No abstract

In Arabic studies, corpus linguistics is still a fledgling discipline, but it is bound to become an unavoidable tool for specialists who seek to ground their research in actual language use. This article presents the preliminary results of an on-going research on Arabic applied linguistics. It offers a first approach to the possibility of matching Arabic as a language of politics with corpus-based teaching. The paper briefly introduces the concept of corpus-based teaching, its advantages and potential limits. It then reviews the most important Arabic corpora currently available for the language of politics, by also describing their extension, features, and limitations. Finally, it suggests some classroom activities based on arabiCorpus.

This study investigates motivational and professional orientations and identity issues of students of Arab descent majoring in Arabic in a teaching setting oriented to develop vocational and professional language skills. Their motivations for learning the target language were investigated and compared with those of their colleagues of non-Arab descent through a questionnaire that explored motivational factors, job expectations and education history. Apparently, students were prompted to take Arabic classes because of employment concerns and they proved keen on undertaking most of the proposed professions, providing that they were connected with the Arab world. It is also possible to highlight how the study of the language of origin was determined by thoroughly intrinsic motives. Cultural interests and especially identity needs provided the strongest push for the respondents, even in the surveyed education setting, where instrumental motivation was clearly expected to play a major role. Implications can be drawn as regards curriculum design and classroom practice.

Appropriate knowledge of learners is fundamental for planning successful courses. Especially in Europe, we often lack a precise idea of the background and aspirations of the students of Arabic. Surveys on this topic are all the more meaningful in the case of Arabic for specific purposes (ASP), a field in expansion that should be oriented according to real needs. This study investigates 205 students majoring in Arabic and enrolled in BA and MA degree courses in Linguistic and Cultural Mediation in Italy. The materials used consist in a questionnaire of 51 items enquiring into the students’ motivations, job orientations, and language learning history. The sets of items are rated through a 7-point Likert scale and validated with Cronbach’s α test. The results are discussed through descriptive statistics and different groups of learners are compared by using inferential statistics. The population surveyed often took Arabic because of instrumental motivations related to the development of professional skills. Students are interested in specific linguistic areas, such as politics, diplomacy, administration, media, but also areas of business and tourism, and translation. The secondary education received also affects learners’ orientations. Needs analysis highlights which specific courses are perceived as more relevant and also helps set a framework for further developments in the teaching of ASP

[One day, the famous grammarian] al-Farrā’ made several mistakes while speaking in the presence of Hārūn al-Rašīd. [The vizier] Ja‘far b. Yaḥyā al-Barmakī pointed this out to the caliph, who said: “Al-Farrā’, are you speaking incorrectly?”. “Commander of the Faithful”, replied al-Farrā’, “while it is natural for the Beduins to inflect words correctly, for citydwellers [like me] it is not. When I prepare, I speak correctly; when I speak off the cuff, I make mistakes”. Al-Rašīd appreciated al-Farrā’’s words. (Ibn Ḫallikān, 1968-72, vol. 6, 147)