite frankly I find roman letters easier to write than arabic.
But Masha Allah I think most people - if not all - people I know would agree with me when I say that Arabic is the most beautiful language ever created. Not because it's easy no, but because it's so complex it's fascinating.
Not only that it is the language of the Quran and the language we (Aameen it's a 'we') will speak in Jannah in shaa Allah, but the words in the language have a certain grammatical system that even the best Arabic scholars cannot completely fathom. Of course, lots of Arabic linguists are able to master this holy language. However, they fail to fully grasp the grammars as well as adequately interpreting the hidden meanings of the words in the Quran, for it contains the words of Allah and He alone holds the perfect knowledge about it.
I hate to compare Arabic with other languages for they fade
I am aware that I am in no position to make judgment, seeing as I am neither a linguist nor a literary scholar. However, among all
It's easy why? There is a system in Arabic. A system that is so organized and flawless it's quite easy to follow. Think of it like a syllabus. There are certain topics, certain formula for nouns, verbs, adverbs, etc. During my experience of studying English, more often than not the teachers would just delve into stories in English and would occasionally introduce a rule in English grammar. Well I do not know whether this only occurs at my school but even if there is a system in English as well, most of the words in English are irregular. For instance, there are two contradicting words that will have the same meaning when combined with other words (eg; fat chance & slim chance). As for Malay lessons? Well it's more organized than English but it's simple, too simple and general - I'd probably talk abt the 'why' later. If I don't, well you can google it or sth.
But for Arabic lessons? It is so organized, that the titles or formulas for the words in Arabic are numerous and so scholars have divided it into three types of lessons: grammar, inner grammar (imagine it's like the nerves in a body, where the body is, well, Arabic grammar) and literature (ofcourse literature is divided into several parts but then English literature's probably divided into different types as well).
Anyhow, the Arabic grammar is quite different than Malay, seeing as in Arabic, the words for men and women are different (the pronoun, verbs, nouns, adverbs, etc.) but in Malay? They're all the same, really. If you say a man is eating in Malay, you would say it exactly the same way if you were to describe a woman eating. In Arabic? Hoho, the pronoun (man or woman) would be different, the verb (eating) will be different as well. The noun could be different, depending on the amount of food or the type of food (you know, like lunch or breakfast but then that's the same for most languages). Of course in the end, the meaning of the Arabic sentences would still be the same for men and women, you would just have to change the way of writing the words.
Altho, Arabic grammar is almost similar to English, almost. They both have different singular pronouns for men and women, they both have different nouns for different amounts of things, etc. In fact, it is almost similar, most of the people with Malay, English & Arabic backgrounds find it easier to relate Arabic with English than they do with Malay.
However, while the difference of pronouns between genders English is limited to only the singular ones, Arabic has different pronouns for both singular and plural (more than three), as well as when there are two. The difference in nouns for different amounts in English is also limited to singular and plural only - where plural means two and above - while in Arabic, the difference in nouns are divided into three - singular, two, more than three.
Because of these differences, we would be able to derive other forms of words - from verbs to nouns, adverbs, adjectives, etc - without memorizing them.
And it's hard why?
Obviously because there are so many restrictions and rules in Arabic I sometimes fail to articulate a quick sentence correctly. Arabic is also one of the few languages that does not contain vowels in script. Ofcourse there is a vowel in speech represented by dots (the old ones) and diacritics. (it'll be too much to explain what this means. However I welcome you to click on it to learn if you're interested. It's amazing, seriously). With even the slightest change in the vowels can switch the meaning of the word entirely. For instance:
ضُرِبَ مَالِك
Malik was hit.
ضَرِبَ مَالِك
Malik hit.
However, no matter how difficult the language is, it has contributed in its beauty. After all, Harry Potter (I'm sorry, I had to use this) wouldn't be famous if it's easy to write (which will undoubtedly be cliche and boring if it is), now would it?
Of course I still very much love English and Malay but it is hard to ignore the superiority of Arabic among them. What I have said might not convince you - due to my apparent favouritism towards Arabic - but try checking in with qualified linguists. Of course they might be biased as well, but I assure you, you would appreciate the language if you were to indulge in it deeper.
Alrite, I shall end this post and I'll write again next time in shaa Allah. May Allah bless you all & Assalamu'alaikum. ♥
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